The Meaning of Psalms 99:6 Explained

Psalms 99:6

KJV: Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.

YLT: Moses and Aaron among His priests, And Samuel among those proclaiming His name. They are calling unto Jehovah, And He doth answer them.

Darby: Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name: they called unto Jehovah, and he answered them.

ASV: Moses and Aaron among his priests, And Samuel among them that call upon his name; They called upon Jehovah, and he answered them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Moses  and Aaron  among his priests,  and Samuel  among them that call  upon his name;  they called  upon the LORD,  and he answered  them. 

What does Psalms 99:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 99:1-9 - Worship The Great And Holy One
This psalm has its counterpart in Psalms 97:1-12. There Jehovah's reign is associated with the gladness of faith; here with the trembling of mortal and sinful hearts. Thrice we are reminded that He is holy, Psalms 99:3; Psalms 99:5; Psalms 99:9. This threefold ascription of earth concerning the holiness of God answers the threefold ascription of heaven, where one seraph cries to the rest, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory," Isaiah 6:3.
God's holiness is terrible to sinners. It inspires even His own people with awe. However near we come to Him in Christ, we always must remember that we are sinful men who have no right to stand before Him, save through the mediation and in the righteousness of His Son.
How great God must be, who can reckon Moses, Aaron, and Samuel as His servants! And we, too, though beneath them in personal character and gift, are permitted to be among His priests; to call upon His name; to hear Him speaking from the pillar of cloud. Let us all walk worthy of our high calling! Let us fear this great and holy God, who cannot tolerate sin in His children, and will not scruple to inflict pain if sin is persisted in. He does forgive-glory to His name!-but He will not hesitate to chasten us for sins which we presumptuously and knowingly permit. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 99

1  The prophet, setting forth the kingdom of God in Zion
5  Exhorts all, by the example of their forefathers, to worship God at his holy hill

What do the individual words in Psalms 99:6 mean?

Moses and Aaron were among His priests and Samuel was among those who called upon His name they called upon Yahweh and He answered them
מֹ֘שֶׁ֤ה וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן ׀ בְּֽכֹהֲנָ֗יו וּ֭שְׁמוּאֵל בְּקֹרְאֵ֣י שְׁמ֑וֹ קֹרִ֥אים אֶל־ יְ֝הוָ֗ה וְה֣וּא יַעֲנֵֽם

מֹ֘שֶׁ֤ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן ׀  and  Aaron  were 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
בְּֽכֹהֲנָ֗יו  among  His  priests 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וּ֭שְׁמוּאֵל  and  Samuel  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁמוּאֵל  
Sense: son of Elkanah by his wife Hannah and judge or prophet of Israel during the days of Saul and David.
בְּקֹרְאֵ֣י  among  those  who  called  upon 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
שְׁמ֑וֹ  His  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
קֹרִ֥אים  they  called 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אֶל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יְ֝הוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְה֣וּא  and  He 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יַעֲנֵֽם  answered  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.