Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name for [thou] only [art] holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
4. holy ] Not the same word as is applied to God in Rev 4:8 &c., but ordinarily used of human piety or holiness and in that sense applied to our Lord, in His human character, in Heb 7:26. It is only used of God here and in Rev 16:5 (the true text): in both places the sense is that God is “justified in His saying and clear when He is judged.”
all nations shall come &c.] Psa 86:9; Isa 66:23.
thy judgments ] Rather, righteous acts, cf. Rev 19:8. The word occurs only once besides in the N. T., Rom 5:18.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord – Reverence and adore thee; for the word fear, in the Scriptures, is commonly used in this sense when applied to God. The sense here is, that the judgments about to be inflicted on the beast and his image should and would teach people to reverence and adore God. There is, perhaps, included here also the idea of awe, inasmuch as this would be the effect of punishment.
And glorify thy name – Honor thee – the name being put for the person who bare it. The sense is, that, as a consequence of these judgments, men would be brought to honor God, and to acknowledge him as the Ruler of the earth.
For thou only art holy – That is, in these judgments he would show himself to be a holy God; a God hating sin, and loving righteousness and truth. When it is said that he only is holy, the expression is used, of course, in a comparative sense. He is so pure that it may be said that, in comparison with him, no one else is holy. Compare the notes on Job 4:18; Job 15:15.
For all nations shall come and worship before thee – That is, as the result of these punishments inflicted on this dread anti-Christian power, they shalt come and worship thee. Everywhere in the New Testament the destruction of that power is connected with the promise of the speedy conversion of the world.
For thy judgments are made manifest – To wit, on the beast. That formidable power is overthrown, and the grand hindrance to the universal spread of the true religion is now taken away. Compare the notes on Isa 26:9.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Who shall not fear thee] That is, All should fear and worship this true God, because he is just and true and holy; and his saints should love and obey him, because he is their King; and they and all men should acknowledge his judgments, because they are made manifest.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Acknowledging, that for this God deserved to be worshipped and served by all the world, because of his holiness, much seen in the justice and truth of his ways; declaring their faith and hope, that now all nations should own and acknowledge Christ, and be subject unto him, now that his judgments upon antichrist, and his justice in all his dispensations, was made so evident to the world.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. Who shall notGreek,“Who is there but must fear Thee?” Compare Moses’ song, Ex15:14-16, on the fear which God’s judgments strike into the foe.
theeso Syriac.But A, B, C, Vulgate, and CYPRIANreject “thee.”
all nations shallcomealluding to Ps22:27-31; compare Isa 66:23;Jer 16:19. The conversion of allnations, therefore, shall be when Christ shall come, and not tillthen; and the first moving cause will be Christ’s manifestedjudgments preparing all hearts for receiving Christ’s mercy. Heshall effect by His presence what we have in vain tried to effect inHis absence. The present preaching of the Gospel is gathering out theelect remnant; meanwhile “the mystery of iniquity” is atwork, and will at last come to its crisis; then shall judgmentdescend on the apostates at the harvest-end of this age(Greek, Mat 13:39; Mat 13:40)when the tares shall be cleared out of the earth, which thenceforwardbecomes Messiah’s kingdom. The confederacy of ‘the apostates againstChrist becomes, when overthrown with fearful judgments, the verymeans in God’s overruling providence of preparing the nations notjoined in the Antichristian league to submit themselves to Him.
judgmentsGreek,“righteousnesses.”
areliterally, “were”:the prophetical past for the immediate future.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord,…. At this time the people of the Jews shall seek after Christ, and fear him and his goodness; the forces of the Gentiles shall be brought into Zion, whose heart shall then fear, and be enlarged; the fear of the Lord will be in all places, and in all men, both Jews and Gentiles, Ho 3:5
and glorify thy name? by ascribing all divine perfections to him, giving him divine worship and adoration, and attributing the whole of salvation to him, and the glory of all that is done for his church, and against its enemies:
for thou only art holy; not only perfectly holy, as man, but infinitely and essentially holy, as God, and the fountain of holiness to his people, as Mediator: this character seems to be given in opposition to antichrist, who arrogantly assumes the title of holiness to himself, when it only belongs to Christ.
