61A*
A Call to Worship
After Pentecost 20A [Ordinary 29A] or [Proper 24A] 2017
Psalm 99

“The LORD is king…!” Holy is the LORD God, and a Lover of justice for all.
We come to worship our God, in the stillness of God’s holiness and grace.

“The LORD is king…!” Holy is the LORD God, whose equity is always fair.
We come to praise our God, because of the wonder and mystery of God.

“The LORD is king…!” Holy is the LORD God, always and forever! Holy indeed
is God - reigning in majesty; and whose sacredness is gloriously awesome.
We come to thank our God, for allowing us a glimpse into the holiness and
majesty of our God; and who invites us to know our God in reverent stillness. Amen.

Psalm 99

1 The LORD is king! Let the nations tremble!
He sits on his throne between the cherubim.
Let the whole earth quake!
2 The LORD sits in majesty in Jerusalem,
exalted above all the nations.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name.
Your name is holy!

4 Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established fairness.
You have acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel.
5 Exalt the LORD our God!
Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!

6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests;
Samuel also called on his name.
They cried to the LORD for help, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to Israel from the pillar of cloud, and they followed
the laws and decrees he gave them.

8 O LORD our God, you answered them.
You were a forgiving God to them,
but you punished them when they went wrong.

9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain
in Jerusalem, for the LORD our God is holy!

Prayers of Praise
After Pentecost 20A [Ordinary 29A] or [Proper 24A] 2017
Psalm 99

“The LORD is king…”! Holy is the LORD God, and praise be to the LORD, who is a lover
of justice for all peoples and for all of creation. In the utter and quiet stillness of God’s
holiness and grace, we come to offer our acts of praise and worship of our LORD and
God. We offer our praises to the Creating God, whose majesty reaches the highest of
heights in the unmeasured heavens; and whose glory is deeper than the greatest known
depths of all creation. There is no known measurement that can illustrate the wonders
of our God; and so we in humble awe, today offer our thoughts and meditations to God.

“The LORD is king…”! Holy is the LORD God, whose wisdom and equity is always fair—
especially upon those people who are oppressed by powers beyond themselves; whose
lives are restricted by unjust regimes; and whose human rights are completely denied.
We come to praise our God because of the wonder and mystery of God, and because
of another mystery called ‘faith’, we know that we can come to God in the stillness and
that our praises and thanks are joyfully accepted by our Gracious God. All praise be to
our Liberating God, who frees us from our spiritual inhibitions so that together we can
praise God with joyful hearts and with uncluttered minds in a continuing chorus of praise.

“The LORD is king…”! Holy is the LORD God, always and forever! Holy indeed is God—
reigning over all things and all peoples in majesty; and whose sacredness is gloriously
awesome. We come to praise our God, for allowing us a glimpse into the holiness and
majesty of our God; and who invites us to know God in the stillness of reverent awe; and
and in the mystery of God’s Holy Presence with us. In the secrecy of our inner beings, we
humbly offer all that God has gifted to us - who we are and all that we can become – to
be blessed and consecrated in the service of God, the Generous Giver of all good gifts. Amen.

A Personal Meditation
After Pentecost 20A [Ordinary 29A] or [Proper 24A] 2017
Psalm 99

Psalm 99 commences thus: “...The LORD is king! Let the nations tremble! He sits
on his throne between the cherubim. The LORD sits in majesty in Jerusalem,
exalted above all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name.
Your name is holy!...” This verse referred to the invisible and Holy Presence of God
seated on the “Mercy Seat” beneath the outspread wings of the cherubim, as part
of the Ark of the Covenant, as it travelled on its journey through the wilderness on
the way to the promised land under the guidance of God and Moses. The next
verse referred centuries later on to God’s Holy Presence in the Holy of Holies in
the Jerusalem Temple where God reigned supreme “...exalted above all the nations...”
The holiness of God’s Presence was active within the community of Israel – when
and wherever it was that they worshipped God, as they timelessly recognised,
acknowledged and gave thanks for God. Their recognition is also timeless: “...Mighty
King, lover of justice, you have established fairness. You have acted with justice
and righteousness...” How did the people of Israel respond to that holiness; and in
our time, how do we personally respond when we encounter the holiness of God?

Creative pause: “...Be still, and know that I am God...”1


There are several so-called “enthronement psalms” within the Psalms: 47, 93, 96,
97, 98, and 99, each with the theme: “the LORD is king” - because God created
and reigns over all things. Within the psalms, various parts of creation take on other
characteristics in poetic terms, for example: when “...the trees of the field shall clap
their hands...”;2 and when “....mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs...!”3
The LORD is also recognised as the law-giver and lover of justice; as judge acting to
correct injustices; as the giver of mercy and forgiveness; and as liberator. However,
despite these other characteristics that have been attributed to the LORD, the over-
whelming reality of the LORD our God was and is utter holiness and majestic beauty!

Creative pause: “My heart is fixed upon you, God; my heart is steadfast in your love...”4


When confronted by God’s holiness, Psalm 46: 10 urges us: “...Be still, and know that
I am God! I will be honoured by every nation. I will be honoured throughout the world...”1
Where do you go to “...Be still, and know...”?1 Most people have a ‘place’ where they
can withdraw, even momentarily, to be quiet before God; and know the sensation as
described by Monica Brown: “My heart is fixed upon you, God; my heart is steadfast
in your love; my heart at peace within your gaze, my heart at home in your embrace.”4
These words describe the inner peace of the soul when a person is in the presence of
the holiness of God; and they describe the intimacy of a relationship that grows and
develops when we follow these instructions to: “...Be still, and know that I am God...”!1

Creative pause: “...my heart at peace within your gaze, my heart at home in your embrace.”4


1 Psalm 46:10 (NLT)

2 From “Together in Song” #755
“You shall go out with joy”
Words by Steffi Geiser Rubin
©1975 Lillenas Publishing Company
Used By Permission CCL Licence #221735

3 Psalm 114 :6

4 From “A Hearts Journey” CD track 2
Words and music by Monica Brown
© 2010 Monica Brown & Emmaus Productions
Used with personal permission

Acknowledgements:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

*Revised Indexing Scheme from 'Consultation on Church Union' (COCU).

I acknowledge and give heartfelt thanks for the theological help and inspiration so frequently available from the writings of Professor Walter Brueggemann and Professorial brothers Rolf and Karl Jacobson; and the resources from "The Text this Week" (Textweek).

If the Prayers and/or Meditation are used in shared worship, please provide this acknowledgement:
© 2017 Joan Stott –‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year A. Based on verses from Psalm 99.
Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au
www.thetimelesspsalms.net

Download/view a pdf file of this document here: pentecost20[29]a_2017.pdf