All Peoples Praising the Lord – Psalm 117

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him all you peoples!” Psalm 117:1

This short psalm contains a powerful Gospel message. The apostle Paul helps us understand it in Romans 15:11, where he quotes it as proof that the Gospel was intended not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. This truth offended many Jews, yet they had often sung these very words: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and laud him, all you people.” [1]

Some Jewish writers believed this psalm referred to Messiah’s kingdom. One suggested that its two verses represent two groups of people who would glorify God—the Jews and the Gentiles. Yet together they would become one church, just as these two verses form one psalm. [2]

For many centuries, God’s Name was known and praised mainly in Judah. The people of Israel worshiped the true God, while the surrounding nations worshiped idols made of wood and stone. The Gentiles were not invited to worship with Israel unless they first became Jews through circumcision. [3]

Psalm 117 looks forward to something greater. It calls all nations to praise the Lord. This could not have been completely fulfilled during Old Testament times because the Gentile nations had not yet received God’s message in a way they could understand it. [4]

With the coming of Christ, everything changed. The Gospel was commanded to be preached to every nation. Through Christ, the barrier between Jew and Gentile was removed. Those who had once been far from God were brought near. In Ephesians 3:3, 6, God confirms that these events fulfilled His plan that the Gentiles would become fellow heirs with His people. [5]

Notice that everyone is invited into God’s church. The invitation is extended to all nations and all peoples. The same nations that once opposed Christ in Psalms 2:1 are now invited to become His willing followers. In Mark 16:15, Jesus commanded that the Gospel be preached to all people, and people from every nation are responding and becoming His disciples. [6]

Our heavenly Father’s welcome is magnified by His repeated call to praise the Lord. He invites both Jews and Gentiles to come before Him. In the Gospel, we learn that our Abba Father so loved the world that He gave His beloved Son for us, so that whosoever among us believes in Him would not perish but HAVE everlasting life. Thus, we have good reason to come together as one people and praise the Lord.

Those whom God calls by His Word and transforms by His Spirit are greatly blessed. He makes them a people who bring Him honor and praise. This beautiful picture is fulfilled in Revelation 7:9–10 where people from every nation are worshiping before our Abba Father’s throne. [7]

“For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 117:2

We, Jew and Gentile, believers in Christ should glorify God together because He has been merciful and kind to us.

God’s mercy is ample enough to forgive all our sins. In Romans 5:20, the Word of the Lord says, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”

The spread of the Gospel to people that were so unlike God demonstrated His desire to include them in His eternal kingdom. Some missionaries were martyred for their witness in foreign lands. Others lost spouses and children due to accidents and severe illnesses. God gave up His beloveds to save the souls of idolators.

Praise the Lord because His truth endures forever. In the past, powerful people have made numerous efforts to silence God by confiscating Bibles and killing preachers, but failed. The Word of the Lord continues to spread throughout the earth.

In 2 Timothy 2:8-9, the apostle Paul wrote, “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my Gospel, which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the Word of God is not chained.” Paul was glad to report that though authorities had him tied down, God’s Word was flowing freely.

The ceaseless flow of God’s Word to the nations demonstrates the reality that God spoke of in Psalm 147:15: “He sends His command to the earth. His Word runs swiftly.”

In 2 Thessalonians 3:1, the Scripture teaches us to be zealous for the swift flow of God’s Word to the nations and that God would receive all the glory: “Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you.”

Paul’s testimony reminds me of the testimony of Pastor Samuel Lamb in Guangzhou, China. He was imprisoned by authorities for 20 years for preaching the Gospel. However, while he was in prison, the Word of the Lord continued to spread rapidly through the efforts of his church’s members. The Word of the Lord ran very swiftly while he was in prison.

In Jeremiah 1:12, the Lord said to Jeremiah, “I am watching to see that My Word is fulfilled.”

Praise God, we do not have to fret or worry about God’s truth reaching the nations. Every day God is working in numerous ways to reach people. Jesus still walks about our highways and byways sharing good news with the least, the last and the lost. He does this by His Spirit through us who love Him. I am so glad that He welcomes us to join with Him in spreading His good news to all people everywhere. Glory to God!


[1-7] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary