Psalm 117 comments, Praise ye the LORD

 

Psalm 117:1 ¶  O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. 2  For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

 

This simple and short Psalm of praise, praising God’s merciful kindness and the eternal nature of His truths is a command to all the nations of the earth. Nations in the Biblical context are not modern-day nation states, a political concept that came about particularly in the last 500 years or so. Nations in the Bible are ethnic groups and peoples, usually referring to the Gentile nations or kingdoms around Israel but it can easily be applied to our modern concept of a country.

 

We, as Christians, should celebrate God’s merciful kindness toward us as this Psalmist celebrates God’s merciful kindness to Israel.

 

Psalm 66:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm.» Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: 2  Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. 3  Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. 4  All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.

 

Psalm 67:3  Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

 

Psalm 86:9  All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

 

To balance this thought out let us consider the following verse as well.

 

Psalm 9:17  The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

 

Let us also consider Benjamin Franklin’s speech to a deadlocked Constitutional Convention in 1787 at the founding of our republic;

 

“I've lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing Proofs I see of this Truth — That God governs in the Affairs of Men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that except the Lord build the House they labor in vain who build it. I firmly believe this, — and I also believe that without his concurring Aid, we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our Projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a Reproach and Bye word down to future Ages.”

 

God has not only been merciful and kind to us but His truth will last for eternity.

 

Psalm 85:10  Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

 

Psalm 89:1 ¶  «Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.» I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

 

Let’s bring it down to our level, for an individual application. All the peoples of the earth should be praising God. Today, consider the good things God has placed in your life. When things are rough it can be hard to think of those good things but they are there. We should be praising God continually for His mercy, not only in our salvation but in our daily and moment by moment lives on earth. Praise Him!