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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
99:6-9 The Holy God Has Provided for His People to Worship Him. The first section described the exalted holiness of the one true God and hinted at the privilege of the chosen people. This section explores more of the wonder of what it means to be God's people, whom he actually welcomes into his presence. In mentioning Moses, Aaron, and Samuel (v. 6), the psalm reminds its singers of how these men were God's gifts to lead his people. Here they further serve as examples of those who called to the Lord, and he answered them (see also v. 8), and who kept his testimonies and his statute. Those of God's faithful who heed the call to worship at his holy mountain (v. 9) can be sure that God has preserved his people through such servants as these and has called each of his people to a similar life of faith and obedience.
99:8 forgiving God. God describes himself this way in Ex. 34:7, and his people, even the best of them (i.e., Moses, Aaron, and Samuel of Ps. 99:6), rely on this, and not their own moral excellence, as their confidence. avenger of their wrongdoings. Although this could be taken to mean that God avenges the wrong done to them (Deut. 32:43), it is better to see it as affirming that God "avenges" the wrong committed by his people, chastising them in order to help them on to greater holiness. The God described here forgives his people, not because he is indifferent to their moral condition but so that they can have the joy of ever-deepening moral excellence.
