"Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."
Revelation 15:3b
John is writing here of the song that the seven angels will sing. It is said to be the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb. It is the kind of song that Moses taught to Israel after their deliverance from Egypt. Not the exact wording but a similar song of deliverance. It is also the Song of the Lamb, the kind of song that believers will sing celebrating the Lamb of God as the great Deliverer.
“Great and marvelous are thy works,”
The works of God are the kinds of deeds that hold the attention that cause the observers to admire what they are seeing. Certainly, the ten plagues in Egypt were “great and marvelous,” and sent to capture the attention of Pharaoh and his people, and they did. Each plague greater than the last, and each one a slap in the face of the many impotent gods worshipped in the land. Each showing more of Jehovah’s great power, but interspersed with grace and goodness, causing the people to marvel with admiration for Him.
“Lord God Almighty;”
These “great and marvelous” works are His. This title for God is the equivalent of “Yahweh, God of hosts” in the Old Testament. These names help us to understand where our praise is directed. “Yahweh – the uncreated and eternal One; that he is God the creator, upholder, and sovereign of all things; and that he is Almighty – having all power in all worlds.”1 He does what pleases Him.
“Just and true are thy ways,”
His justice and truth are in focus here. His righteousness is a part of His salvation.
“To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus,” (Romans 3:26).
In all of His works He has maintained His justice, and with this He is true. He is true to Himself, His Word, His creation, and to His promises. He always has and always will do right, this is His way.
“Thou King of saints.”
He is the King of the “holy ones,” the saints, the redeemed, the sanctified.2
What is your relationship to this Glorious King? Do you belong to Him? Worship Him? Honor and glorify Him? If not, you need to bow your knee to Him today.
King of My Life3
King of my life, I crown Thee now,
Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.
Lest I forget Gethsemane;
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.
1. Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
2. Because of some variations in the Greek texts some English translations read “King of saints” as “King of nations” instead. This second translation matches Jeremiah 10:7.
3. “King of My Life,” Lyrics by Jennie Evelyn Hussey (1874-1958), Music by William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1921). Copyright status, Public Domain.