What does Psalm 117:1 mean?
ESV: Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!
NIV: Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.
NASB: Praise the Lord, all nations; Sing His praises, all peoples!
CSB: Praise the Lord, all nations! Glorify him, all peoples!
NLT: Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth.
KJV: O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
NKJV: Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!
Verse Commentary:
The psalmist calls upon all the Gentiles to praise the Lord. This expression uses the term goyim, literally meaning "nations." This is the common Old Testament reference to all of the kingdoms of the world outside of Israel. The verse also mentions the ummah, a general reference to ethnicities or people groups. This summons for worship is meant for the entire world.
This pattern of calling on all people, other than just Israel, is a common theme of the Bible (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 45:22; Luke 2:10). This verse is quoted in Romans 15:11. John's vision of the end times shows a massive group of people, of every nationality and language, praising God in eternity (Revelation 7:9).
The opening phrase, often translated "praise the Lord," is not one of this segment's many uses of the expression halelu-jāh. Instead, this verse uses halelu' et YHWH. This is a fully expressed call to praise the Lord God, using the personal name He spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:15). The end of this psalm (Psalm 117:2) uses the shorter version which is the source of the English expression "hallelujah."
Verse Context:
Psalm 117:1–2 is the entire psalm, which is only seventeen Hebrew words in length. All nations and people are called to recognize the Lord's loyal love and eternal truth. This includes the term often translated as "hallelujah."
Chapter Summary:
The anonymous writer of Psalm 117 summons the entire world, including the Gentile nations, to praise the Lord. This extends to every nation and all people groups (Revelation 7:9). The world should recognize God's loyal and faithful love and His eternal truth. The psalm ends with a Hebrew phrase which literally means "praise the Lord!" and is the source of the term "hallelujah."
Chapter Context:
Chapter divisions were not original to Scripture, and each psalm is more an independent work than a true "chapter" of a larger book. Yet by traditional divisions and order, there are 594 chapters both before and after Psalm 117, making it the "middle" of the Bible. This is also considered the shortest chapter of the Bible. This song includes just seventeen Hebrew words. Yet among those are some of the most impactful terms used in Scripture.
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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