ON THE VANGUARD

PSALM 117
“Praise Adonai, all you nations! Worship him, all you peoples! For his grace has overcome us, and Adonai’s truth continues forever.”
Psalm 117:1-2

So if Psalm 119 is the longest chapter with 176 verses, then what is the shortest Psalm? If you said Psalm 117, then you are correct. This chapter has only two verses, and honestly I think gets overlooked or read through too quickly and without us even taking in the truth of what is being said. So if you don’t mind, I would like us to land ourselves in this chapter today and dig a little in these two verses to see what David is singing about concerning his lord, Adonai.
In the first verse David sings, “Praise Adonai, all you nations! Worship him, all you peoples!” This seems pretty straight forward. But you know me, I like to look the text up in the original language and see what nuggets can be gleamed that might have been missed when converted to English. So then, I first looked up ‘praise’. In the Hebrew language there are seven different words that English translates as praise. Each one has a different meaning or involves a different way of praising, be it raising our hands, dancing, or shouting. Here in Psalm 117:1, ‘praise’ is the Hebrew word HALAL, meaning to boastfully make known God’s glory. In context it can be thought of as a completely dark room and the sudden turning on of the light. That suddenness, or boasting of the light in the darkness is that same Halal that David is giving unto God. Everything is still and calm until BAM! “HALAL ADONAI, all you nations! Worship him, all you peoples!”
Now let us take a look at ‘worship’ in the context of this verse. The term ‘worship’ is another of the seven words for praise. This one is the Hebrew word SHABACH. Shabach means to shout and give the Lord the praise before the answer has even been received. When I think of this term of praise I automatically think of Joshua and the battle at Jericho. The army marched around the walled fortress seven times that final day and then raised their voices in a loud shout. They shouted because they were instructed to by Adonai. They shouted because He was bringing about their answer, their victory. We then too should praise Adonai in the form of Shabach for the victory that is coming to us. SHABACH and praise Him for the answers coming, all you peoples!”
Ending not with an afterthought, but rather with a declaration, David continues, “For his grace has overcome us, and Adonai’s truth continues forever.” His ‘grace’ is His CHECED, or more so known as His loving kindness and constant faithfulness. The Checed of Adonai is so strong that it has not only prevailed over us, but has become our strength in allowing us to prevail over our enemies. Additionally, His truth, or ‘EMETH continues forever. His ‘truth’ in this Hebrew term is defined as firmness, faithfulness, reliability, and testament. Is this not a true statement? In Revelation the believers overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. Here we see the same in relation to Adonai. It is His testament in how He loves us that shows constant faithfulness and reliability to us. We have Him to stand under because He will never fail us nor change His character.
Why should we not praise Adonai? Why should we not even now boast about Adonai and begin to give Him praise for who He is, has done, and will still do? His loving kindness has overcome us in deliverance and in strength. His truth cannot be compromised. Praise Him all you peoples! Praise Him all you nations! Praise Him!