Charles Ellicott Commentary Revelation 15:3

"And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages." — Revelation 15:3 (ASV)

And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.—They join their voices to the music of their harps. The song of Moses was a paean of victory over Pharaoh and his hosts (Exodus 14:26–31; Exodus 15:1–21). Israel stood on the margin of the Red Sea and saw the tokens of the overthrow of the great world-power of that day; so these saints stand by the border of the sea of glass mingled with fire, and sing the song of triumph over the doom of the great world-powers of every age.

The cases are parallel, the songs are alike; and it would not be out of place if the words of that other song of Moses, the man of God, were to be heard from those who are made glad according to the days of their affliction, and who are clothed with the beauty of the Lord their God (Psalms 90:1; Psalms 90:15; Psalms 90:17).

They also sing the song of the Lamb. The Apocalypse is full of Christ; the Lamb is the axis on which the world of its scenery moves; He is the key of earth’s history; the victory of the saints is in Him (Revelation 12:11); their song of triumph is of Him who put a new song in their mouth and in whom all things are reconciled (Ephesians 1:10; Philippians 2:10–11).

On verses 3-4:

Great and marvellous are thy works...—The song is better thus translated:—

“Great and marvellous are Thy works,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are Thy ways,
Thou King of the nations.
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name?
Because Thou only art holy:
Because all the nations shall come and worship
in Thy presence:
Because Thy judgments were manifested.”

The works are called “great;” the “ways” are called just and true. It is not mere marvel which calls forth the song of praise, but righteousness, truth, and holiness. The Almighty is the righteous ruler. The English version has “King of saints;” the reading should be “King of the nations” or else, perhaps, “King of the ages.” The latter reading harmonizes well with the immediate context and with the other passages, which link the thought of “the ages” with the “righteous dealings” of God. “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth” (Psalms 119:142; Psalms 119:151–152; Psalms 119:160).

But the former is to be preferred; it is appropriate in a song which celebrates a victory over those who vaunted themselves as the princes of this world, and which proclaims the submission of the nations to God; and it seems to have been transplanted here from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 10:7): “Who would not fear thee, thou King of the nations?” The song celebrates the noble acts of the Lord; it declares them to be great; but it is not their greatness, it is their righteousness and faithfulness which calls forth the grateful praise.

The long days of oppression, and the seeming silence of the Almighty, when the prayer and cry “How long?” has risen from perplexed and suffering saints, have brought the temptation of the psalmist: “I have cleansed my heart in vain” (Psalms 73:3–13). But now the righteous acts of the Lord are manifested; now it is acknowledged that “verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily He is a God that judgeth in the earth” (Psalms 58:11). Though clouds and darkness have sometimes been round about Him, it is now beyond doubt that “righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne” (Psalms 97:2).