Psalm Chapter 117 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
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.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 117:1
Verse: הַלְלוּ אֶת-יְהוָה כָּל-גּוֹיִם
Transliteration: Hallelu et-Adonai kol-goyim
English: “Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol Him, all peoples!”
Focus Word: גּוֹי (Goy)
- Root: ג-ו-י (Gimel-Vav-Yod)
- Meaning: “Nation,” “people,” “ethnic group.”
- Deeper Insight: Goy emphasizes inclusion of all peoples in praising God, highlighting His universal sovereignty.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| הַלְלוּ — hallelu | Verse 1 — “Praise the LORD…” | “Praise,” exalt. | Hallelu (“praise”) commands joyful exaltation of God. It signals universal worship. The imperative sets a global tone. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon |
| כָּל־גּוֹיִם — kol goyim | Verse 1 — “…all nations…” | “Nations,” peoples. | Kol goyim (“all nations”) stresses universality of God’s reach. It includes every ethnic group. The phrase reveals God’s global purpose. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms |
| שַׁבְּחוּ — shabbechu | Verse 1 — “…extol Him…” | “To commend,” praise highly. | Shabbechu (“to extol”) signifies enthusiastic commendation. It elevates praise beyond mere acknowledgment. The word intensifies the Psalm’s call. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
| כִּי — ki | Verse 2 — “For His mercy…” | “Because,” explanatory. | Ki (“because”) gives the ground for universal praise. It connects theology with worship. The term provides logical structure. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon |
| חֶסֶד — chesed | Verse 2 — “…His mercy is great…” | “Lovingkindness,” covenant love. | Chesed (“covenant love”) describes steadfast loyalty rooted in God’s character. It expresses committed affection toward His people. The term is central to the Hebrew Bible’s theology. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| גָּבַר — gavar | Verse 2 — “…has prevailed…” | “To prevail,” be mighty. | Gavar (“to prevail”) conveys overwhelming strength. It signifies love triumphing over human frailty. The verb magnifies divine mercy. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| אֱמֶת — emet | Verse 2 — “…the truth of the LORD…” | “Truth,” faithfulness. | Emet (“truth/faithfulness”) expresses reliability and constancy. It contrasts human inconsistency with divine steadfastness. The term reinforces trust in God. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| עוֹלָם — olam | Verse 2 — “…endures forever.” | “Everlasting,” perpetual. | Olam (“forever”) emphasizes God’s unchanging nature in time. It portrays endless continuity. The word grounds worship in divine permanence. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| הַלְלוּ־יָהּ — hallelu-Yah | Verse 2 — “Praise the LORD.” | “Praise Yahweh,” exalt God. | Hallelu-Yah (“praise Yah”) forms a climactic call to worship. It closes the Psalm with celebratory triumph. The phrase frames the global invitation. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
| שֵׁם — shem | Implied theme | “Name,” reputation. | Shem (“name”) represents God’s revealed character. It highlights the basis for praise. The term unifies the Psalm’s declarations. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 117 |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Scott (University of Edinburgh, 1747–1821) | Commentary on the Holy Bible | Scott notes the universality of God’s steadfast love, calling all nations to join in praise. |
| John Owen (University of Oxford, 1616–1683) | A Commentary on the Psalms | Owen emphasizes that acknowledgment of God’s mercy transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. |
| George Buchanan (St Andrews / Paris, 1506–1582) | Commentaries on the Psalms | Buchanan interprets the Psalm as a concise celebration of divine faithfulness and human response. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751) | Family Expositor | The Psalm encourages believers to actively share God’s love through praise and proclamation. |
| John Brown (Edinburgh, 1722–1787) | Self-Interpreting Bible | Brown highlights that the call to worship is universal, reflecting God’s inclusive covenant. |
PRAISE THE LORD
Thought for the day: Make it a daily habit to praise the Lord.
Message:
One thing that seems difficult for people to do in this generation is: praise the Lord. We are good in prayer points but not good in praising points. God is happy when His people realize what He has done and Who He is and so praise Him.
I heard a story of a man that saw a revelation of heaven. He was taken to several rooms and saw angels busy with letters from the earth. In the room of healing, angels were busy attending to requests. In the room of financial liberation, angels were busy attending to requests. There were many other rooms, but when he got to the room of thanksgiving, the angels were not doing anything. He now asked the angel that was taking him around the name of the room and why the angels were not working.
The Angel said, "The room is the thanksgiving room. People prefer to send prayer requests to heaven rather than praise God."
Whether the story above is true or not, we have lessons to learn from our Scripture today. We must learn to praise God not because of what He has done but because He is God. We have the story of ten lepers in the scripture.
Luke 17:12-19 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Ten were healed but one thought of giving God praise. Praise should be an everyday thing.
Don’t wait until you are pushed to do it; praise God always.
When praise becomes your habit, it will be easy for you to praise Him. Count your blessings daily and keep praising Him.
My Counsel
Ø Never allow your situation to stop you from praising God
Ø Choose any day of the week as your praise day.
Declaration
Father thank you for all you have done for me, I bring you the offering of praise in Jesus' name.
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 117 |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Scott (University of Edinburgh, 1747–1821) | Commentary on the Holy Bible | Scott notes the universality of God’s steadfast love, calling all nations to join in praise. |
| John Owen (University of Oxford, 1616–1683) | A Commentary on the Psalms | Owen emphasizes that acknowledgment of God’s mercy transcends cultural and geographical boundaries. |
| George Buchanan (St Andrews / Paris, 1506–1582) | Commentaries on the Psalms | Buchanan interprets the Psalm as a concise celebration of divine faithfulness and human response. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751) | Family Expositor | The Psalm encourages believers to actively share God’s love through praise and proclamation. |
| John Brown (Edinburgh, 1722–1787) | Self-Interpreting Bible | Brown highlights that the call to worship is universal, reflecting God’s inclusive covenant. |
