Psalm 117: All Nations Called to Praise the Lord

117:1 Praise the Lord, all you nations! Applaud him, all you foreigners! 117:2 For his loyal love towers over us, and the Lord’s faithfulness endures. Praise the Lord! Psalm 118

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

This short psalm calls all nations and peoples to praise the Lord because his steadfast love is great over his people and his faithfulness endures forever. It is a brief call to worship grounded in God’s covenant mercy.

Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm, but it has a clear message. It begins and ends with praise. In the middle, it gives the reason for praise: the Lord’s loyal love is strong over his people, and his faithfulness lasts forever.

The psalm first calls on all nations and all peoples to praise the Lord. This shows that Israel’s God is not only for Israel in a narrow sense. His mercy toward his covenant people is meant to be seen, and his praise is meant to spread beyond Israel.

The psalm does not tell a story. It gives a command and a reason. Worship is not based on changing feelings or circumstances. It rests on who God is and on what he has done in faithfulness to his people.

• The Lord is worthy of praise from all nations and peoples.
• God’s steadfast love is great over his people.
• The Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.
• Worship is grounded in God’s character.
• Israel’s covenant mercy becomes a witness to the nations.

• Command: Praise the Lord.
• Command: Let all nations and all peoples praise him.
• Promise/Truth: The Lord’s steadfast love is great over us.
• Promise/Truth: The Lord’s faithfulness endures forever.
• Warning: Do not treat God as a tribal deity or reduce this psalm to private spirituality.

Psalm 117 fits Israel’s worship under the covenant and points outward to the nations. It assumes the Lord has shown covenant love to his people, and it calls the nations to recognize that. In the wider Bible, this fits the hope that the nations will join in praising the Lord. The New Testament later cites this psalm in connection with the Messiah’s saving work and the inclusion of the Gentiles in praise.

Believers should praise God because his character does not change. His love is steadfast, and his faithfulness continues. This psalm also encourages believers to think beyond themselves and desire that the nations know and praise the Lord. It warns against making worship small or private when God’s mercy is greater than one people or one place.

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