21 Bless Jehovah, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his that do his will.
I beheld till thrones were set, and the Ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was flames of fire, [and] its wheels burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the land lament, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from [the one] extremity of [the] heavens to [the other] extremity of them.
and to you that are troubled repose with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with [the] angels of his power, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who know not God, and those who do not obey the glad tidings of our Lord Jesus Christ;
and again, when he brings in the firstborn into the habitable world, he says, And let all God's angels worship him. And as to the angels he says, Who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire;
And I, John, [was] he who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to do homage before the feet of the angel who shewed me these things. And he says to me, See [thou do it] not. I am thy fellow-bondman, and [the fellow-bondman] of thy brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Do homage to God.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 103
Commentary on Psalms 103 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 103
Ps 103:1-22. A Psalm of joyous praise, in which the writer rises from a thankful acknowledgment of personal blessings to a lively celebration of God's gracious attributes, as not only intrinsically worthy of praise, but as specially suited to man's frailty. He concludes by invoking all creatures to unite in his song.
1. Bless, &c.—when God is the object, praise.
my soul—myself (Ps 3:3; 25:1), with allusion to the act, as one of intelligence.
all … within me—(De 6:5).
his holy name—(Ps 5:11), His complete moral perfections.
2. forget not all—not any, none of His benefits.
3. diseases—as penal inflictions (De 29:22; 2Ch 21:19).
4. redeemeth—Cost is implied.
destruction—literally, "pit of corruption" (Ps 16:10).
crowneth—or, "adorneth" (Ps 65:11).
tender mercies—compassions (compare Ps 25:6; 40:11).
5. By God's provision, the saint retains a youthful vigor like the eagles (Ps 92:14; compare Isa 40:31).
6. Literally, "righteousness and judgments," denoting various acts of God's government.
7. ways—of providence, &c., as usual (Ps 25:4; 67:2).
acts—literally, "wonders" (Ps 7:11; 78:17).
8-10. God's benevolence implies no merit. He shows it to sinners, who also are chastened for a time (Ex 34:6).
keep (anger)—in Le 19:18, bear a grudge (Jer 3:5, 12).
11. great—efficient.
12. removed … from us—so as no longer to affect our relations to Him.
13. pitieth—literally, "has compassion on."
14. he—"who formed," Ps 94:9.
knoweth our frame—literally, "our form."
we are dust—made of and tending to it (Ge 2:7).
15, 16. So short and frail is life that a breath may destroy it.
it is gone—literally, "it is not."
know it no more—no more recognize him (Ps 90:6; Isa 40:6-8).
17, 18. For similar contrast compare Ps 90:2-6; 102:27, 28.
18. such … covenant—limits the general terms preceding.
righteousness—as usual (Ps 7:17; 31:1).
19. God's firm and universal dominion is a pledge that He will keep His promises (Ps 11:4; 47:8).
20-22. do his commandments … word—or, literally, "so as to hearken," &c., that is, their acts of obedience are prompt, so that they are ever ready to hear, and know, and follow implicitly His declared will (compare De 26:17; Lu 1:19).
21. ye his hosts—myriads, or armies, as corresponding to angels of great power [Ps 103:20], denoting multitudes also.
22. all his works—creatures of every sort, everywhere.