1 Praise the LORD, all you
Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!
Psalm 117 has the unique
distinction of being the shortest chapter in the Bible along with being
consider by many as the middle chapter of the Bible. Actually, because there
are an even number of chapters in the Bible, Psalm 118 is also a “middle
chapter”. Remember we said earlier that
Psalms 113 to 118 are the “Hallel” Psalms, all written by anonymous psalmists
probably after the return of the remnant from the Babylonian captivity. They
were to be used as part of the Passover celebration being sung or read before
and after the Passover meal.
Psalm 117 is considered a Messianic
Psalm. It is quoted by Paul in the New Testament in connection with the work of
Christ. It includes a Passover invitation from Israel to the Gentiles, to come
and join them in their Passover. We should hasten to join them, but only we
will join them on the ground not of a foretelling Passover but of a fulfilled
Passover.
Psalm 117 could also be
considered a Millennial Psalm. It looks forward to the day when Jesus will
reign from the throne of David in Jerusalem and when Israel will be regathered
to the promised land, dwelling in peace and security as head of the nations,
and they will invite all peoples to come to Jerusalem and join in their annual
feasts of thanksgiving.
Finally Psalm 117 is a
Missionary Psalm. Israel belongs to the nations. It was never God's plan that
the Hebrew people should exclusively and selfishly keep their blessings to
themselves. Even in their punishment and dispersal among the nations, they are
a universal reminder to all that God is sovereign in human affairs: That Jewish
dispersal gave wings to the gospel.
The Jews had already spread
the concept of the one true God to all nations by the time of Christ. In their
law and through their prophets, the world saw evidence of their access to
higher truth. When the gospel evangelists went from city to city they always
made straight for the synagogue. It was the God-fearers among the Gentiles,
attracted by what they heard, who first embraced the gospel among the nations.
The "Gentiles," are
all people who are not of Semitic origin. The Hebrew word translated
"peoples" refers to the diverse nationalities in the world (Rev.
7:9). You find the phrases "all the earth" and "all
peoples" frequently in the book of Psalms (47:1; 66:1; 96:1; 98:4, 7;
100:1). The Jewish people were supposed to be separated from the Gentiles but
not isolated from them, for God called Abraham to found a nation that would
bring blessing to all the earth (Gen. 12:1-3; Rom. 4:17-18; Gal. 3:8). However,
Israel failed and became guilty of imitating the Gentiles instead of
illuminating the Gentiles with the light of God's truth (Isa. 42:6; 49:6).
Jesus said, "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22; Luke 2:32),
for God chose the Jewish people to give the world the knowledge of the true
God, the Scriptures, and the Savior.
The church today needs to
carry the light of the Gospel to the whole world (Acts 13:47). Paul quoted this
verse in Romans 15:11 as part of his explanation of the relationship of the
church to Israel. The apostles and other early Jewish Christians praised the
Lord among both Jews and Gentiles (Rom. 15:9) as recorded in the book of Acts.
Through this expanding witness, many Gentiles trusted Christ and praised God
with the Jewish believers (Rom. 15:10), for believing Jews and Gentiles were
one body in Christ (Eph. 2:11-22).
If we are a worshiping people,
praising the Lord, then we will be a witnessing people, telling others how
wonderful He is. Like the lepers outside the gates of Samaria, believers today
must confess, "We are not doing right. This is a day of good news, but
we are keeping silent" (2 Kings 7:9). May we imitate the apostles who
said, "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and
heard" (Acts 4:20).
God bless!
