Psalm 117

Psalm 117 belongs to Book Five of the Psalms (Psalms 107–150). It is one of Psalms 113–118, which Jewish tradition groups together as the "Hallel." It follows Psalm 116, in which the psalmist sings of paying his vows of thanksgiving, and it is frequently described as the shortest chapter in the entire Bible.

Structure

• Verse 1 calls all nations and all peoples to praise and laud the LORD.
• Verse 2 gives the reason for praise: the LORD's merciful kindness toward us is great, and His truth endures forever. The psalm closes with "Hallelujah" ("Praise ye the LORD").

Key Verses

• Psalm 117:1 "O praise the LORD, all ye nations": The psalm summons not only Israel but all the peoples of the world to praise.
• Psalm 117:2 "For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever": This verse sums up God's steadfast love (hesed) and faithfulness as the grounds for praise.

People and Places

No specific people or places are mentioned. The psalm addresses "all ye nations" and "all ye people," that is, the whole world, including peoples outside Israel. The one praised is the LORD.

Points for Reflection

• Because the psalm has no superscription, its author and date of composition cannot be determined from the text.
• In Jewish tradition, the Hallel psalms are sung at festivals such as Passover. Many interpreters connect these Hallel psalms with the account that after the Last Supper Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives (Mark 14:26). The Gospel text, however, does not identify which psalms were sung.
• The apostle Paul quotes verse 1 of this psalm in Romans 15:11 as support for the point that the Gentiles also will come to praise God. For this reason, Christians have read the psalm in connection with the gospel's reach to all nations.
• "Merciful kindness" and "truth" frequently appear as a pair in the Old Testament to describe God's character (see Exodus 34:6).