Ps. 99.5 (entering exaltation)

Exalt Yhwh / our God
bow down / at his footstool
holy is he. 

In this verse we come to the expression that, in a sense, expresses the dynamic between Israel-and-the-people we have been reflecting. We recall that dynamic being that Israel cannot be understood as merely a ‘nation among the nations’ but, rather, more like Adam, the ‘firstborn son’ of Yhwh. Just as Yhwh is not merely a ‘god among gods’, so Israel, when it is covenanted to this god, is no longer a ‘nation among nations’. In other words, Israel is humanity, and Israel is the place from which Yhwh will re-Adamize the peoples ‘in his image’, and re-Zionize (Edenize) the creation. In a very profound sense, you can’t ‘see’ Israel unless you ‘see’ Yhwh, and the more you come to see Yhwh, the more you come to see Israel. And, this is what is found in our verse today—the covenant between Yhwh and his people. That bond that lifts them into his sphere and what, so to speak, is the ladder by which he comes to dwell among them; the covenant is, in other words, the entire dynamic of Sinai—the going up to be with Yhwh and Yhwh’s descending in flame and smoke to dwell with them. The more one comes to ‘see’ that event, in all its holy terror and glory, the more one comes to perceive the covenant itself. 

“You will be my people, and I will be your God”. This is the ‘creed’ of the covenant. And it is why it appears here, after fully establishing the fact that Yhwh is Lord of all, and exalted far above all people, that he is now referred to as “Yhwh our God.” Yhwh has already been understood as intimately associated with this place (Zion) and this people (‘in Jacob’). But now the full ‘glory’ of that localization is revealed: Yhwh has become “kin” to Israel; he has covenanted (seven’ed) himself to Israel like a husband to a wife, or a father to a son. From this point forward in the psalm Yhwh will relate to Israel not only through Zion or through instruction but through his chosen humans (his priests and prophets): Moses, Aaron and Samuel (notably, David seems to be missing…). Yhwh’s “Name” will now not simply direct Israel, but will, in fact, be responsive to them. This is the full ‘opening of communication’ of the covenant. It is not simply that Israel is Yhwh’s people, but Yhwh is Israel’s god. Now he can be called upon.  

We might say it this way: Yhwh, entirely on his own, elects Israel, but when he does so the ‘monologue’ of Yhwh now becomes the ‘dialogue’ between them as he, truly, lifts them up into his realm. Lastly, we see this ‘opening of the covenant’ in the ‘exaltation’. Previously, Yhwh was described as ‘exalted over all the peoples’ (vs. 2). Now, Israel is called upon to enter into this ‘exaltation’ and perform it—“Exalt Yhwh our God…”. 

This is a profoundly significant point and we may describe it this way—that before the covenant the ‘exaltation’ that was inherent to Yhwh was one that evoked the ‘holy dread’ of verse 1. It was, in a sense, something entirely objective. However, with the covenant, that whole realm is now open to Israel. She now enters it. And, in so doing, she no longer merely passively observes it but actively engages in it. It is as if she now was able to take part in the heavenly liturgy. “The people” “tremble” at Yhwh (vs. 1); in Israel (where exaltation is now open), they “bow down” (vs. 5). Yhwh’s covenant people still display the proper reverence and ‘holy fear’ but their obeisance is liturgical. Of course this, in many ways, is precisely what Moses delivers to Israel in Torah, with its very central focus on the proper liturgy to Yhwh. It is just as heavenly a revelation as is the Temple construction.