Psalms 103:21

Psa 103:21 Bless ye the LORD, all [ye] his hosts; [ye] ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

Ver. 21. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts] That is, all his creatures, which are fitly called God’s hosts, first, for their number; secondly, for their order; thirdly, for their obedience.

Ye ministers of his] Whether in State or Church. Kings are God’s ministers, Rom 13:4; Rom 13:6. So are angels, Heb 1:14, like as ministers are angels, Rev 2:1; they have exchanged names, their office is, angel-like, to wait upon God, to stand before him, to serve in his presence, and to bless his name.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. (Psa 103:21) Bless Jehovah, ye his hosts, his ministers, the doers of his will. As the word hosts is applied both to the angels and the heavenly bodies (see above, on Psa 24:10), some interpreters, in order to relieve this verse of a tautology, suppose it to relate to the heavenly hosts in one sense, as the preceding verse does in another. In the same way they account for the change of expression in the last clause. Only intelligent creatures can be literally said to listen for God's word and to obey it; but even the inanimate creation may be said, without a metaphor, to execute his will. This last phrase occurs also in Psa 40:8.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 21. All ye his hosts; ye ministers of his] We know almost nothing of the economy of the heavenly host; and, therefore, cannot tell what is the difference between angels, mighty powers, hosts, and ministers who do his pleasure. All owe their being and all its blessings to God; all depend upon his bounty; and without him they can do nothing; therefore, all should praise him.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21 Bless Jehovah, all ye his hosts. By hosts is not to be understood the stars, as some explain it. The subject of the preceding verse is still continued. Nor is the repetition superfluous; for the word hosts teaches us that there are myriads of myriads who stand before the throne of God, ready to receive every intimation of his will. Again, they are called his ministers who do his pleasure, to intimate to us, that they are not there intent in idly beholding God’s glory, but that having been appointed as our ministers and guardians, they are always ready for their work. Instead of word, the term pleasure is here used, and both are employed with much propriety; for although the sun, the moon, and the stars, observe the laws which God has ordained for them, yet being without understanding, they cannot properly be said to obey his word and his voice. The term obey is indeed sometimes transferred to the mute and insensible parts of creation. It is, however, only in a metaphorical sense that they can be said to hearken to God’s voice, when by a secret instinct of nature they fulfill his purposes. But this in the proper sense is true of angels, who actively obey him upon their understanding from his sacred mouth what he would have them to do. The word pleasure expresses more plainly a joyful and cheerful obedience, implying that the angels not only obey God’s commandments, but also willingly and with the greatest delight receive the intimations of his will, that they may perform what he would have them to do. Such is the import of the Hebrew noun, as has been stated elsewhere.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(21) Hosts.—There are apparently in the psalmist’s thought three grades of beings in the hierarchy of praise:—

1. High angels around the throne.

2. Angelic powers, such as winds, lightnings, &c, specially commissioned to do God’s behests, as in Psa_104:4.

3. Creation generally. (Comp. Psalms 148)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. By Jehovah’s hosts and ministers may be meant the innumerable multitudes of celestial beings of lower rank, subordinated to the celestial hierarchy spoken of in Psa_103:20 (Dan_7:10; Heb_1:14); or perhaps “the host of heaven,” the stars, which are closely connected with angels in the O.T. (Job_38:7), and all the powers of Nature, which subserve Jehovah’s purposes (Psa_104:4; Psa_148:2-3).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts - His armies; the vast multitudes of holy beings, arranged and marshalled as hosts for battle, in all parts of the universe. Compare the notes at Isa 1:9; notes at Eph 1:21.

Ye ministers of his - The same beings referred to by the word “hosts,” and all others who may be employed in executing his will. The “hosts” or armies of the Lord are thus marshalled that they may “do his pleasure,” or that they may execute his purposes.

That do his pleasure - What is agreeable to him; that is, who perform his will. Employed in his service, and appointed to execute his will, they are called on to bless his name. The fact of being employed in his service is a sufficient reason for praise. It is implied here that those “ministers of his” actually do his will. They are obedient to his commands; they regard themselves as employed for him.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

All ye his hosts; ye angels; to whom he still continues his address, and whom he more particularly describes by the name of hosts, a title oft given to the angels, as Gen 32:2; 1Ki 22:19; 2Ch 18:18; Luk 2:13; Rev 19:14, in regard of their vast numbers, mighty power, unanimous concurrence, and exquisite order. In the former verse the expression was indefinite and general, ye his angels, here it is universal and yet particular,

all ye his hosts. He seems to apply himself to the several orders of angels, of whom see Eph 3:10; Col 1:16, and to each individual angel.

Ye ministers: this Hebrew word is commonly used of the highest and most honourable sort of servants.

That do his pleasure; whose constant business and delight it is to execute the will and commands of God.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 21. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; to whatever race of creatures ye may belong, for ye are all his troops, and he is the Generallissimo of all your armies. The fowl of the air and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the sea, should all unite in praising their Creator, after the best of their ability.

Ye ministers of his that do his pleasure; in whatever way ye serve him, bless him as ye serve. The Psalmist would have every servant in the Lord's palace unite with him, and all at once sing out the praises of the Lord. We have attached a new sense to the word "ministers" in these latter days, and so narrowed it down to those who serve in word and doctrine. Yet no true minister would wish to alter it, for we are above all men bound to be the Lord's servants, and we would, beyond all other ministering intelligences or forces, desire to bless the glorious Lord.

Ver. 21. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts... that do his pleasure. The sun, moon, stars, and planets do "his pleasure" (Ps 19:1) unconsciously; the "angels" consciously and with instinctive love, "hearken unto the voice of his word" (Ps 103:20). Both together constitute the Lord's hosts. A. R. Fausset.

Ver. 21. Who are God's ministers? What is their business? To do his pleasure. What is their delight? To bless the Lord.

Ver. 21-22. Henry Melvill has a notable sermon upon "The Peril of the Spiritual Guide." The drift of it may be gathered from the extract which wc have placed as a note upon the passage.

Psalms 103:22*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21. Hosts—Not the heavenly bodies, (as in Deu_4:19; Deu_17:3; Psa_33:6,) but the collective whole of all orders of celestial beings, as 1Ki_22:19 and Psa_148:2. Compare Dan_7:10.

Ye ministers—Same as “hosts” in previous clause. Angels are called ministers, in Heb_1:14; Psa_104:4; Dan_7:10

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts. Here the inferior angels seem to be meant that "multitude of the host of heaven" which appeared to the shepherds on Christ"s natal day, (Luk_2:13) and which is elsewhere often referred to in Holy Scripture. (see Psa_24:10 Psa_148:2 Isa_40:26 Mat_25:31 Mar_8:38 Luk_9:26 Heb_12:22 Jud_1:14) Ye ministers of his (comp. Psa_104:4) that do his pleasure. The inferior, no less than the superior, ranks of angels continually carry out the will of God, being "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation". (Heb_1:14)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

His hosts - A title often given to the angels, in regard of their vast numbers, mighty power, unanimous concurrence, and exquisite order. Ministers - This Hebrew word is commonly used of the highest and most honourable sort of servants,

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.