Psalm 99 3

Psalm 99:3 kjv

Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.

Psalm 99:3 nkjv

Let them praise Your great and awesome name? He is holy.

Psalm 99:3 niv

Let them praise your great and awesome name? he is holy.

Psalm 99:3 esv

Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!

Psalm 99:3 nlt

Let them praise your great and awesome name.
Your name is holy!

Psalm 99 verses

Psalm 99 3 Meaning

Psalm 99:3 is a command to all beings to declare and acknowledge the magnificent and awe-inspiring nature of God's revealed character, culminating in the foundational truth of His absolute and distinct holiness, which necessitates profound reverence and worship. It calls for recognition of His inherent moral purity and separateness from all creation and sin, making Him uniquely worthy of praise.

Psalm 99 3 Context

Psalm 99 belongs to a distinct collection of "enthronement psalms" (Psalms 93, 95-99) which celebrate YHWH's universal reign as King. This psalm particularly highlights God's reign from Zion (Jerusalem) where His holiness is profoundly manifested. It asserts God's supreme authority, justice, and faithfulness, often in contrast to human rulers or false gods. Verse 3 flows from the preceding verses that proclaim God's universal kingship and powerful presence, establishing the rightful response of praise. The historical context includes a time when nations worshipped various deities, making the declaration of YHWH's unique holiness and just rule a significant assertion against contemporary pagan beliefs. It's a call for the faithful to acknowledge and participate in worshipping the true and living God, whose rule is based on absolute moral perfection.

Psalm 99 3 Word analysis

• Let them praise (יוֹדוּ, yodhu): This is the Hiphil imperfect of the Hebrew verb יָדָה (yadah), meaning "to cast, to throw." In the Hiphil stem, it often means "to give thanks," "to praise," "to confess," or "to acknowledge." Here, it's an imperative conveying a strong command or exhortation for all to give public acknowledgment and thanksgiving. It implies an active, vocal recognition of God's attributes.
• your great (גָּדוֹל, gadol): An adjective meaning "great," "large," "mighty," "important." It refers to God's immense scale, power, authority, and renown. It speaks of His infinite, unlimited nature and majesty, underscoring His sovereignty and unsearchable depths.
• and awesome name! (וְנוֹרָא שְׁמוֹ, w'nora sh'mo):
  • and awesome (וְנוֹרָא, w'nora): A Niphal participle of the verb יָרֵא (yare), meaning "to fear" or "to be afraid." Nora therefore means "fearful," "dreadful," or "awe-inspiring." It does not primarily denote terror, but rather profound reverence, deep respect, and astonished wonder at God's transcendence, power, and might. It describes His ability to evoke profound respect and even holy dread.
  • name! (שְׁמוֹ, sh'mo): The word שֵׁם (shem) "name," followed by the suffix for "His." In Hebrew thought, the "name" of God signifies His revealed character, attributes, reputation, and presence. It encompasses all that God is and how He makes Himself known to humanity. Praising His name is praising His very being and all His manifestations.
• Holy is he! (קָדוֹשׁ הוּא, qadosh hu):
  • Holy (קָדוֹשׁ, qadosh): An adjective meaning "set apart," "sacred," "pure," "unique," "separate." This is the ultimate attribute of God, signifying His absolute moral purity, transcendence, and distinction from everything common or defiled. It highlights His complete freedom from sin and His uniqueness as the one true God. It is the basis for His moral demands on His people.
  • is he! (הוּא, hu): The emphatic personal pronoun "he," highlighting God's singular, distinct, and eternal identity as the source and essence of holiness. It serves as an emphatic affirmation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Let them praise your great and awesome name!": This phrase acts as a universal summons to active worship based on two critical aspects of God's nature. "Great" highlights His magnitude and boundless power, implying omnipotence and vastness. "Awesome" points to His overwhelming presence and might that evokes profound, reverential fear. Together, "great and awesome name" encapsulates His magnificent power and the fearful reverence it should inspire in all who know Him, underscoring that His very revealed being demands such a response.
• "Holy is he!": This final, concise declaration serves as the foundational theological climax of the verse. It declares God's essence: He is qadosh. This attributes explains why He is great and awesome and why He deserves praise. His holiness undergirds all His other attributes, asserting His utter purity, moral perfection, and distinctness from creation and sin. It underscores that God is uniquely separated for worship, His actions always rooted in this perfect, unblemished nature. This emphatic statement forms the basis for acceptable worship and is a core affirmation of His identity.

Psalm 99 3 Bonus section

• The repetitive use of the declaration "Holy is the LORD our God!" or "Holy is He!" within Psalm 99 (verses 3, 5, 9) functions as a refrain, establishing holiness as the preeminent attribute that governs all of God's actions—especially His righteous judgments and faithful reign.
• The psalm's context within the "enthronement psalms" implies that the proper response to God's reign as universal King is not just passive acknowledgment, but active, reverent praise rooted in His intrinsic holiness. This counters any notion of a deity whose rule is arbitrary or unjust, typical of many ancient Near Eastern gods.
• The phrase "awesome name" serves as a counterpoint to trivializing God or approaching Him casually. It reminds worshippers of God's immense power and sovereign authority, prompting humility and obedience.
• The emphasis on God's "name" being praised suggests that genuine worship is intrinsically tied to an understanding and proclamation of His character, as revealed in scripture and in His mighty acts throughout history.

Psalm 99 3 Commentary

Psalm 99:3 issues a powerful, universal call for praise directed toward God's character, particularly His holiness. It emphasizes two interconnected dimensions of His divine nature that demand this response: His "greatness" (His supreme majesty and boundless power) and His "awesomeness" (His capacity to inspire reverent fear and profound respect). These attributes are contained within His "name," which signifies His entire revealed being. The culminating declaration, "Holy is he!", is the profound theological anchor. It reveals that God's essence is perfect purity and absolute distinction from all that is common or unholy. This inherent holiness is the ultimate ground for all worship, emphasizing that our reverence must be proportional to His unblemished nature. The verse thus sets a high standard for true worship, requiring recognition of God's unique and transcendent perfection.