For all nations shall come and worship before thee; the Gospel shall now be preached to all nations, and the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of it; the kingdoms of this world will become Christ’s, and his kingdom shall be to the ends of the earth, and all people shall obey him: the words seem to be taken, with some other phrases before used, out of Ps 86:8
for thy judgments are made manifest; or “thy justifications”, or “righteousnesses”; the perfect righteousness of Christ, and the doctrine of justification by it, will now be most clearly revealed, and generally received, in opposition to the Popish doctrine of merits, works of supererogation, c. or the judgments of the King of saints upon antichrist, who will now avenge their blood, which he has shed see Re 17:1 and the justice and righteousness of his proceedings against the man of sin will be notorious and manifest to all, and be acknowledged, as in Re 16:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Who shall not fear? ( ;). Rhetorical question with (double negative) and first aorist passive subjunctive of future passive in Jer 10:7).
And glorify ( ). Change here to the future indicative instead of the aorist subjunctive, as often. Cf. Ps 86:9.
Thou only art holy ( ). Both predicate adjectives, “Thou art alone holy.” God alone is perfectly holy (16:5).
Shall come (). Future active of .
And worship ( ). Future active of . Both from Ps 86:9.
Have been made manifest (). Prophetic first aorist passive indicative of . This martyr’s song has the ring of great poetry.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Who shall not fear Thee? See Jer 10:7. Omit thee.
Holy [] . See on Luk 1:75. The term is applied to Christ in Act 2:27, 35; Heb 7:26. To God only here and ch. 16 5, where the correct reading is oJ osiov thou holy one, instead of oJ ejsomenov which shalt be. All nations shall come. Compare Psa 86:9; Isa 2:2 – 4; Isa 66:9 3; Mic 4:2.
Judgments [] . Not merely divine decisions, but righteous acts generally. So Rev. Primarily, the word signifies that which has been deemed right so as to have the force of law. Hence an ordinance (Luk 1:6; Heb 9:1; Rom 1:32). A judicial decision for or against (Rom 5:16). A righteous deed. See ch. Rev 19:8.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord,” (tis ou me phobethe kurie) “who will not (dare) fear (thee) Lord; Deu 6:2; Deu 10:12; Ecc 12:13-14; Mat 10:28; 2Co 5:11.
2) “And glorify thy name?” (kai doksasei to onoma sou) “And who will not glorify thy name?” Angels, the Elders, and the redeemed in glory do, Isa 6:3-4; Rev 4:9-11; Rev 5:10-13.
3) “For thou only art holy,” (hoti monos hosios) “Because only thou art holy; He is the only Holy God, Rev 4:8; Isa 6:3; Psa 115:1-18; Rev 15:3-4 set forth four attitudes of the Lord as: Almighty, true, just, and holy.
4) “For all nations shall come and worship before thee,” (hoti panta ta ethne heksousin kai proskun sousin enopion sou) “Because all the nations, races, or peoples will, come and worship before thee, in thy presence; what a glorious pledge! Isa 66:23; Psa 65:2.
5) “For thy Judgments are made manifest,” (hoti ta dikaiomata sou ephanerothesan) “Because thy righteous ordinances were made manifest,” without concealment, to render men inexcusable, Rom 2:1-2; 1Co 3:13-15; Act 17:30-31; 2Ti 4:12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(4) Who shall not fear . . .Rather, Who will not fear, &c. (the word Thee should be omitted, because Thou art holy. The word rendered holy is not that which is usually employed when the holiness of God is spoken of; it is a word which, when applied to men, denotes one who reverences the sacred obligations of natural and moral order, apart from the thought of mere law or custom. The word is applied here, and in Rev. 16:5, to God, and denotes the recognition of those sacred obligations which the character of God, if I may say so with reverence, imposes upon Himself. It is the remembrance that God will, as Judge of all the earth, do right, and will vindicate the expectations of those who stay themselves upon His character, which generates a holy fear of Him.
All nations shall come and worship . . .Translate, All the nations worship, because Thy judgments (or, righteous acts) are manifested. The song is one in anticipation. The angels of judgment are going forth; the righteous dealings of God will be seen; but these things are spoken of as though accomplished: their completion is a divine certainty.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Only art holy Even we, the redeemed, are holy only from thee.
