The Mekhilta lifts the declaration "Who is like You among the mighty" out of the earthly realm and directs it upward — toward the angelic hosts who minister before God on high. "Who is like You among those who minister before You?" the text asks. The question is not just about earthly power. It encompasses the entire heavenly court.
(Psalms 89:7) frames the challenge: "Who in the heavens can be likened to the Lord?" The angels themselves — the most powerful beings in the celestial hierarchy — cannot compare to their Creator. The psalm continues in verse 8: God is "dreaded in the great council of the holy ones." Even the angels, who stand in God's presence, are filled with awe and fear before Him.
And (Psalms 89:9) drives the point home: "O Lord, God of hosts, who is like You? Mighty is the Lord." The title "God of hosts" (Adonai Tzeva'ot) refers specifically to the commander of the heavenly armies. God is not merely one among many powerful beings. He commands the very hosts that serve Him, and even they cannot approach His might.
This reading from the Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael (Tractate Shirah 8:6) expands the Song at the Sea into a cosmic declaration. When Israel sang "Who is like You among the mighty," they were not only comparing God to Pharaoh. They were measuring Him against the angels — and finding that even the heavenly council stands in trembling awe.