Bless Our God - Part Nineteen
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Introduction
Introduction
As we toward the end of the Psalm, in verses 20-22 David explodes in repetitive fashion calling all creation to bless the LORD. David’s conclusion is that since God is the unrivaled, rightful ruler of the universe that he deserves the praise and adoration of all that he has made and sustains.
PRAY
Of David. 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!
We are going to handle these verses over the next two weeks. This week, we will highlight David’s call to the angelic hosts to praise God. Next week, we will look at his call to all of creation and finally his final reminder to himself in verse 22.
Let the Spiritual Messengers Praise God
Let the Spiritual Messengers Praise God
Bless the LORD - Praise, honor and glorify Yahweh. Praise the only God of the universe. Praise the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Praise the Creator of everything.
O you his angels - Bible Sourcebook - Heavenly messengers in the Bible. The Hebrew and Greek words usually translated as “angel” are probably better translated as “messenger.”
Scripture indicates that, like all other creatures, angels were created by God. It does not, however, explain when this creation occurred. The Bible refers to angels by a number of terms, such as “hosts,” “sons of God,” “holy ones,” and “spirits.” Angels are intelligent beings who possess great power. Their primary functions as revealed in Scripture are to engage in the worship of God in heaven and carry out his purposes on earth. God commissions angels to protect his people, deliver them from danger, transmit divine messages, and encourage believers.
These heavenly beings were created by Yahweh, they belong to Yahweh and they are loyal to Yahweh as is indicated by the next phrase.
You mighty ones who do his word - The address is to mighty, strong and powerful beings who do God’s word.
1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
These mighty ones do the word or the LORD. What does this mean? The very next line tells us clearly. When one does the word of the LORD. The are:
Obeying the voice of his word - This means that they listen or hear what God tells them and they take heed to the word that he has spoken to them.
their acts of obedience are prompt, so that they are ever ready to hear, and know, and follow implicitly His declared will
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
Let the Heavenly Multitude Praise God
Let the Heavenly Multitude Praise God
Bless the LORD - David repeats the call to worship and praise Yahweh once again. This highlight the importance of this call. He repeats it for emphasis. This is something one must hear from David’s perspective.
All his hosts - There is some discussion among scholars as to who are what David is addressing in this case. Hosts is used of both the large number of angels that belong to the LORD, as well as, the heavenly hosts, such as sun, moon and stars, etc… There have been other suggestions as well.
At this point in my study, I think he is continuing to address the angelic hosts.
2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!
This is what John saw in his vision of heaven.
11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
His ministers - Once again, this refers to the messaging angels that do the word of the LORD. These are his perpetually loyal and obedient servants.
Who do his will - The accomplish or carry out all the plans and pleasure the Yahweh.
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Practical Application
Practical Application
The invisible, spiritual world is real.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Christ is superior to angels, we worship him as they do
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? 6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” 7 Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” 8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” 10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” 13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
We should worship God differently than angels because we have been redeemed.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