All nations A premonition of the time when the world shall be filled with the true knowledge and worship of God. And it is to be noted that the nations, though overthrown in their profane character, are not destroyed, but so attracted as to come and worship. See notes on Rev 20:1-4.
Are made manifest The prophetic preterite-future, prospecting the coming judgment on the great city.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
Ver. 4. Who shall not fear thee ] q.d. How mad are the enemies, how sottish is the world that fear not thee who art the proper object of fear! Psa 76:11 . The Greeks call him , just as , fear; the Chaldee Dechilah for the same reason; and Jacob styled him “The fear of his father Isaac.”
For thou only art holy ] Before it had been said of his Holiness, Who is like unto the beast Now, Who shall not fear thee, O Lord? for thou only art holy.
For all nations shall come ] As being deeply affected with thy heaviest plagues upon Antichrist; they shall better bethink themselves, “They shall return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked,” Mal 3:18 .
Are made manifest ] i.e. Are begun to be, and more and more shall be, if our sins hinder not.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rev 15:4 . God’s holiness is the reason why his name must be feared and magnified, especially when its effects are visible in the reverent homage of all nations to God (a hyperbolical statement in view of Rev 16:9 , etc.) at the sight of his “deeds of judgment” ( = judicial sentences, here of condemnation and penalty) inflicted on the world ( cf. Dan 9:14 f.). The absolute and unique (note the prophet’s insertion of ) reign of Yahveh was a traditional tenet of Mosaism; indeed for Orientals generally the power which formed their ideal source of righteousness and justice partook necessarily of a monarchic character ( R. S. 74 f.). To the Semites it appeared that the perfection of their god as a just king formed a ground for his ultimate sovereignty over the nations of the world. The O.T. outlook and the phraseology warn us not to press the poetical language too closely here; otherwise ( cf. Rev 14:6-7 ) it would contradict, e.g. , the characteristic idea of the author that the bowl-plagues, instead of producing penitence and submission, ended in defiant blasphemy. , here a reverential periphrasis, it being considered in the later O.T. literature, the Targums, and the N.T. (occasionally) more respectful to worship and pray before the royal god than directly to him (Dalman, i. viii. 5). For the whole conception of this dual song see Targ. Jonath. on Isa 26:1 and Targ. Schir Haschirim i. 1; the latter reckons ten songs altogether, (1) Adam’s at his forgiveness, (2) that of Moses and the Israelites at the Red Sea, (3) that of the Israelites, when the spring of water was given them, (4) that of Moses at his death, (5) Joshua’s at Gibeon, (6) that of Barak and Deborah, (7) Hannah’s, (8) David’s, (9) Solomon’s, and (10) that which the children of the captivity are to sing when the Lord frees them. It tallies with this expectation that the new song of the Apocalypse (Rev 5:9 , Rev 14:3 ) is always a song of Christ’s redemption.
Rev 15:5 to Rev 16:1 : the introduction to the seven bowls or plagues.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Thee. The texts omit.
glorify. Greek. doxazo. Only here and Rev 18:7 in Rev. See p. 1511.
holy. See Act 2:27.
nations = the nations.
worship. App-137.
judgments = righteous sentence. App-177 and App-191.
are = were.
