Psalm99:1-5; antiphon, Psalm99:5— The Psalm
for the Introit is a hymn celebrating the Lord as the great and holy King in
Zion. Seven times the psalmist will speak of the Lord. We are called to worship
our Lord as the antiphon suggests, “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at
his footstool; he is holy.” At the mountain of the Transfiguration, the
disciples see the Lord Jesus in all of His holiness, glory and splendor.
Psalm 99 – The Holy God – Present and Revealed
This psalm,
without title in the Hebrew text, is a triple proclamation of God’s holiness,
as Isaiah would later do (Isaiah 6:3).
Here, after
the carefree delight of Psalm 98, we recollect how exalted and holy he is, and
how profound is the reverence we owe him. [2]
An Experience with God
The Transfiguration was Jesus’
experience with God. Not the first. Not the last. But it was an experience so
intense that the glory of God transfigured Him into the brightness of the sun.
In the Epistle lesson, Peter gives the testimony of the disciples concerning
the reality of that experience. Moses had a similar experience with God on Mt.
Sinai. But it was related to the Law, not the gospel of the Son. In the Psalm
for the day, there is reference to God’s voice; “This is my beloved son.”
The
Transfiguration marks the apex of the Epiphany season. Through the season, we
have witnessed the glory of God manifested in Jesus. At the Transfiguration
God’s full glory is reflected in Jesus. Jesus’ glory is shown by the brightness
of His physical appearance, the appearance of Moses and Elijah and the presence
of the Father evidenced by cloud and voice. Since Jesus has come to the full
possession of God’s glory, he is prepared to fulfill his mission as the Messiah
by going to Jerusalem to the cross. Because of this, the Transfiguration is a
preparation for our Lenten pilgrimage to suffer and died with Jesus.
Collect for Psalm 99: Almighty God, neither let us go astray,
as did those who murmured in the desert, not let us be torn apart by discord.
With Jesus as our shepherd, bring us to enjoy the unity for which he prayed and
to you be the glory and the praise now and forever. Amen 3]
Collect for Monday of Epiphany 6 Father
in heaven, the loving plan of your wisdom took flesh in Jesus Christ, and
changed mankind’s history by His command of perfect love. May our fulfillment
of his command reflect your wisdom and bring your salvation to the ends of the
earth. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen [4]
-13 February 2023
[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-99
[3] Collect for Psalm 99, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. III © 1995, The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau. Delhi, NY
[4] Ibid, Collect for Monday of the week of Epiphany 6
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