(3) And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.--They join their voices to the music of their harps. The song of Moses was a paean of victory over Pharaoh and his hosts (Exodus 14:26-31; Exodus 15:1-21). Israel stood on the margin of the Red Sea and saw the tokens of the overthrow of the great world-power of that day; so these saints stand by the border of the fire-blent sea of glass, and sing the song of triumph over the doom of the great world-powers of every age. The cases are parallel, the songs are alike; and it would not be out of place were the words of that other song of Moses, the man of God, to be heard from those who are made glad according to the days of their affliction, and who are clothed with the beauty of the Lord their God (Psalm 90:1; Psalm 90:15; Psalm 90:17). They also sing the song of the Lamb. The Apocalypse is full of Christ; the Lamb is the axis on which the world of its scenery moves; He is the key of earth's history; the victory of the saints is in Him (Revelation 12:11); their song of triumph is of Him who put a new song in their mouth and in whom all things are reconciled (Ephesians 1:10; Philippians 2:10-11).
(3, 4) Great and marvellous are thy works. . . .--The song is better thus translated:--
"Great and marvellous are Thy works,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are Thy ways,
Thou King of the nations.
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name?
Because Thou only art holy:
Because all the nations shall come and worship
in Thy presence:
Because Thy judgments were manifested."
The works are called "great;" the "ways" are called just and true. It is not mere marvel which calls forth the song of praise, but righteousness, truth, and holiness. The Almighty is the righteous ruler. The English version has "King of saints;" the reading should be "King of the nations" or else, perhaps, "King of the ages" The latter reading harmonises well with the immediate context and with the other passages, which link the thought of "the ages" with the "righteous dealings" of God. "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth" (Psalm 119:142; comp. also Psalm 119:144, Psa_119:151-152, Psa_119:160). But the former is to be preferred; it is appropriate in a song which celebrates a victory over those who vaunted themselves as the princes of this world, and which proclaims the submission of the nations to God; and it seems to have been transplanted here from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 10:7): "Who would not fear thee, thou King of the nations?" The song celebrates the noble acts of the Lord; it declares them to be great; but it is not their greatness, it is their righteousness and faithfulness which calls forth the grateful praise. The long days of oppression, and the seeming silence of the Almighty, when the prayer and cry "How long?" has risen from perplexed and suffering saints, have brought the temptation of the psalmist: "I have cleansed my heart in vain" (Psalm 73:3-13). But now the righteous acts of the Lord are manifested; now it is acknowledged that "verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily He is a God that judgeth in the earth" (Psalm 58:11). Though clouds and darkness have sometimes been round about Him, it is now beyond doubt that "righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne" (Psalm 97:2).
Verse 3. - And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb. Most probably the song of deliverance after the passage of the Red Sea (Exodus 15.), to which this bears a general resemblance. Moses is called the "servant of God" in Exodus 14:31 and elsewhere. The song of Moses is also the song of the Lamb; the Old Testament and the New Testament Churches are one. Saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty (cf. Exodus 15:7, "And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them;" also Psalm 111:2; Psalm 139:14). This song, like that in Revelation 4:8, is addressed to the "Lord God Almighty." Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. The reading of the Textus Receptus, ἁγίων, "of saints," is certainly incorrect. It does not appear in any Greek manuscripts, but was inserted by Erasmus to represent the sanctorum of his Vulgate, which word, however, is itself a corruption of saeculorum, the true Vulgate reading representing αἰώνων. Ἐθνῶν, "of nations," is read in א, A, B, P, 1, 7, 8, 14. etc., An-dress, Primasius; while αἰώνον, "of ages," is the reading of א, C, 95, Vulgate, etc. It has been conjectured that ΑΙΘΝΩΝ (by itacism for ἐθνῶν) has been confused with ΑΙΩΝΩΝ. a parallel to the reading, " King of nations" is found in Jeremiah 10:7, Hebrew text and Theodotion, but not LXX.: "Who would not fear thee, O King of nations?" which is very like the succeeding clause in ver. 5, especially in connection with the "nations" there mentioned. The title "King of the ages," or "eternal King," is applied to God in 1 Timothy 1:17, and in the Book of Tobit twice (13:6 and 10), but seems unknown to the Old Testament.
15:1-4 Seven angels appeared in heaven; prepared to finish the destruction of antichrist. As the measure of Babylon's sins was filled up, it finds the full measure of Divine wrath. While believers stand in this world, in times of trouble, as upon a sea of glass mingled with fire, they may look forward to their final deliverance, while new mercies call forth new hymns of praise. The more we know of God's wonderful works, the more we shall praise his greatness as the Lord God Almighty, the Creator and Ruler of all worlds; but his title of Emmanuel, the King of saints, will make him dear to us. Who that considers the power of God's wrath, the value of his favour, or the glory of his holiness, would refuse to fear and honour him alone? His praise is above heaven and earth.
