Psalm 103:20

Psalm 103:20

Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

a. NLT: Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Bless Jehovah, ye his angels, That are mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, Hearkening unto the voice of his word. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Young’s Literal Translation: Bless Jehovah, ye His messengers, Mighty in power -- doing His word, To hearken to the voice of His Word. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible: Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e.  Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: Bless HASHEM, O His angels; the strong warriors who do his bidding, to obey the voice of His word. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength…”

a. Bless [Strong: 1288 barak baw-rak' a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):--X abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, X still, thank.

b. LORD [Strong: 3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw': from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

c. [ye his] angels [Strong: 4397 mal'ak mal-awk': from an unused root meaning to dispatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher):--ambassador, angel, king, messenger.]

d. [that] excel [Strong: 1368 gibbowr ghib-bore' or (shortened) gibbor {ghib-bore'}; intensive from the same as 1397; powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant:-- champion, chief, X excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one), strong (man), valiant man.1368 * gibbowr] [Gesenius:  strong, mighty, strong man, brave man, mighty man.]

e. [in] strength [Strong: 3581 koach ko'-akh or (Dan. 11:6) kowach {ko'-akh}; from an unused root meaning to be firm; vigor, literally (force, in a good or a bad sense) or figuratively (capacity, means, produce); also (from its hardiness) a large lizard: -ability, able, chameleon, force, fruits, might, power(-ful), strength, substance, wealth.3581 * koach] [Gesenius: strength, power, might,  strength (of angels)]

2. “…that do his commandments…”

a. [that] do [Strong: 6213 `asah aw-saw' a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.] [Gesenius: to do, fashion, accomplish, make, to be done, to be made, to be produced, to be offered, to be observed, to be used, to make, to make, to produce, to prepare, to make (an offering), to attend to, put in order.]

b. [his] commandments [Strong: 1697 dabar daw-baw'] from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, + dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, + eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt, + iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, + please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that, X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings, what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.]

3. “…hearkening unto the voice of his word.”

a. hearkening [Strong: 8085 shama` shaw-mah' a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.]

b. [unto the] voice [Strong: 6963 qowl kole or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim, proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, + yell.]

c. [of his] word [Strong: 1697 dabar daw-baw'; from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, + dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, + eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt, + iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, + please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that, X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings, what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.]

 1). I do not believe that this verse is referring to God’s voice exclusively. The wording is “the voice of his word”, or the voicing of his word, the sound of his word. In fact according to Blue Letter Bible this same Hebrew word is translated “sound” 39 times in the Old Testament. In light of this, I believe it means that angels hearken or respond in obedience to the voicing of God’s word regardless of who is speaking. Some may protest this, saying I am taking it too far, but let me ask this question. Does the supernatural building of faith in the heart of the believer depend on the particular voice of God to build faith? Absolutely not. In Romans 10:17, the Scripture says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” It does not matter who is doing the speaking. It may be another minister, it may be me reading the word myself, regardless, faith comes by hearing the word of God, not by who is speaking it. In light of that, angels respond to the voicing of God’s word by us. 

2). I cannot help but believe that this is one of the reasons for God’s command to His saints in both Covenants to meditate and speak His word, because angels hearken to it.

a). Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

b). Deuteronomy 6:1-9 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:

6:2 That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:

6:5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

3). This verse is just one of more than a few passages that support the teaching that we are over angels and have the authority to command them. Under the Old Covenant I don’t believe the saints had this authority, but under the New Covenant, a better Covenant, I believe we do. Just to support this, I want to look at a couple of New Testament passages. Others that I believe shed light on this are Ephesians 1:19-21; Colossians 2:18; Matthew 8:5-13; Mark 11:22, 23.

a). Ephesians 1:15-20 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

(1) Notice carefully that Paul is praying for God to give us wisdom and revelation that we would know what our inheritance in Christ is (Ephesians 1:16-18). He then goes on to describe the power and authority given to us because we believe God raised Jesus from the dead. He says this giving of power and authority was accomplished after Christ was raised from the dead and seated beside God (Ephesians 1:19, 20). Remember that we are seated with Him (Ephesians 2:4-6). He then goes on to say that the level of power and authority that we have in Christ, which is a part of our inheritance, is “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named…” Notice he does not distinguish between good or bad principalities, powers, might, or dominions, he says “all”. All means all. Paul then goes on to say the level of authority we have in this age is the same level of authority we will have in the next.

b). Colossians 2:18  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

(1) Looking at this verse and the definitions, it brings up a few things in my mind. Within Christianity we are commanded to be humble (Philippians 2:5-8). We are to humble ourselves empowered by God’s grace and that is a good thing. However, the “voluntary humility” that Paul is speaking against in Colossians 2:18 is tied to angels, in that these believers are being warned against voluntarily placing themselves below angels and then worshipping them. Paul writes this is very wrong and I believe the next verse (Colossians 2:19), sheds light on this phrase. Paul writes that those who are participating in this voluntary humility and worshipping of angels are “not holding the head”, the head of course being Christ. The NIV says “They have lost connection with the head”, they are separated from Him. We are not to voluntarily place ourselves below or worship angels. In Christ we are seated with Him above angels (Ephesians 1:15-21). We are His body and He is our Head. On another occasion Paul wrote we are going to judge angels.