made manifest. App-106.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 15:4. , all nations) Here is declared both the conversion of all nations (comp. Jer 16:19), and the moving cause, together with the time of the conversion.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Who: Exo 15:14-16, Psa 89:7, Isa 60:5, Jer 5:22, Jer 10:7, Hos 3:5, Luk 12:4, Luk 12:5
and glorify: Psa 22:23, Psa 86:9, Isa 24:15, Isa 25:3, Rom 15:9, 2Th 1:10-12
thou only: Rev 3:7, Rev 4:8, Rev 6:10, 1Sa 2:2, Psa 22:3, Psa 99:5, Psa 99:9, Psa 111:9, Isa 6:3, Isa 57:15, Hab 1:12, 1Pe 1:16
for all: Rev 11:15, Psa 22:27, Psa 86:9, Psa 117:1-2, Isa 45:23, Isa 66:18-20, Isa 66:22, Jer 16:19, Zec 2:11, Zec 8:20-23, Zec 14:16, Mal 1:11
for thy: Rev 16:7, Rev 19:2, Psa 97:8, Psa 105:7, Isa 26:9
Reciprocal: Exo 7:4 – by great Exo 15:11 – fearful Deu 32:4 – all his Deu 32:43 – avenge Jdg 5:1 – Sang Deborah 1Ki 8:40 – fear thee 2Ki 4:1 – thy servant did fear 2Ki 17:36 – him shall ye fear 1Ch 16:25 – great 1Ch 21:30 – he was afraid Job 13:11 – Shall Psa 21:13 – so will Psa 33:5 – He Psa 33:8 – the earth Psa 34:9 – fear Psa 36:12 – There Psa 46:10 – I will be Psa 48:1 – greatly Psa 48:11 – because Psa 51:4 – when Psa 52:6 – righteous Psa 57:11 – General Psa 65:5 – righteousness Psa 66:4 – General Psa 67:7 – all the Psa 68:32 – ye kingdoms Psa 72:17 – all nations Psa 76:7 – even thou Psa 94:15 – But Psa 96:4 – he is Psa 96:8 – the glory Psa 98:1 – for he Psa 99:3 – for it Psa 101:1 – I will sing Psa 105:2 – Sing unto Psa 111:7 – works Psa 119:137 – General Psa 145:7 – sing Psa 145:17 – righteous Psa 150:2 – for his mighty Pro 29:16 – but Ecc 3:14 – God doeth it Isa 2:10 – for fear Isa 5:16 – God that is holy Isa 8:13 – and let him Isa 12:1 – O Lord Isa 29:23 – fear the God Isa 49:26 – and all Isa 52:10 – made Isa 66:23 – shall all Jer 44:10 – neither Lam 1:18 – Lord Eze 14:23 – that I have not Eze 38:23 – and I Jon 1:9 – and I Mic 4:1 – and people Hab 2:14 – the earth Hab 3:2 – I have Zec 8:22 – General Mal 1:14 – my name Mal 3:16 – that feared Mar 4:41 – feared Luk 1:49 – and Luk 11:2 – Hallowed Luk 13:9 – if not Luk 23:40 – Dost Joh 17:11 – Holy Act 5:11 – General Act 10:2 – one Rom 1:21 – they glorified Rom 2:2 – judgment Rom 9:14 – Is there unrighteousness 2Th 1:5 – righteous 2Th 1:6 – General Heb 12:28 – with reverence Rev 4:10 – worship Rev 7:11 – and worshipped Rev 11:13 – gave Rev 14:7 – Fear Rev 19:10 – worship Rev 22:9 – worship God
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 15:4. The occasion for this great rejoicing is the prospect of judgments that are soon to be inflicted upon the powers of Rome whose hold upon the people has just been broken by the effects of the Reformation. That is why they exclaim about the worthiness of the Lord to be glorified. All nations shall come and worship before thee. Their worship will consist in doing homage to God as the true object of praise, for the light of truth that the Bible shed, on them since it was given back to them. Through that channel of information they have been informed that God’s judgments are just.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 4.
2. Who shall not fear thee, 0 Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest –Rev 15:4. The interrogation, “Who shall not fear thee?” was expressive of complete and unalloyed adoration, short of the late irreverent familiarity. The refrain thou only art holy was the superlative holiness inherent only in God. The declaration all nations shall come and worship before thee was promissory of liberation from Roman image idolatry and the freedom of all men to worship God. The judicial declaration for thy judgments are manifest had reference to the meeting out of retributive justice to the oppressors of the saints.
The song is a combination of many triumphant expressions of Old Testament psalmody of praise and adoration pertaining to Israel’s deliverance from enemy nations and lord of dominion, and again represents a parallel of apocalypses of Old Testament Israel and the New Testament church.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Everyone will at last have to honor God ( Php 2:9-11 ) because he is pure. All nations, even Rome, will worship before God’s throne and acknowledge his justice in judgments both for rewarding the redeemed and in punishment of the wicked.
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
It is inevitable that everyone fears God and glorifies Him. The rhetorical questions make this crystal clear (cf. Rev 13:4). This will happen after He finishes judging (cf. Psa 86:8-10; Jer 10:7). One reason for this fear and glory is God’s unapproachable majesty (Gr. hosios). Another is the fact that everyone will worship Him when Christ returns because He has purged the earth. He will reveal His righteous acts when He judges the earth. The martyrs do not refer to what they did in overcoming the beast but to what God is and did.