Psalms 103:21
in Psalms 103Bless the LORD, all His hosts, you servants who do His will.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Bless Jehovah, all ye his hosts, Ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
KJV
Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
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This verse in Psalms 103
Commentary
16 notes on this verseBless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts,.... Which some understand of the sun, moon, and stars, sometimes called the hosts of heaven; and who in their way bless and praise the Lord; see Psa 148:2. Others, of the angels, as before; who are sometimes styled the heavenly host, Luk 2:13, and may be so called from their numbers, there being legions of them; and for their military employment, in guarding and protecting the saints, in encamping about them, and fighting for them.
This site's exposition
all His angels mighty in strength
on Psalms 103:20-22
The call widens from one soul to the angels, then to the hosts, then to every work in every place God rules. The angels are described by what they do: they carry out His word and listen for His command. The last line lands back on that one soul.
This site's exposition
you servants who do His will
Servants translates meshartav, the same word used of the flames of fire at Psalm 104:4. Hebrews 1:14 calls the angels ministering spirits sent to serve. Hosts is the army of heaven, the word in the title LORD of Hosts.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"Your will be done on earth as in heaven." God's divine and blessed angels do the will of God, as David said in the psalm, "Bless the Lord, all his angels, mighty in strength, that do his pleasure." So then in effect this is what you mean when you pray, "as in the angels your will is done, so likewise be it done on earth by human beings, O Lord."
Under "thrones" he includes the Cherubim, giving them this Greek name, as more intelligible than the Hebrew name for them. He knew that "God sits upon the Cherubim:" and so he calls these Powers the thrones of Him who sits thereon. In the same way there are included in the list Isaiah's Seraphim, by whom the mystery of the Trinity was luminously proclaimed, when they uttered that marvellous cry "Holy," being awestruck with the beauty in each Person of the Trinity. They are named under the title of "powers" both by the mighty Paul, and by the prophet David. The latter says, "Bless ye the Lord all ye His powers, ye ministers of His that do His pleasure:" and Isaiah instead of saying "Bless ye" has written the very words of their blessing, "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory" and he has revealed by what one of the Seraphim did (to him) that these powers are ministers that do God's pleasure, effecting the `purging of sin' according to the will of Him Who sent them: for this is the ministry of these spiritual beings, viz., to be sent forth for the salvation of those who are being saved.
But these bodies are moved by the invisible Powers in an orderly and rational manner according to the will of God, these Powers having received this as a law, according to what is written in David: Bless the Lord, all ye his angels, ye mighty …
"Bless ye the Lord, all ye His hosts: ye servants of His that do His pleasure" (ver. 21). All ye angels, all ye that are mighty in strength: ye that do His word: all ye His hosts, ye servants of His that do His pleasure, do ye, ye bless the Lord. For all they who live wickedly, though their tongues be silent, by their lips do curse the Lord. What doth it profit if thy tongue singeth a hymn, while thy life breatheth sacrilege? By living ill thou hast set many tongues to blasphemy. Thy tongue is given to the hymn, the tongues of those who behold thee, to blasphemy. If then thou dost wish to bless the Lord, do His word, do His will. ...
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
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,
8 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
In short, the blessed angels are glorious attendants upon the blessed God. Observe, (1.) How well qualified they are for the post they are in. They are able; for they excel in strength; they are mighty in strength (so the word is); they are able to bring great things to pass, and to abide in their work without weariness.
To obey is better than sacrifice; for angels obey, but do not sacrifice. (2.) What their service is. They are his angels, and ministers of his --his, for he made them, and made them for himself--his, for he employs them, though he does not need them--his, for he is their owner and Lord; they belong to him and he has them at his beck.
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. David is here communing with his own heart, and he is no fool that thus talks to himself and excites his own soul to that which is good.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:31w-of-59
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
do his commandments . . . word--or, literally, "so as to hearken," &c., that is, their acts of obedience are prompt, so that they are ever ready to hear, and know, and follow implicitly His declared will (compare De 26:17;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
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.
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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בָּרֲכ֣וּ | barakhu | bless | H1288 → | 330 times |
| יְ֭הוָה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | O all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| צְבָאָ֑יו | tzevaav | hosts his | H6635 → | 485 times |
| מְ֝שָׁרְתָ֗יו | mesharetav | servants his | H8334 → | 97 times |
| עֹשֵׂ֥י | ʾosei | [who] do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃ | retzono | <of> will his | H7522 → | 56 times |
בָּרֲכ֣וּbless
barakhuH1288 →330 times
יְ֭הוָהYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
כָּל־O all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
צְבָאָ֑יוhosts his
tzevaavH6635 →485 times
מְ֝שָׁרְתָ֗יוservants his
mesharetavH8334 →97 times
עֹשֵׂ֥י[who] do
ʾoseiH6213 →2628 times
רְצוֹנֽוֹ׃<of> will his
retzonoH7522 →56 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 2:13And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
it leads to
- Psalms 103:20–21
Bless the LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 103:20–21
Through
Nehemiah 9:6You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give…
it leads to
- Isaiah 37:16
“O LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.
- Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
- Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.”
- Deuteronomy 10:14
Behold, to the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, and the earth and everything in it.
- Deuteronomy 6:4
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.
- Isaiah 37:16
Through
Psalms 104:4He makes the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants.
it leads to
- Hebrews 1:7
Now about the angels He says: “He makes His angels winds, His servants flames of fire.”
- Hebrews 1:7
Through
1 Kings 22:19Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.
it leads to
- Job 2:1
On another day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before Him.
- Job 2:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies9
On this verse
About Psalms
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 103; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 4; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 9; Cyril of Jerusalem, MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 23:14; Gregory of Nyssa, AGAINST EUNOMIUS 1:23; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.