Revelation 7:12

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:9-12 The first fruits of Christ having led the way, the Gentiles converted later follow, and ascribe their salvation to God and the Redeemer, with triumph. In acts of religious worship we come nigh to God, and must come by Christ; the throne of God could not be approached by sinners, were it not for a Mediator. They were clothed with the robes of justification, holiness, and victory; and they had palms in their hands, as conquerors used to appear in their triumphs. Such a glorious appearance will the faithful servants of God make at last, when they have fought the good fight of faith, and finished their course. With a loud voice they gave to God and the Lamb the praise of the great salvation. Those who enjoy eternal happiness must and will bless both the Father and the Son; they will do it publicly, and with fervour. We see what is the work of heaven, and we ought to begin it now, to have our hearts much in it, and to long for that world where our praises, as well as our happiness, will be made perfect.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Saying, Amen - See the notes on Revelation 1:7. The word "Amen" here is a word strongly affirming the truth of what is said, or expressing hearty assent to it. It may be uttered, as expressing this, either in the beginning or end of a sentence. Thus, wills are commonly commenced, "In the name of God, Amen."

Blessing, and glory, ... - Substantially the same ascription of praise occurs in Revelation 5:12. See the notes on that verse. The general idea is, that the highest kind of praise is to be ascribed to God; everything excellent in character is to be attributed to him; every blessing which is received is to be traced to him. The order of the words indeed is changed, but the sense is substantially the same. In the former case Revelation 5:12 the ascription of praise is to the Lamb - the Son of God; here it is to God. In both instances the worship is described as rendered in heaven; and the use of the language shows that God and the Lamb are regarded in heaven as entitled to equal praise. The only words found here which do not occur in Revelation 5:12 are thanksgiving and might - words which require no particular explanation.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

12. Greek, "The blessing, the glory, the wisdom, the thanksgiving, the honor, the power, the might [the doxology is sevenfold, implying its totality and completeness], unto the ages of the ages."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

These words only signify the union and harmony of the angels and saints in praising God: See Poole on "Revelation 5:12".

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Saying, Amen,.... As approving and confirming what the great multitude of men had said in Revelation 7:10; in ascribing the glory of salvation to God, and the Lamb: the angels, though they have no part in it themselves, yet highly approve of it as right and just, that men should give the glory of it where it is due.

Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. Here a seven fold praise is given to God by the angels, as to the Lamb, in Revelation 5:12, and in words much the same they rightly ascribe blessing to God, who is blessed in himself, and is the source of all blessedness to his creatures, angels and men. And also "glory"; the glory of his divine perfections, who is the God of glory; and of all his works of nature and providence, and especially of the salvation of men by Christ. "And wisdom"; he being the only wise God, whose wisdom is to be seen in all the works of creation, and in the government of the world, and in nothing more than in the scheme of redemption by the Son of God: "and thanksgiving": for all mercies and favours, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, enjoyed by angels, or by men: "and honour"; which is due to him from all his creatures, as he is the Creator of them; and from all his children, as he is their Father; and from all his servants, as he their master: "and power": which he has exerted, in making all things out of nothing, in supporting the whole universe in its being, and in saving and preserving his own people: "and might"; or "strength", he being the almighty God, the strength of Israel, and the rock of ages, in whom is everlasting strength; and the praise and ascription of all this, the angels wish to be given him by themselves and others, to all eternity; and as desiring that so it might be, and as believing that so it would be, they add their to it.

Geneva Study Bible

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. Blessing, and glory &c.] The seven words of praise have each the article: see on ch. Revelation 5:13.

Bengel's Gnomen

Revelation 7:12. [86] Ἡ τιμὴ) The Apocalypse everywhere divides sevens into four and three, as we show in its proper place. Now, when all the angels say, ἡ εὐλογία καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ ἡ σοφία καὶ ἡ εὐχαριστία, (καὶ) ἡ τιμὴ καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ ἰσχὺς τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, the first four acclamations have reference to the trumpet of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth angel; the remaining three, to the trumpet of the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh angel. Therefore if καὶ is omitted before ἡ τιμὴ, the sentiment begins as it were afresh. The Latin, indeed, omits the particle “and,” and with him Ambrose Ansbert. Nor does that appear worthy of neglect: for often, in a passage containing many connecting conjunctions, some clauses are put without a conjunction: Exodus 23:23; Exodus 32:2; Jeremiah 1:10. The Greek copyists easily supplied καὶ: and in this passage befittingly in the seven words,—the hymn is distinguished into a set of four and a set of three. I definitively decide nothing in this case. Let the reader judge. [Moreover, this hymn is appropriately inserted in the description of the multitude adorned with white robes: when immediately afterwards the trumpets are delivered to the seven angels.—V. g.]

[86] ἡ σωτηρία, salvation) GOD enriched them with the salvation which they proclaim. More sublime doxologies follow at length.—V. g.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - Saying, Amen. In Revelation 5:14 the four living creatures respond "Amen" to the praises uttered by the angels; here, in response to the praise offered by the redeemed in ver. 10, the angels utter "Amen," preparatory to joining in the universal adoration. Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. The blessing, etc.; that is, "all blessing," etc. (see on Revelation 4:11). The terms of the ascription are the same as those in Revelation 5:12, except that we have here εὐχαριστία, "thanksgiving," substituted for πλοῦτος, "riches" (see on Revelation 5:12). The sevenfold character of the ascription of praise denotes its universal and all-embracing character (see on Revelation 1:4; 5:1). Revelation 7:12

Vincent's Word Studies

Blessing, etc.

On the doxologies, see on Revelation 1:6.