We are looking at the song of Revelation 15:3-4 in response to a professor’s assertion that “exclusive psalmody is not only not required, but positively erroneous and sinful.” Remember, this song in these verses is part of a larger vision. The visions of Revelation portray reality; they are not the reality itself. From this perspective, the song of Revelation 15:3-4 is a representative song.

We discussed its gospel content last month. It is a biblical gospel song representative of the Psalms. It therefore points us back to the Psalms of the Old Testament for our praise.

We will cover two other points in this short article. First, Revelation 15:3-4 is in the form of a psalm. Second, it quotes the Psalms. On both of these additional counts, this particular song directs us back to the Psalms of the Old Testament.

First of all, our song looks like a psalm. There are eight lines forming two sets of alternating parallelisms. The structure of the song is as follows:

A Great and marvelous are Your works,

B O Lord God, the Almighty;

A1 Righteous and true are Your ways,

B1 King of the nations!

C Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?

D For You alone are holy;

C1 For all the nations will come and worship before You,

D1 For Your righteous acts have been revealed.

A is parallel in thought to A1. B is parallel in thought to B1. C is parallel in thought to C1. And D is parallel in thought to D1. The Lord displays His righteous ways (A1) in His great and marvelous works (A). The almighty God (B) is indeed the King of all the nations (B1). Those who truly fear and glorify the Lord (C) worship before Him (C1). God is holy (D) and reveals His righteous acts (D1). This structure is typical of Hebrew poetry and of the Psalms. The structure of this representative song therefore points us back to the Psalms of the Old Testament.

C and C1 in the song quote Psalm 86. Psalm 86:9 reads, “All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name.” There is a parallelism in Psalm 86:9. Those who worship before Christ glorify His name. Revelation 15:4 reverses the order of Psalm 86:9. This does not alter the meaning. Those who glorify the name of Christ (C) worship before Him (C1). The parallel structure in the Hebrew poetry permits this.

In addition, although the book of Revelation contains numerous allusions to the Old Testament, the song of Revelation 15:3-4 contains its only actual Old Testament quotation. Again, this quotation is from the Psalms. In other words, the very fact that the song in Revelation 15:3-4 not only alludes to but quotes from the Psalms highlights the psalter. Far from excluding the Psalms of the Old Testament, this “song of the Lamb” embraces the Psalms of the Old Testament. Given this is the case, this representative New Testament song directs us back to the psalter.

As indicated in our last column, Revelation 15:3-4 is a gospel song representative of the Psalms pointing us to the Kingship of Christ. Second, this song is in the form of a psalm. Third, this song quotes from the psalter. On these three counts, the song of Revelation 15:3-4 points us back to the Psalms.

Is psalmody “positively erroneous and sinful” as our professor friend indicates? The book of Revelation indicates otherwise. In fact, Revelation 15:3-4 directs us back to the Psalms of the Old Testament for our praise.

—Dennis J. Prutow