The Meaning of Psalms 99:8 Explained

Psalms 99:8

KJV: Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.

YLT: O Jehovah, our God, Thou hast afflicted them, A God forgiving Thou hast been to them, And taking vengeance on their actions.

Darby: Jehovah, our God, thou answeredst them: a forgiving God wast thou unto them, though thou tookest vengeance of their doings.

ASV: Thou answeredst them, O Jehovah our God: Thou wast a God that forgavest them, Though thou tookest vengeance of their doings.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thou answeredst  them, O LORD  our God:  thou wast a God  that forgavest  them, though thou tookest vengeance  of their inventions. 

What does Psalms 99:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 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: Psalms 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 99:8 mean?

Yahweh our God You answered them a God forgiving You were to them and Though You took vengeance on their deeds
יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵינוּ֮ אַתָּ֪ה עֲנִ֫יתָ֥ם אֵ֣ל נֹ֭שֵׂא הָיִ֣יתָ לָהֶ֑ם וְ֝נֹקֵ֗ם עַל־ עֲלִילוֹתָֽם

יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
אֱלֹהֵינוּ֮  our  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
עֲנִ֫יתָ֥ם  answered  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
אֵ֣ל  a  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
נֹ֭שֵׂא  forgiving 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
הָיִ֣יתָ  You  were 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לָהֶ֑ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
וְ֝נֹקֵ֗ם  and  Though  You  took  vengeance 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָקַם  
Sense: to avenge, take vengeance, revenge, avenge oneself, be avenged, be punished.
עֲלִילוֹתָֽם  their  deeds 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עֲלִילָה  
Sense: wantonness, deed, doing.