Psalms 103:20, commentary and pictures

The verse calls upon real angels of mighty strength far beyond human power, who listen for God's voice, wait to do His will, and faithfully carry out His commands. They surround God in His holy place and serve throughout His dominion as His ministers and messengers through whom He works out His purposes in government and redemption. They are sent from heaven to minister to those who will inherit salvation, encamping around those who fear God to guard them in temptation and trial so evil powers cannot break through. In answer to earnest prayer of faith Jesus sends them to help the pursued soul, driving back Satan and his host, prevailing by superior strength, yet never controlling a mind that yields and refuses to resist. Their willing and delightful obedience is the pattern for people on earth, and the call to bless embraces with them all His hosts, all His works in every place of His rule, and each soul under His everlasting mercy and heavenly throne.

Words and Setting

The phrase about excelling in strength means angels possess mighty, surpassing strength far beyond human power. They are exceptionally strong servants who carry out commands and listen to the word, serving in the divine presence and acting as messengers with power and speed that display their glory. That strength was displayed at Christ's tomb, where one mighty angel of exceeding great glory came down from heaven, seized the sealed stone and moved it as easily as a pebble, spoke with a voice that made the earth shake, and summoned Jesus forth in His Father's name to rise, while the Roman guard shook with fear and fell helpless as dead men.

Doing the commandments and hearkening to the voice of the word means they obey the commands, heed the voice of the word, wait to do the will, and carry it out faithfully. They are among the ministers who do the pleasure, and wait to do the will and serve as messengers through whom active communication goes forth throughout the dominion. Their obedience in heaven is a model for people on earth, so that every duty however humble should be done faithfully as service to the Lord, linking earthly workers with the holy beings who do the will.

The call to bless embraces the angels, and with them all the hosts and ministers who do the pleasure and all the works in every place of the rule and the individual soul. Its setting declares mercy from everlasting to everlasting to those who fear Him, with righteousness continuing to children's children who keep the covenant and remember the commandments to do them. It declares that the throne is set in heaven and the kingdom rules over all. The call is a Spirit-given word not to be kept silent, urging God's people living at the ends of the world to heed the record of dealings, take warning, repent and be converted, and in view of the uncertainty and shortness of life to set affection on things above and seek enduring riches and righteousness that never passes away. The verse proves angels are real beings, distinct from the spirits of dead people.

Nature and Heavenly Service

God in His holy place is not in solitary grandeur but seated on His throne in the high and holy place, surrounded by ten thousands of holy, happy angels, even ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, waiting to do His bidding. From that throne He bends earthward to listen to the cries of His children and sends divine help to every needy, praying, believing soul, so that every believer is greatly favored in being called a child of God. He carefully notes every earthly transaction and marks with approval or condemnation the course of every inhabitant of the earth, and if the veil hiding Him were drawn aside many would act differently.

They serve in God's presence and throughout His dominion as His ministers and messengers through whom He actively communicates, works, and carries out His purposes in His government and in redemption. They are exceptionally strong servants who carry out His commands and listen to the voice of His word, waiting to do His will, with power and speed that display their glory. They are workers and ministers to humanity.

They serve in the world in both judgment and mercy, carrying the missions given them, excelling in strength for judgment and for mercy by doing His commandments and hearkening to the voice of His word. They are warriors in God's army, doing battle against evil angels under Christ as Captain of the Lord's host, helping God's people gain victory through divine power. All who draw near to God in trust are safe and never do so in vain, because angels are near to help them, giving success in God's work to those who walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Their obedience is willing and delightful rather than legalistic or done for reward, status, or personal pleasure, with will and desires in perfect harmony with God so that obedience is a delight rather than a burden. They are pure and delight to do God's will, obeying the laws of His righteous government. The inhabitants of the heavenly universe stand ready to do the Lord's will, excelling in strength and obeying His commands by hearkening to His word, and they stand ready to act at His command and unite with human agents when He intervenes against satanic forces and helps His people in their greatest danger.

As pure spirits they have charge of God's work, counseling and directing His people through chosen agents and helping the work move forward. These heavenly messengers are not drawn to company distracted from heavenly things, for their pure spirits cannot remain where Jesus' presence is not desired. They depart when people's careless, irreverent conduct drives Him from their company and turns minds away from heavenly things.

Guardianship of Believers

Mighty angels who excel in strength are sent from heaven to minister to those who will inherit salvation, to guard the followers of Christ and keep them safe under His watchcare. Evil spirits cannot break through the guard God places around His people, for these obedient servants who heed His word have access to His presence and minister in His behalf. Stationed around the faithful, they wait for their Commander's order to rescue them from peril so that attacks cannot overcome them.

