What is the context?
The scene moves from the cries over Babylon to the sound of a great multitude in heaven. They praise God for salvation, glory and power, and explain the reason: His judgments are true and just. The power that corrupted the earth and shed His servants’ blood has faced His judgment.
The repeated Hallelujah is a call to praise the LORD. Thayer’s entry traces the word’s Greek form to that Hebrew expression. Its repetition gives the scene the character of a great response of worship after the laments in chapter 18.
The twenty-four elders and four living creatures fall before God and join the praise. A voice from the throne then calls all His servants, those who fear Him, small and great alike, to praise. The invitation reaches across differences of status.
The celebration answers what the chapter itself names: corruption has been judged and the blood of God’s servants avenged. The vision’s attention is on God’s faithfulness and justice after the long experience of suffering and opposition.
How is this passage commonly understood?
The main readings understand the praise as a response to God’s judgment of Babylon and His faithfulness to His people. Wesley connects the multitude especially with those whose blood Babylon shed. The USCCB notes describe the victory song as the worship of the church. Their explanations share the passage’s movement from oppression to praise.
Walvoord particularly associates the multitude with martyrs of the tribulation, while recognizing the broad call to all God’s servants. The precise grouping depends partly on each teacher’s reading of earlier visions. The words small and great make clear that public rank does not determine who belongs in the call to praise.
Where does this fit in God's plan?
The response follows the call in Revelation 18:20 for heaven and God’s people to rejoice over His judgment. It also answers the martyrs’ appeal in Revelation 6:9–11. Their question about how long justice will be delayed has been carried through the vision to this response.
The earlier prophecy in Jeremiah 51:48–49 likewise joins heaven’s rejoicing over Babylon with accountability for bloodshed. Psalm 115:1 and 13 gives a related pattern of glory belonging to God and blessing for those who fear Him, small and great. These connections place the scene within the Bible’s wider hope that God’s justice and faithfulness will be made known.
What is our position?
We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.