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God,.... Not that in Deuteronomy 32:1 but that in Exodus 15:1 and the sense is, either that they observed the law of Moses, which he as a servant in the Lord's house faithfully delivered, and kept it distinct from the Gospel, and did not blend them together, as in the times before; or rather, that they sung a song like that of Moses, and on a like occasion. Pharaoh was the very picture of the pope of Rome; his oppression and cruel usage of the Israelites represent the tyranny and cruelty of the Romish antichrist; and the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, and the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red sea, which occasioned the song of Moses, were an emblem of God's bringing his people out of antichristian bondage, and of the ruin of antichrist, upon which this song is sung; and Rome, in this book, is called Egypt, Revelation 11:8. The Jews have a notion, that the very song of Moses itself will be sung in the world to come, in the days of the Messiah; for they say, there are in it the times of the Messiah, and of Gog and Magog, and of the resurrection of the dead, and the world to come (l). And this song was sung by the Levites in the daily service (m).
And the song of the Lamb; the Lamb of God, who was slain for the sins of men; the same song of which mention is made, Revelation 5:9 the song of redeeming love, a song of praise for the blessings of grace which come through him, and of deliverance by him:
saying, great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; Christ is in this song addressed as a divine person, as Lord of all, God over all, blessed for ever, the Almighty God, as his works declare him to be; his works of creation, providence, and redemption, which are all great and marvellous, particularly the accomplishment of the glorious things spoken of his church, and the destruction of his enemies, which are here designed:
just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints: made so by his Father, and acknowledged by all his people, and especially at this time, when his kingdom will more visibly and gloriously appear: the Alexandrian copy, one of Stephens's, the Complutensian edition, and Arabic version, read, King of nations, as in Jeremiah 10:7 from whence this, and the beginning of the next verse, seem to be taken; the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, "King of ages", an everlasting King, as in Jeremiah 10:10 but the generality of copies read as we have it: and the ways of this King are just and true; his purposes, decrees, and counsels of old, are faithfulness and truth; all his proceedings towards his own people, his subjects, are mercy and truth; his precepts and ordinances, his worship and service, are just and true, in opposition to every false way; and all his judgments upon his enemies, which are intended, are just, being what their sins deserved, and are true, being agreeably to his word and threatenings.
(l) Zohar in Exod. fol. 23. 2. & 24. 3, 4. & 25. 2. & T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 91. 2.((m) Maimon. Tamidim, c. 6. sect. 9.
(3, 4) Great and marvellous are thy works. . . .--The song is better thus translated:--
"Great and marvellous are Thy works,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are Thy ways,
Thou King of the nations.
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name?
Because Thou only art holy:
Because all the nations shall come and worship
in Thy presence:
Because Thy judgments were manifested."
The works are called "great;" the "ways" are called just and true. It is not mere marvel which calls forth the song of praise, but righteousness, truth, and holiness. The Almighty is the righteous ruler. The English version has "King of saints;" the reading should be "King of the nations" or else, perhaps, "King of the ages" The latter reading harmonises well with the immediate context and with the other passages, which link the thought of "the ages" with the "righteous dealings" of God. "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth" (Psalm 119:142; comp. also Psalm 119:144, Psa_119:151-152, Psa_119:160). But the former is to be preferred; it is appropriate in a song which celebrates a victory over those who vaunted themselves as the princes of this world, and which proclaims the submission of the nations to God; and it seems to have been transplanted here from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 10:7): "Who would not fear thee, thou King of the nations?" The song celebrates the noble acts of the Lord; it declares them to be great; but it is not their greatness, it is their righteousness and faithfulness which calls forth the grateful praise. The long days of oppression, and the seeming silence of the Almighty, when the prayer and cry "How long?" has risen from perplexed and suffering saints, have brought the temptation of the psalmist: "I have cleansed my heart in vain" (Psalm 73:3-13). But now the righteous acts of the Lord are manifested; now it is acknowledged that "verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily He is a God that judgeth in the earth" (Psalm 58:11). Though clouds and darkness have sometimes been round about Him, it is now beyond doubt that "righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne" (Psalm 97:2).
And the song of the Lamb; the Lamb of God, who was slain for the sins of men; the same song of which mention is made, Revelation 5:9 the song of redeeming love, a song of praise for the blessings of grace which come through him, and of deliverance by him:
saying, great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; Christ is in this song addressed as a divine person, as Lord of all, God over all, blessed for ever, the Almighty God, as his works declare him to be; his works of creation, providence, and redemption, which are all great and marvellous, particularly the accomplishment of the glorious things spoken of his church, and the destruction of his enemies, which are here designed:
just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints: made so by his Father, and acknowledged by all his people, and especially at this time, when his kingdom will more visibly and gloriously appear: the Alexandrian copy, one of Stephens's, the Complutensian edition, and Arabic version, read, King of nations, as in Jeremiah 10:7 from whence this, and the beginning of the next verse, seem to be taken; the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, "King of ages", an everlasting King, as in Jeremiah 10:10 but the generality of copies read as we have it: and the ways of this King are just and true; his purposes, decrees, and counsels of old, are faithfulness and truth; all his proceedings towards his own people, his subjects, are mercy and truth; his precepts and ordinances, his worship and service, are just and true, in opposition to every false way; and all his judgments upon his enemies, which are intended, are just, being what their sins deserved, and are true, being agreeably to his word and threatenings.
(l) Zohar in Exod. fol. 23. 2. & 24. 3, 4. & 25. 2. & T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 91. 2.((m) Maimon. Tamidim, c. 6. sect. 9.