17A*
A Call to Worship
After Epiphany - Transfiguration of Jesus, Year A 2017
Psalm 99

“The LORD is King...!” We come to worship our Holy God and Eternal King!
“Holy God...all on earth, your power proclaim, all in heaven above adore you...”¹

“The LORD is King...!” We come to celebrate God’s Holy Presence with us.
“Holy God... we praise your name...bend the knee, while we own the mystery...”¹

“The LORD is King...!” We come to rejoice in the liberation God has given us
as children of the King, and with all creation, to reverently praise our Maker.
“Holy God...LORD of all, we bow before you; boundless is your vast domain,
everlasting is your reign....in unceasing chorus praising,...Holy, Holy LORD...”¹ Amen.

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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!

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Prayers of Praise
After Epiphany - Transfiguration of Jesus, Year A 2017
Psalm 99

“The LORD is King...!” We come to worship our Holy God and Eternal King of all
creation - past, present and future; the Holy God and Eternal King of earth and
all its inhabitants; the Holy God and Eternal King of the realms of outer space
throughout all the ages; and the holy home of faithful people throughout eternity.
We come to praise and glorify the Holy One, that ‘Other’ whom we grow to know
and love as we grow in faith, hope and trust in the One who liberates us; and who
forgives us of our confessed sin, and who reunites us with our Maker and with our
inner self – as God created us to become. All praise and honour be to our God.
“Holy God...all on earth, your power proclaim, all in heaven above adore you...”¹

“The LORD is King...!” We come to celebrate God’s Holy Presence with us as we
journey on our earthly pilgrimage; that time where we learn who and what we are;
as individuals through our relationships; and that time when we learn a little about
the generosity and the caring compassion of our Creating God. In humility, we come
before the Holy One who is the “Invisible Mystery”² and who is also “...sacredness
enfolding us, here and now”² With songs of praise and with fervent prayers of thanks,
we offer our prayers: “Holy God... we praise your name...while we own the mystery...”¹

“The LORD is King...!” We come to rejoice in the liberation God has given us as the
children of the King, and with all creation, to reverently praise our Liberator and our
Maker who blesses us, even as we celebrate our God’s glory as has been seen
and experienced since time began. God of revelation and insights, we praise you
for allowing us to draw near enough to you to grasp a little of your majesty, power
and glory; but also of your steadfast love and mercy that is limitless in its grace.
“Holy God...LORD of all, we bow before you; boundless is your vast domain, and
everlasting is your reign....in unceasing chorus praising,...Holy, Holy LORD...”¹ Amen.

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A Personal Meditation
After Epiphany - Transfiguration of Jesus, Year A 2017
Psalm 99

Psalm 99 is a psalm about new governance, and demonstrates that where and
whenever YHWH/Yahweh/Jehovah/God is present, there is a new sense of justice,
social transformation and social cohesion; where the old order is changed because
“The LORD is king!” - and all the nations tremble in awed wonder at the majesty of
God and God’s kingly reign; and the crust of earth quakes in amazement at God’s
holy powers. The cosmic scene then changed to the Temple in Jerusalem, where
God’s unseen holy presence was acknowledged as being seated on the ‘mercy seat’,
beneath the wings of the cherubims. Despite these wondrous experiences, God still
related to individuals, that is, Moses and the priests, Aaron and Samuel, are specifically
mentioned in the psalm. The people of Israel and we of this current time - are each
called to worship God, the eternal king, because God is holy forever and for all eternity.



Various Biblical scholars ascribe different Psalms to the category of ‘Enthronement
Psalms’, but Professor Walter Brueggemann lists them in his latest book on the Psalms
as Psalms 47, 93, and 96 to 99; and he writes thus: “...it is clear that YHWH’s victory
in the exodus is just one instance of an often-repeated lyrical celebration of YHWH’s
victory over many things: (1) the gods, with the establishment of YHWH as king over
all other deities who must submit to YHWH; (2) the threat of chaos; (3) over all the
powers of evil and death....Each of these six psalms identify YHWH as “king”, a claim
that evokes celebrative doxology in Israel...It is the establishment and acknowledgement
of YHWH’s kingship that makes the world safe....Thus the lyrical imagination of Israel
managed to acknowledge a commonly assumed plurality of gods while at the same
time asserting YHWH’s superiority among the gods...YHWH qualifies for kingship by
victory. But the actual ‘enthronement’ of YHWH as king is a liturgical affirmation and
perhaps a dramatic liturgical performance.... Our conventional reading is that YHWH
was, is, and always will be king, so the Psalms acknowledge a steady stretch of
governance over a long period of time...”³ In this psalm, there is a balance between
God’s holy presence in the Jerusalem Temple, and liberation in the Exodus experience.



Brueggemann goes on to share an alternative view proposed by the great scholar
from Norway, Sigmund Mowinckel, who asserts that “YHWH is King”, better translates
to “YHWH has just become king”. Mowinckel suggests that this is an annual liturgical
celebration where God is installed as king for another year within a great spiritual and
liturgical gathering of celebration in the Temple, which heralds a cosmic celebration;
but also through these liturgical celebrations; God thereby made sure of another year
of security and prosperity. So the re-enthronement of God as king over all creation
guaranteed a year of holy celebration, justice and equity for all. Other authors liken
this annual re-enthronement celebration and acknowledgement of God in ancient times,
to the traditional annual performances of Handel’s oratorio ‘Messiah’, and in the way
audiences acknowledge God’s eternal sovereignty by standing for the singing of the
‘Hallelujah Chorus’. “...For the LORD God omnipotent reigneth. Hallelujah! The kingdom
of this world; is become the kingdom of our LORD, and of his Christ. And he shall reign
forever and ever, King of kings and LORD of LORDs... Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”



1 From “Together in Song” #127
“Holy God, we praise your name”
Words in the Public Domain
Based on the Te Deum Laudamus

2 From “Invisible Mystery” CD
© 2008 Words by Monica Brown
Emmaus Productions Australia
Used with personal permission

3 Text by Professor Walter Brueggemann
from “From whom no secrets are hidden”
Chapter 5, pages 49-50
© 2014 Westminster/John Knox Press Louisville Kentucky USA

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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 inspiration available from the scholarship and writings of
Professor Walter Brueggemann; and through the resources from the internet and “The Text this Week” (Textweek).

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

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

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