Bird's-eye view
Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible, but don't let its brevity fool you. It packs a punch that is weighty and considerable. This is a Hallelujah psalm, a summons to praise that encompasses the entire world. It begins with a command for all nations, all the goyim, to praise Yahweh. This is not a suggestion; it is a royal summons. The reason for this universal praise is twofold: God's hesed, His covenant loyalty and lovingkindness, is mighty over His people, and His emeth, His truth and faithfulness, endures forever. The Apostle Paul picks up this very psalm in Romans 15 to defend his mission to the Gentiles, demonstrating that God's plan from the beginning was to bring the nations into the chorus of praise, not as an afterthought, but as a fulfillment of the promises made to the fathers. This psalm is a prophetic declaration of the Great Commission's success.
Outline
- 1. The Universal Call to Praise (v. 1)
- a. All Nations Summoned (v. 1a)
- b. All Peoples Commanded (v. 1b)
- 2. The Thematic Reasons for Praise (v. 2)
- a. The Might of His Lovingkindness (v. 2a)
- b. The Endurance of His Truth (v. 2b)
- 3. The Concluding Exclamation of Praise (v. 2c)
- a. Praise Yah!
Context In Psalms
Psalm 117 is part of the collection known as the Egyptian Hallel psalms (Psalms 113-118), which were traditionally sung during Passover. This context is crucial. As Israel celebrated its redemption from Egypt, they sang this song that explicitly calls all the nations to join in the praise. This is not some late-breaking innovation. The inclusion of the Gentiles was embedded in the very fabric of Israel's worship. God's intention was always global. The salvation of the world is a Jewish salvation, but it was never intended to be a salvation for the Jews only. Christ, the minister to the circumcision, came to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and one of those central promises was that the Gentiles would glorify God for His mercy.
Key Issues
- The Gentile Mission in the Old Testament
- The Relationship Between Lovingkindness and Truth
- The Nature of True Worship
- Key Word Study: Hesed, "Lovingkindness"
- Key Word Study: Emeth, "Truth"
Verse by Verse Commentary
Psalm 117:1
Praise Yahweh, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples!
The psalm opens with a broad, sweeping, and audacious command. The psalmist, an Israelite, summons all the goyim, all the Gentiles, all the nations outside the covenant with Israel, to praise Yahweh. He doesn't stop there; he doubles the command for emphasis: "Laud Him, all peoples!" This is not a polite invitation to a potluck. This is a declaration of cosmic kingship. Yahweh is not a tribal deity, one god among many. He is the God of the whole earth, and therefore all the peoples of the earth owe Him praise. This was a radical idea in the ancient world, and it remains a radical idea today. The church's mission is to call the nations to do this very thing. We are not inviting them to consider a different religious option; we are announcing to them who their rightful King is and commanding their joyful submission. Paul quotes this verse directly in Romans 15:11 to show that his work among the Gentiles is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. The plan was always to bring the nations in.
Psalm 117:2
For His lovingkindness prevails over us, And the truth of Yahweh is everlasting. Praise Yah!
Now we get the reason, the ground and basis for this universal praise. Why should the nations praise the God of Israel? Because of two bedrock realities about His character. First, His hesed, His lovingkindness, His covenant faithfulness, His loyal love, prevails over "us." Notice the pronoun. The psalmist, speaking as an Israelite, testifies to the overwhelming power of God's mercy toward His covenant people. The nations are invited to praise God because of what they have seen Him do for Israel. God's faithfulness to His promises with Israel is the engine of world salvation. The Gentiles are grafted into the olive tree of Israel (Romans 11); they don't replace it.
Second, the "truth of Yahweh is everlasting." The Hebrew word is emeth, which means truth, faithfulness, reliability. God is not fickle. His promises are not temporary. What He says, He will do. His Word is the fixed point in a chaotic universe. This is why the salvation of the world is driven by truth, not by flattery or watered-down sentiment. We don't win the nations by diluting the message; we win them by proclaiming the everlasting truth of the God who keeps His promises. The psalm concludes as it began, with a final, explosive command: "Praise Yah!" This is Hallelujah. Having seen the might of His love and the firmness of His truth, what other response could there possibly be?
Key Words
Hesed, "Lovingkindness"
Hesed is one of the most important words in the Old Testament. It is often translated as lovingkindness, mercy, or steadfast love. But it's more than just an emotion; it's a covenantal term. It describes a love that is loyal and faithful, a love that keeps its commitments even when the other party is unfaithful. When the psalmist says God's hesed prevails over us, he is testifying to God's rugged, unbreakable commitment to His people, a commitment that ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
Emeth, "Truth"
The Hebrew word emeth conveys the idea of firmness, stability, and reliability. It is related to the word amen. When we say God's truth is everlasting, we are saying that His character and His promises are the most solid reality in existence. He is the foundation upon which everything else is built. In a world of lies, propaganda, and shifting narratives, the church stands on the emeth of Yahweh, which endures forever. Jesus Christ Himself is the way, the emeth, and the life (John 14:6).
Application
This little psalm is a massive encouragement for the mission of the church. It reminds us that the Great Commission is not a desperate gamble but a guaranteed success. God has commanded all nations to praise Him, and He will bring it to pass. Our task is to be the heralds of this King, to announce His mighty love and His everlasting truth to every tribe and tongue.
Furthermore, it grounds our evangelism in the character of God. We do not go to the nations with a message of self-improvement or a list of moral regulations. We go with a declaration about God: His hesed is great and His emeth endures forever. This is the good news. God, in His covenant faithfulness, sent His Son, Jesus, to be a minister to the Jews to confirm the promises, so that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. Our worship, therefore, is not a retreat from the world but the engine of our engagement with it. As we praise God for His lovingkindness and truth, we are participating in the very activity to which the whole world is being called.