Psalm 117
Psalm 117, Calling All Peoples to Praise the LORD
Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm in the Psalter and the shortest chapter in the Bible, yet it is one of the broadest in scope. In only two verses, it calls all Gentiles and all peoples to praise the LORD, then gives the reason, His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the LORD endures forever.
This psalm is part of the Egyptian Hallel, Psalms 113 to 118, the collection sung in connection with the Passover. Therefore, it is almost certain that Jesus sang this psalm with His disciples on the night He was betrayed and arrested.
Matthew 26:30, “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”
Mark 14:26, “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”
That makes Psalm 117 deeply meaningful. On the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus likely sang a psalm calling all nations and all peoples to praise the LORD. The next day, He would die not for Jews only, but also for Gentiles, gathering to Himself a redeemed people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. The cross would fulfill the promise given to Abraham, that in his seed all families of the earth would be blessed.
Genesis 12:3, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
Psalm 117 is therefore a missionary psalm, a gospel psalm, and a kingdom psalm. It does not teach a false universalism where all men are saved regardless of faith or regardless of Christ. It teaches the true biblical universality of the gospel, that salvation is not limited to Israel alone, but goes out to all nations through the Messiah of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ.
A. The Call to Praise
Psalm 117:1, Gentiles Called to Praise the LORD
Psalm 117:1, “O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.”
The psalm begins with a command, “O praise the LORD.” This is the familiar call to worship, Hallelujah. The command is not directed only to Israel. It is directed to “all ye nations” and “all ye people.” The scope is universal. The LORD is worthy of praise from every nation, tribe, people, and language.
This is remarkable because Israel was the covenant nation chosen by God. The LORD revealed Himself to Israel, gave Israel the law, established covenant promises with Israel, dwelt among Israel, and brought the Messiah through Israel. Yet God’s purpose was never limited to Israel alone. Israel was chosen as the channel through which blessing would come to the nations.
This is why Psalm 117 calls Gentiles to praise the LORD. The Gentiles are not called to praise a vague god of human imagination. They are called to praise Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. This means the nations must come to know the true God through His revelation, His covenant promises, His saving works, and ultimately His Son.
Paul quotes this verse in Romans 15 to show that the inclusion of Gentiles in the worship of God was always part of God’s plan.
Romans 15:8, “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:”
Romans 15:9, “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.”
Romans 15:10, “And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.”
Romans 15:11, “And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and laud him, all ye people.”
Paul’s use of Psalm 117 proves that this psalm is not merely a poetic hope. It is part of the biblical foundation for Gentile inclusion in the blessings of the gospel. Christ came to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and also that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.
This does not erase Israel. It fulfills God’s promise through Israel. The Messiah comes from Israel, salvation is of the Jews, and through Christ the nations are brought to praise the God of Israel.
John 4:22, “Ye worship ye know not what, we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.”
The phrase “all ye nations” shows the largeness of God’s redemptive purpose. God intended Israel to have a missionary heart. The nations were not to be viewed merely as enemies to be despised, but as peoples who needed to know and praise the LORD.
This also reaches forward to the final redeemed multitude in Revelation.
Revelation 5:9, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”
Revelation 5:10, “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.”
Psalm 117 says, “praise him, all ye people.” The command is repeated in parallel form. The repetition confirms certainty and emphasis. All peoples must praise Him. The word points to the tribes, families, and peoples of the earth in their diversity. God’s glory is not diminished by the variety of nations. Rather, the diversity of the redeemed magnifies the greatness of His mercy.
To praise the LORD means more than emotional excitement. It means to declare what is praiseworthy about Him. It means to speak rightly of His character, His works, His mercy, His truth, His salvation, His covenant faithfulness, and His glory. The nations cannot praise a God they do not know. Therefore, this verse carries missionary force. If all nations are commanded to praise the LORD, then His people must proclaim His name among the nations.
Psalm 96:3, “Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.”
Psalm 96:4, “For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised, he is to be feared above all gods.”
This also means that evangelism and missions are not man centered projects. They exist for the glory of God. The goal is not merely that people escape judgment, though that is true and urgent. The goal is that all peoples praise the LORD. The glory of God is the highest reason for the spread of the gospel.
