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Revelation 5:9-13

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 11. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, [be] unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Revelation 5:9-13 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Revelation 5:9

Theological / Devotional

They. That is, the 24 elders and perhaps also the 4 beasts (see below on “us”).

A new song. The song was new in the sense that it was entirely different from any sung before. This expression is common in the OT (see Ps. 33:3; 40:3; Isa. 42:10). Here it is particularly fitting, for it represents the song growing out of a unique experience— salvation through the victory of Jesus Christ (see on Rev. 5:5). It is the “new song” of those who have a “new name” (chs. 2:17; 3:12), who inhabit the “new Jerusalem” (ch. 21:2), when all things are made “new” (ch. 21:5).

Worthy. See on v. 2. The heavenly chorus leads out in the recognition that God has been vindicated from the accusations of Satan, through the victory of His Son. Some see in the 24 elders representatives of the saints, who themselves were once captives of evil. The saints appear before the onlooking universe as witnesses to the righteousness and the grace of God. See on Rev. 5:5; cf. Eph. 3:10.

Thou wast slain. The death of Christ, with its resulting salvation for man—which in turn vindicates the character of God—is the basis for the worthiness of Christ (see on v. 2).

Us. In spite of the fact that textual evidence attests retaining this word, translators and commentators generally omit it on the basis of other textual evidence in v. 10 (see comment there).

By thy blood. See on Rom. 3:25 ; 5:9.

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