Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 99:6

"Moses and Aaron among his priests, And Samuel among them that call upon his name; They called upon Jehovah, and he answered them." — Psalms 99:6 (ASV)

Moses. — Rather, a Moses and an Aaron among his friends, and a Samuel among those who call upon his name; calling upon the Lord, and he answers them; in the pillar of cloud he speaks to them. The poet is enhancing the sacred character of the services of his own day by likening the priests and ministers to the sacred heroes of the past, as we might distinguish a period of great scientific achievement by saying, “We have a Newton or a Bacon among us.” To make it a mere historical reference, “Moses and Aaron were,” etc., would be far too abrupt and inaccurate, since Moses was not a khohen, nor did God speak to Samuel in the cloudy pillar.

It is true that the present tense is changed in Psalm 99:7 to the past tense, but it is quite natural that the psalmist should glide into the narrative style after the mention of the historical name. The Son of Sirach also makes special reference to the prayer of Samuel . Possibly, too, there is an allusion to the meaning of his name, “asked,” or “heard of God.”