“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, ‘Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.’”
(Revelation 5:13)
This majestic and universal harmony of praise that rises from every creature from every corner and dimension of creation is simply a confession and due acknowledgement of the great and manifold excellencies and perfections that are found in God, our Creator and Redeemer.
Psalm 33:4-5 is just one passage that offers occasions for a portion of this praise, “For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. He loves righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” Among the endless reasons God is worthy of praise, these two verses highlight several aspects of his character that elicit our worship.
First, God is worthy of our praise because His essence is perfectly holy and true. For this reason, everything he says (his word) and everything he does (his works) are also perfectly right and true. He cannot sin. He cannot lie. So it follows that his every word can be wholly trusted. God will always keep his promises because he must; it is contrary to his being to do otherwise. In fact, Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:13 that “even if we are faithless, he remains faithful.” Not for any reason that lies in us but for the sheer fact that he is a faithful God.
Another aspect of God that deserves our praise is his righteousness. The psalmist says that God “loves righteousness and judgment.” This attribute of God affirms that he will always do what is right (Gen. 18:25). He is the almighty, all-knowing, just and righteous judge of all the earth. So when things go “wrong” that we can’t understand or explain, we can still be assured that God is always working all things out for the good of those who love him (Rom. 8:28). Further, we also know that he will right all wrongs in the end, for the full extent of vengeance for all unrighteousness belongs to him, and he promises to “repay,” (Rom. 12:19).
The psalmist summarizes his cause for praise in this, “the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” What a beautiful truth! We are awash in his goodness and love. His mercies and grace are ours to claim every sunrise (Lam. 3:22) because the Lamb of God was sacrificed once for all that he might demonstrate God’s everlasting love to us to the fullest extent; he gave his life to prove it! (John 15:13).
These are just some of the causes for all creatures singing in unison, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever!” As Jonathan Edwards rightly said, “The glory of God appears as God’s chief end in the delight of the redeemed who most naturally express the direct tendency of the spirit of true goodness in praise and give praise in the virtuous and pious affections of their heart.”[1]
Let us all join this creature choir in praising the excellencies of our God, “Give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,” (1 Chron. 16:28-29).
Contemplations:
- Heavenly Father, I know that for the entirety of Jesus’ earthly ministry he continually made it clear that your glory was his highest and last end, just as it was your chief end in the creation of the world.
- I consider from Scripture that your glory, Lord, is the ultimate outcome of that great work of providence, the work of redemption by Jesus Christ. Christ professes in John 7:18 that he did not seek his own glory in what he did, but the glory of the one who sent him in both his ministry of the gospel and his work of redemption.
- In terms of redemption, Christ said, “The hour is come, that the son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground, it abides alone; but if it die, it brings forth much fruit,” (John 12:23-24). Shall I not praise you also, Lord Jesus, for your meritorious work on the cross? For because of your obedience to death, God chose to elevate your name above every name (Phil. 2:8-11)… which also, in turn, glorifies the Father.
- What is the occupation of the redeemed in heaven but to praise you forever?
- Your blessedness, Lord, draws rational creatures with an appetite for blessedness to partake in communion with you (1 John 1:3; 2 Cor. 13:14). You are with us, in us, and for us (Rom. 8:32). Should we not praise you for this? Is there not a perfect repose and joy arising from this union and communion, together with our knowledge of it, that is a perfect fullness of joys and pleasures at your right hand for all eternity? (Ps. 16:11; 1 Cor. 2:9; Ps. 84:11).
Further References for Rev. 5:13:
Psa. 57:5, 72:18–19, 115:1; Eph. 3:21.
[1] Jonathan Edwards, Ethical Writings, ed. Paul Ramsey and John E. Smith, vol. 8, The Works of Jonathan Edwards (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 1989), 482.
