(3) Great and terrible name.--The rabbins see here the mystic tetragrammaton, whose pronunciation was kept so secret.

For it is holy.--This is grammatically possible, but as Psalm 99:5; Psalm 99:9 repeat the expression, evidently as a refrain, and there it needs the masculine, it is better to read here, "Holy is He."

In this way, too, we avoid an awkward construction in the next verse, which should be joined closely with this: Let them praise Thy great and terrible name (saying), "Holy is He, and mighty, a king that loveth justice."

Verse 3. - Let them praise thy great and terrible Name. Even the Gentiles, after conversion, will praise the Lord, sing of him, and bless his Name. (On the "greatness" and "terribleness" of God, see Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 7:21; Deuteronomy 10:17; Nehemiah 1:5; Nehemiah 4:14; Psalm 68:35, etc.) For it is holy; rather, holy is he. This may be a suggestion to those about to praise God - a putting of words into their mouth; or it may be an almost involuntary outburst of praise on the part of the psalmist.

99:1-5 God governs the world by his providence, governs the church by his grace, and both by his Son. The inhabitants of the earth have cause to tremble, but the Redeemer still waits to be gracious. Let all who hear, take warning, and seek his mercy. The more we humble ourselves before God, the more we exalt him; and let us be thus reverent, for he is holy.Let them praise thy great and terrible name,.... All people, especially the Lord's people; those that dwell in Zion, where his name is great, in high esteem, venerable, and valued; as his name Jesus, or Saviour, is amiable and lovely to his saints; and his name, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, is terrible to his enemies:

for it is holy; his name is holy, as well as reverend and great; his nature is holy, both divine and human; holy in all his ways and works; and is holiness to his people, and therefore worthy of praise; holiness is the ground and foundation of his praise from the seraphim, Isaiah 6:3.