Psalm 103 Devotionals: v. 20

Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!

Psalm 103:20

As the psalmist brings the psalm to a crescendo, we are transported to the heights of heaven, where God’s angels obediently do the work of the Lord according to His instruction. Yet, the psalmist still exhorts even the angels to bless the Lord. In Revelation, John describes the myriads—thousands of thousands—of angels around God’s throne in unison 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!” (Rev 5:11-12). We will one day join these faithful angels in heaven to praise to God, another reminder of the great hope we have ahead of us.

It is important to recognize that, though the angels are pure, heavenly creatures, they do not act independently, but rather they carry out God’s will. The Bible tells of the work of the angels in both the Old and New Testaments. It was an angel who took Lot by the hand and saved him from the destruction of Sodom (Gen 19:16). It was an angel with a coal from the altar who cleansed Isaiah (Is 6:6-7). Angels appeared to Abraham and Sarah with the message from God that Sarah would become pregnant, and in the New Testament it was the angel Gabriel who told the virgin Mary she would conceive in her womb and bear Jesus (Luke 6:26-33). Gabriel also previously visited Zacharias to tell him that his wife would conceive and give birth to John the Baptist (Luke 1:11-15). It was a host of angels who proclaimed the birth of Jesus to the shepherds (Luke 2:13). The angels also rejoice in heaven when anyone receives Christ as their Lord and Savior (Luke 15:7, 10). The angels are obedient and devote themselves to praising God, so it is instructive for us to do the same already on earth. The angels also teach us that we bless the Lord as we live in obedience to the Word of God with the Sprit’s help. I thank God that we can learn from these angels. With our eyes focused on God, He will keep us in perfect peace with delight to serve Him wholly.

You keep him in perfect peace
    whose mind is stayed on you,
    because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:3-4

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