But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
But thou art holy. He, in unshaken faith, proclaims God's holiness at the very time when God was seeming to disregard the cry of faith. Thou art holy, therefore will I trust thee, though I cannot see or feel thy presence. "Holy," as applied to God, primarily refers to the infinite separation whereby He is lifted above the weakness, and especially the sin of the creature. Compare Isaiah 6:1-3; Isaiah 6:5. So the idea of unapproachable majesty is closely allied to it (Isaiah 57:15). The idea of purity is the secondary notion, connected with which, here, is His truth or faithfulness to His trusting people.
Inhabitest the praises of Israel - i:e., sittest enthroned on them. The praises of His people in the sanctuary are the throne on which God sits (Psalms 80:1). Israel's praises here take the place of the cherubim, between which rested the Shekinah-glory.