Psalm 103:20 kjv
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Psalm 103:20 nkjv
Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word.
Psalm 103:20 niv
Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
Psalm 103:20 esv
Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!
Psalm 103:20 nlt
Praise the LORD, you angels,
you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
listening for each of his commands.
Psalm 103 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 103:21 | Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, You who serve Him... | Echoes the call for all creation to bless. |
| Ps 148:1-2 | Praise the Lord!... Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! | Angels commanded to praise God. |
| Heb 1:6 | ...let all God's angels worship Him. | Angels mandated to worship. |
| Heb 1:7 | And of the angels He says, "Who makes His angels spirits... " | Describes angels as ministering spirits. |
| Heb 1:14 | Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve... | Confirms angelic service to God's purpose. |
| Ps 34:7 | The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him... | Angels ministering on behalf of God. |
| Ps 91:11-12 | For He will command His angels concerning you... | God deploys angels for protection. |
| Matt 24:31 | And He will send His angels with a great trumpet... | Angels fulfilling divine tasks at end times. |
| 2 Pet 2:11 | whereas angels, though greater in might and power... | Affirms angels' superior strength. |
| Jude 1:9 | Yet Michael the archangel... did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment | Even powerful angels restrain their own power. |
| Rev 5:11 | Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels... | Countless angels surrounding God's throne. |
| Dan 7:10 | A thousand thousands served Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood... | Heavenly multitude serving God. |
| Isa 55:11 | So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth... it shall accomplish | God's word unfailingly achieves its purpose. |
| Ps 33:9 | For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. | Creation through the power of God's word. |
| Gen 1:3 | Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. | Demonstrates God's word's immediate power. |
| Jer 23:29 | "Is not My word like fire?" declares the Lord, "and like a hammer...?" | God's word possessing active, potent force. |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active and sharper... | The inherent living power of God's word. |
| Jn 1:1-3 | In the beginning was the Word... All things came into being through Him. | The divine power inherent in God's Word. |
| Ps 103:19 | The Lord has established His throne in the heavens... | God's universal sovereignty as foundation. |
| Job 38:7 | When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted... | Angels ("sons of God") praising at creation. |
| Lk 1:19 | And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the | Angel identifying himself by his service to God. |
| Matt 13:41 | The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out... | Angels are instruments of God's judgment. |
Psalm 103 verses
Psalm 103 20 Meaning
Psalm 103:20 is a call to God's angels, commanding them to "bless the Lord." These angels are described by their inherent power ("mighty in strength") and their ultimate function: to actively carry out God's commands and to attentively heed the sound of His directives. This verse highlights the absolute sovereignty of God over His heavenly hosts, who are perfectly aligned with His will, demonstrating complete and immediate obedience to His authoritative "word" or decree. It establishes that even the most powerful of created beings exist to fulfill God's purpose and praise His name.
Psalm 103 20 Context
Psalm 103 is a fervent song of praise from David, overflowing with reasons to "bless the Lord." It begins with personal declarations of praise (verses 1-5), listing specific benefits like forgiveness, healing, and redemption. It then expands to encompass God's universal mercy, justice, and covenant faithfulness (verses 6-18), contrasting His enduring love with human frailty. The latter part of the psalm (verses 19-22) elevates the praise from an individual to a cosmic scale, asserting God's sovereign rule over all creation. Verse 20 fits directly into this cosmic praise, as it calls upon the highest order of creation – the angels – to join in blessing the Lord, reinforcing His supreme authority over all heavenly hosts who execute His will. It underlines that God's rule extends not only over humanity but over all spiritual realms, and His word commands perfect and powerful obedience from all beings.
Psalm 103 20 Word analysis
- Bless (בָּרְכוּ - barekhu): A strong command, implying praise, adoration, and acknowledgement of worthiness. It is an invitation to acknowledge God's inherent goodness and majesty, reflecting back to Him the honor due to His name.
- the Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH): The covenant name of God, revealing His personal, unchanging, and redemptive nature. This name underscores His authority as the one true, living God.
- His angels (מַלְאָכָיו - mal'akhaw): Refers to divine messengers or delegates, highlighting their role as agents of God's will. The possessive "His" emphasizes their subservience and direct relationship to the Creator. They are not independent agents but serve at His command.
- mighty in strength (גִּבֹּרֵי כֹחַ - gibborey koach): Literally "heroes of power" or "valiant in might." This phrase denotes their extraordinary inherent power and capacity. It signifies that these powerful beings willingly subject their immense strength to God's authority, rather than operating independently.
- who perform His word (עֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ - osey devaro): "Perform" (from asah) means to make, do, accomplish, execute. It describes their active execution of God's decrees. "His word" (devar) refers to God's command, decree, or spoken utterance. This highlights the direct, active implementation of God's divine will.
- obeying (לִשְׁמֹעַ - lishmoa'): To hear, listen, pay attention to, and implicitly to heed and obey. It signifies an attentive and compliant hearing that leads to immediate action. It suggests not merely hearing, but hearing with intent to act.
- the voice of His word (בְּקוֹל דְּבָרוֹ - bekol devaro): Emphasizes the auditory aspect, implying that God's word is clearly spoken, articulate, and forceful, much like a powerful command. "Voice" (kol) suggests an audible, clear, and authoritative pronouncement. This underlines the immediate and unmistakable nature of God's command that prompts angelic action.
Psalm 103 20 Bonus section
This verse stands in stark contrast to pagan polytheistic beliefs where gods might be capricious, in conflict, or subject to manipulation by their worshippers or even by fate. Here, YHWH is presented as the sole, ultimate authority, whose will is perfectly and powerfully executed by all heavenly hosts without deviation or debate. The angels are not deities to be appeased or independent powers, but God’s obedient servants. The idea that even these powerful heavenly beings "bless" God demonstrates the Creator's inherent worthiness of praise from all levels of creation, far surpassing humanity's praise alone. It points to a perfectly ordered cosmos under divine governance.
Psalm 103 20 Commentary
Psalm 103:20 presents a sublime picture of cosmic order and divine authority. After David details God's benefits to humanity and His steadfast character, he expands the call for praise to the very beings closest to God's throne – His angels. The command to "Bless the Lord" issued to angels implies their rightful place in creation's hierarchy, acknowledging their Creator. Describing them as "mighty in strength" affirms their formidable power, but immediately links that power to its ultimate source and purpose: not for their own will, but for God's. They are the prime examples of created strength submitting perfectly to divine will. Their function, "who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word," emphasizes not just a passive reception of commands, but active, unwavering execution driven by profound and immediate attention to every divine utterance. This dual phrasing, "perform His word" and "obeying the voice of His word," intensifies the absolute alignment between God's will and angelic action, indicating both direct doing and attentive listening to ensure complete faithfulness. This verse assures the believer that God’s plan, empowered by His infallible word, will be carried out by vast, powerful, and utterly obedient celestial forces. It instills confidence in God's perfect control and highlights the beauty of willing obedience from the highest created beings.