When Jesus likely sang Psalm 117 before the cross, He sang with perfect knowledge that His death would open the way for Gentile salvation. He was going to the cross as the Lamb of God, not only for Israel, but for sinners from every nation.
John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
John 10:16, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”
Psalm 117:1 teaches that the LORD deserves praise from all nations and all peoples. It points to the promise to Abraham, the mission of Israel, the gospel to the Gentiles, the work of Christ, and the final worship of the redeemed from every tribe and tongue.
B. The Reasons for Praise
Psalm 117:2, Praising God for His Mercy and Truth
Psalm 117:2, “For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.”
Verse 2 gives the reason all nations should praise the LORD, “For his merciful kindness is great toward us.” God is not praised merely because He is powerful, though He is. He is not praised merely because He is Creator, though He is. He is praised because His merciful kindness is great.
“Merciful kindness” translates the great covenant word often understood as steadfast love, loyal love, covenant mercy, or lovingkindness. It speaks of God’s faithful love toward His people. This mercy is not weak sentiment. It is strong, covenantal, saving love. The notes point out that the Hebrew carries the idea of strength, might, and prevailing power. God’s mercy is mighty over us. It prevails.
This is the mercy that overcomes sin, Satan, death, and hell. God’s mercy is not barely enough. It is great. It is strong. It is victorious. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
Romans 5:20, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:”
Romans 5:21, “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The phrase “toward us” is important. God’s mercy is not merely an abstract quality. It is directed toward His people. In the original setting, “us” includes Israel, the people who had known God’s covenant faithfulness. But in light of verse 1 and Paul’s use of this psalm in Romans 15, “us” also reaches to the Gentiles brought into gospel blessing through Christ.
The mystery of the gospel is that Jews and Gentiles are brought together in one body through the Messiah. The dividing wall is broken down in Christ.
Ephesians 2:12, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”
Ephesians 2:13, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
Ephesians 2:14, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;”
Ephesians 2:15, “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;”
Ephesians 2:16, “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”
God’s merciful kindness is great toward all who are His, whether Jew or Gentile, because all salvation rests on His mercy. No sinner is saved by works, wisdom, heritage, religious performance, personal holiness, or national identity. Salvation is by grace through faith.
Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God:”
Ephesians 2:9, “Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
This is why Martin Luther saw in Psalm 117 a strong testimony to salvation by faith and not by works. If the Gentiles are called to praise the LORD for His mercy, then their hope rests not in becoming righteous by human effort, but in receiving the mercy of God through faith.
Verse 2 then adds, “and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever.” God is praised not only for mercy, but also for truth. Mercy without truth would be sentimental and unstable. Truth without mercy would leave sinners condemned without hope. In God, mercy and truth are perfectly united.
The truth of the LORD endures forever. His promises do not fail. His covenant does not collapse. His Word does not expire. His gospel does not change. His faithfulness does not weaken over time. The LORD who promised blessing to the nations through Abraham fulfills that promise in Christ and preserves it forever.
Psalm 100:5, “For the LORD is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all generations.”
Psalm 119:89, “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
The union of mercy and truth is perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ.
John 1:17, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
When Jesus sang Psalm 117, He was moving toward the cross where mercy and truth would meet in the fullest way. God’s truth required judgment against sin. God’s mercy provided the Substitute. Christ bore the penalty due to sinners so that God could be just and the justifier of those who believe in Jesus.
Romans 3:24, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”
Romans 3:25, “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”
Romans 3:26, “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
Psalm 117 ends as it began, “Praise ye the LORD.” The shortest psalm begins and ends with Hallelujah. The call is simple, but the theology is massive. All nations must praise the LORD because His mercy is mighty and His truth endures forever.
This psalm also teaches that true praise is not measured by length. A short psalm may contain deep doctrine, broad mission, covenant theology, gospel promise, and eternal worship. Few words are enough when they are filled with truth.
Psalm 117 teaches that the LORD’s praise belongs not only to Israel, but to all nations and all peoples. It points back to the Abrahamic promise, forward to Gentile inclusion in the gospel, and ultimately to the worship of the redeemed from every tribe and tongue. The reason for praise is that God’s merciful kindness is great toward us and His truth endures forever. In Christ, mercy and truth meet perfectly, and by His cross the call to praise goes out to the nations.
