Psa 99:6-8 | KingComments | STEP | The LORD is the same King in the realm of peace as He was in the days of Moses and of Aaron and of Samuel ( ). Moses and Aaron have been “among His priests” the men through whom He has interacted with His people. In a strict sense, Moses was not a priest, but he was one who served God in a priestly way through his intercessions. Samuel is mentioned by name among others who have called on His Name for the benefit of His people. All three cried out to the LORD and He answered them ( ; ; ; cf. ). They did not call out to Him in vain. The calling out to Him happened because of the people’s aberrations. Based on their calling, God spared His people and brought them into the land and helped them there. Thus, God will give the final blessing to His people on the basis of the intercession of the Lord Jesus. The LORD spoke to His people “in the pillar of cloud”. This is a speaking not with words, but by His guidance. He went before them in a pillar of cloud and showed them the way ( ; ). Moses, Aaron and Samuel “kept His testimonies and the statute that He gave them”. They listened to Him and therefore He listened to them. The psalmist again addresses the LORD directly in . He calls Him again, as in , the “LORD our God”. That is how they know Him, God is their God. He knows that God has heard the three men mentioned because He was “a forgiving God to them”. God was able to forgive the sins of the people after Moses, Aaron and Samuel intervened with God as priests for the people. Thereby He also had to exercise “vengeance” over “their [evil] deeds”. The wrong, sinful deeds they have done, God does not condone. He can forgive on the basis of the work of His Son which He had already foreseen in the Old Testament (cf. ). Yet sinful deeds result in God punishing them. God’s acts of mercy have been manifested in the past with regard to Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. This leads the psalmist to call once more for the LORD to be praised, to sing His praises, and to honor Him ( ; ). The place he designates for this purpose is “at His holy mountain”. There they are to worship, make themselves small before Him, thus emphasizing His greatness. The psalmist concludes by once again professing the holiness of the LORD: “For holy is the LORD our God.” This is always the reason for praise and worship. He, with Whom they are connected, is “the LORD”, Yahweh, the God of the covenant He has made with them, allowing them to call Him “our God”. At the same time, He is “holy”, completely separated from evil and free from any connection with sin. For people who are naturally depraved sinners, this makes the privilege of being brought into contact with Him unspeakably great. This cannot but produce great thankfulness, which is expressed in eternal praise and worship. Each time of the three times it is said that He is holy ( ) it is associated with the call to praise the LORD.

‏ Psalms 99:6-8

The LORD Hears and Is Holy

The LORD is the same King in the realm of peace as He was in the days of Moses and of Aaron and of Samuel (Psa 99:6). Moses and Aaron have been “among His priests” the men through whom He has interacted with His people. In a strict sense, Moses was not a priest, but he was one who served God in a priestly way through his intercessions. Samuel is mentioned by name among others who have called on His Name for the benefit of His people.

All three cried out to the LORD and He answered them (Exo 17:10-13 ; Exo 32:11-14; Num 12:13 ; Num 16:19-22 ; Num 21:7; 1Sam 7:5 ; 8-9 ; 1Sam 12:16-18 ; 23; cf. Jer 15:1). They did not call out to Him in vain. The calling out to Him happened because of the people’s aberrations. Based on their calling, God spared His people and brought them into the land and helped them there. Thus, God will give the final blessing to His people on the basis of the intercession of the Lord Jesus.

The LORD spoke to His people “in the pillar of cloud”. This is a speaking not with words, but by His guidance. He went before them in a pillar of cloud and showed them the way (Psa 99:7; Exo 13:21). Moses, Aaron and Samuel “kept His testimonies and the statute that He gave them”. They listened to Him and therefore He listened to them.

The psalmist again addresses the LORD directly in Psa 99:8. He calls Him again, as in Psa 99:5, the “LORD our God”. That is how they know Him, God is their God. He knows that God has heard the three men mentioned because He was “a forgiving God to them”. God was able to forgive the sins of the people after Moses, Aaron and Samuel intervened with God as priests for the people.

Thereby He also had to exercise “vengeance” over “their [evil] deeds”. The wrong, sinful deeds they have done, God does not condone. He can forgive on the basis of the work of His Son which He had already foreseen in the Old Testament (cf. Rom 3:25). Yet sinful deeds result in God punishing them.

God’s acts of mercy have been manifested in the past with regard to Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. This leads the psalmist to call once more for the LORD to be praised, to sing His praises, and to honor Him (Psa 99:9; Psa 99:5). The place he designates for this purpose is “at His holy mountain”. There they are to worship, make themselves small before Him, thus emphasizing His greatness.

The psalmist concludes by once again professing the holiness of the LORD: “For holy is the LORD our God.” This is always the reason for praise and worship. He, with Whom they are connected, is “the LORD”, Yahweh, the God of the covenant He has made with them, allowing them to call Him “our God”.

At the same time, He is “holy”, completely separated from evil and free from any connection with sin. For people who are naturally depraved sinners, this makes the privilege of being brought into contact with Him unspeakably great. This cannot but produce great thankfulness, which is expressed in eternal praise and worship. Each time of the three times it is said that He is holy (Psa 99:3 ; 5 ; 9) it is associated with the call to praise the LORD.