They encamp around those who fear God and are sent to help them when they face temptation and the powers of darkness. When those who keep the fear of God before them meet grievous temptation and are beset by the wily foe, mighty angels are sent to their aid so that they become more than a match for the powers of darkness. Provision has been made for believers as they travel the narrow way contending with principalities and powers and meeting the opposition of foes, for Jesus died to make a way of escape for a fallen race and lives to make intercession, and help has been laid upon One that is mighty through whom they may conquer.

They draw near to those who compassionately seek to help the erring and fallen, bringing words to encourage and comfort them. They are present also to aid all who make God their strength through living faith. God sends these powerful angels to minister to human workers who speak the truth to those who do not know it. In struggling for victory they impart divine power, and they give success to those who will inherit salvation. Ministers, physicians, and all the people of God who are true and faithful, on guard, resisting the enemy and sounding the alarm against false theories, have these strong helpers working with them.

God appoints these strong, obedient angels who hearken to His word to answer the prayers of the humble and to guide His ministers with counsel and judgment, so that heavenly agencies give faithful workers grace, strength, and counsel for their service. They have charge of God's work, counseling and directing His people through chosen agents and helping the work move forward. They will be with the faithful in their conflicts with Satan, and they are ready to aid believers so that faith is not overcome by the struggle. When they see people doing their utmost to overcome, they help them, shine their light around them, resist the influence of evil angels, and form a protective wall around them.

Those who are connected with God have heavenly power working with their efforts, with angels by their side, and those who stand with God have support in resisting temptation and overcoming. The angels who excel in strength are with God's praying people on the field of battle, coming with Christ as General of armies who Himself leads His followers and fights with His army against the adversary of souls. Their help sustains those who plant their feet on the platform of eternal truth and uplift the banner of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus in perilous times, and Christ renews the strength of every faithful soldier to be steadfast and stand firm. Their special aid is available to those who remain near God and connected with Him, while neglecting that closeness leaves people more exposed to Satan's influence and temptation.

Deliverance from Evil Powers

Psalm 103:20 reveals that the angels who excel in strength are sent by Jesus in answer to earnest prayer of faith to help the fainting, pursued soul that looks to Him and perseveres, driving back Satan and his angels and delivering all who seek that help. The distressed sinner who looks to Jesus and continues in prayer is met by angels mighty in strength, obedient to God's commands and heedful of His word, who help the soul escape the power of darkness. Those who turn to Jesus for strength and persevere are thus resisted for by these strong angels against Satan's angels until the endangered soul is delivered.

When those who went astray see their peril, strive to free themselves, plead, and in deep humility confess their wrongs, the very angels they grieved come to their rescue. They contend and battle with Satan and his angels in fierce and severe conflict, and by superior strength they prevail and wrench the repentant soul from Satan's power and tear it away from the powers of darkness. Departing from the right way separates a person from God and from this watch-care and places him on Satan's ground, where protection is lost and the mind is yielded to Satan, and only desperate effort can free those who have yielded and tempted the devil to tempt them.

That angelic help does not control minds against the will, for Jesus will not commission angels to extricate those who make no effort to help themselves. If a person yields to the enemy and makes no effort to resist, the holy angels, though all-powerful and clothed with the armory of heaven and anxiously watching the severe conflict, can do little more than hold Satan's host in check that it should not destroy, until further light moves the one in peril to arouse and look to heaven for help. Satan claims ensnared souls as his prey and uses all his energies and all his evil host to keep even one person and to wrest him from the hand of Christ, yet he cannot control a mind unless it is yielded to him. At the sound of fervent prayer he cannot endure to have his powerful rival appealed to, but fears and trembles before His strength and majesty, and his whole host trembles and falls back knowing the battle is lost, because the great Commander in heaven and earth has limited Satan's power. His claim that sinners must not be taken from his control is answered by God's power to redeem and protect those who trust in Christ.

When one in danger is aroused, looks to Jesus with distress and fervor, perseveres, and in helplessness casts himself upon the merits of the blood of Christ, Jesus hears the earnest prayer of faith and sends a reinforcement of these strong angels to deliver the fainting, pursued soul from the wall of darkness that Satan's reinforced legions hedge around him to shut out heaven's light. Their aid must be sought now as dangers increase, with renewed energy and vigilant action and putting on the whole armor of God, for they are mighty in power and waiting to be called for help so that faith is not darkened by the fierceness of the conflict, while indifference and sloth will result in the loss of personal religion and of heaven. When the cause of God requires confronting Satan and his host, as through a Spiritualist medium, one man must never go alone but several together, so that with prayer and faith the host of darkness is driven back and the speaker is shielded by strong angels. Holy and pure angels leave those who indulge doubts and unbelief and parley with Satan on forbidden ground, and evil angels are attracted around them, while steadfast resistance with determined seeking for strength from God breaks the fetter, drives back the foe, and brings nearness to God and triumph in His name.

