Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 4:9

"And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever," — Revelation 4:9 (ASV)

The second hymn is sung by the twenty-four elders. When the living creatures confess the truth of God’s holy deeds, the response of the highest order of God’s heavenly creatures is to relinquish their crowns of honor before the feet of him who alone is “worthy” of “glory and honor and power” because he alone (no man, not even the emperor) is the source and stay of every created thing (102:25; 136:5ff.). The expression “by your will they were created and have their being” (v.11) describes first the fact of their existence and then their origin.