Acts in Bible History

At the Flood the verse is seen in angels commissioned to preserve Noah's ark amid storm and surging waters, guiding it and keeping it from harm. They held it safe through forty days and forty nights of violent storm and destruction, and its passage unharmed was a miracle of almighty power. At Carmel the same mighty obedience surrounded Elijah, for protecting hosts of heaven were above and around him. He therefore was not alone or defenseless, though he stood apparently alone before Ahab and the prophets of Baal and the assembled people of Israel.

In the days of Esther angels who excel in strength were commissioned as a ruling counter-power among men to protect the Jews as they gathered to defend their lives from those seeking to destroy them. Satan was working to rid the earth of those preserving the knowledge of the true God, and through Haman he moved Ahasuerus by hatred of Mordecai and by falsehood and misrepresentation about that peculiar people to secure under false pretenses a malicious Persian edict for their destruction, because Mordecai refused to show Haman the reverence that belongs only to God. The mighty angels guarded God's people and defeated that device, so the plots of their adversaries returned upon their own heads.

At Christ's tomb a heavenly host surrounded the sepulcher, guarding it and waiting to welcome the Prince of Life. Hosts of evil angels gathered about the place with the prince of darkness to keep it sealed forever if possible. Then one mighty angel of exceeding great glory came down from heaven, seized the sealed stone and moved it as easily as a pebble, spoke with a voice that made the earth shake, and summoned Jesus forth in His Father's name to rise, while the Roman guard shook with fear and fell helpless as dead men. On missions of mercy of the same kind they are sent to protect, rescue, guide, and help God's people, as was done for Lot, Elijah, Elisha, Daniel, Peter, Paul, and others.

Protection in Final Crisis

The angels who excel in strength are mighty and obedient to God's commands and word, and in the time of trouble at the end of earth's history these strong angels will protect God's faithful people. They will guard them when Satan and his host seek to destroy them, so that Satan and his angels cannot destroy them and their attacks cannot overcome them. In that crisis God will reveal His power to save those who trust in Him.

Satan has worked to rid the earth of those who preserve the knowledge of the true God, and in the time of Esther he instigated Haman's malicious Persian edict against the Jews. That decree of death was secured from Ahasuerus under false pretenses by misrepresentation and falsehood about that peculiar people, moved by hatred of Mordecai because Mordecai refused to show Haman the reverence that belongs only to God. The same master mind behind Haman is now working through fallen and apostate churches to control them against Sabbathkeepers, for a very similar and like decree to go out to condemn and kill those who will not worship the idol sabbath and who refuse false worship. The real war is not with men but with rulers of darkness and wicked spirits.

The little company keeping the Sabbath will stand as Mordecai in the gate, whose character and conduct expressing reverence for the law of God constantly rebukes those who have cast off the fear of the Lord and trample His Sabbath. Angels that excel in strength do God's commandments by protecting the people of God, commissioned as a ruling counter-power among the children of men to guard them. In the days of Esther they guarded the Jews and defeated Satan so the plots of their adversaries returned upon their own heads. So also in the final crisis those who trust God and rely by faith on His power will see Satan's devices as signally defeated by angelic guard as in the days of Mordecai.

Example and Human Response

The faithful carrying out of God's will in heaven is the pattern for earthly life, teaching that every duty in its appointed place is to be performed faithfully for the Lord, however humble the work may be, and that such faithful service links workers on earth with the holy beings who do His will. The lesson is drawn from the obedience of angels who do His commands and heed His word, making even everyday tasks a fellowship with heaven.

Their obedience is not reluctant but willing and delightful, and that delight stands as the example and rebuke to backwardness on earth. Following it means first consecrating the self to God and then bringing means into His treasury so that there may be supply in His house, rather than being slow to give self and means.

Believers stand in noble company with angels, and therefore must speak gently and calmly and not by rash, hasty speech make the angels ashamed of them. Holy and pure angels draw near to help those who draw near to God in trust and walk in the footsteps of Jesus, giving success in God's work, and they shield God's servants in conflict with Satan and his host. When the cause of God requires confronting Satan, even through a Spiritualist medium, one man must never go alone but several together, so that with prayer and faith the host of darkness is driven back and the speaker is shielded by strong angels. Holy angels leave those who indulge doubts and unbelief and parley with Satan on forbidden ground, and evil angels are then attracted around them, while steadfast resistance with determined seeking for strength from God breaks the fetter, drives back the foe, and brings nearness to God and triumph in His name.

The angels are pure and delight to do God's will in obedience to the laws of His righteous government, and those living in open violation of one of the plainest precepts of the Decalogue cannot be taken into God's glorious presence to live among those obedient angels. To do so would bring a second rebellion into heaven, and heaven is indignant at such open and daring rebellion against God's holy law. The call to bless the Lord is a Spirit-given word not to be kept silent, urging God's people living at the ends of the world to heed the record of His dealings, take warning, repent and be converted. In view of the uncertainty and shortness of life they are to set affection on things above and seek enduring riches and righteousness that never passes away.