Psalms 117:2

For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD. FOR HIS MERCIFUL KINDNESS IS GREAT TOWARD US: AND THE TRUTH OF THE LORD ENDURETH FOREVER - the two attributes mentioned by Paul in Romans 15:8 as those which Jesus Christ came to manifest, so that the Gentiles might "rejoice with His people," the Jews, because of the universal blessing through the latter. 'Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God (His faithfulness to His word) to confirm the promises made unto the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.'...

The_truth _of God, in this passage, is properly introduced as an attestation of his grace. For he can be true even when he menaces the whole world with perdition and ruin. The prophet, however, has placed his _mercy _first in order that his faithfulness and truth, comprising an assurance of his paternal kindness, might encourage the hearts of the godly. His power and justice are equally praiseworthy; but as men will never cordially praise God until they are drawn by a foretaste of his goodness, the prophet very justly selects God’s mercy and truth, which alone open the mouths of those who are mute to engage in this exercise. When his truth is said to be _everlasting, _it is not set in opposition to his mercy, as if it, after flourishing for a season, then instantly passed away. The same reason would go to prove, that it was small compared with his mercy, which is said to be abundant. The...

Verse Psalms 117:2. _FOR HIS MERCIFUL KINDNESS IS GREAT_] גבר _gabar_, is _strong_: it is not only _great_ in _bulk_ or _number_, but it is _powerful_; it _prevails_ over _sin, Satan, death_, and _hell_. _AND THE TRUTH OF THE LORD_ ENDURETH _FOR EVER._] Whatsoever he has _promised_, that he will most infallibly _fulfill_. He has promised to _send his Son into the world_, and thus he _has done_. He his promised that he should _die for transgressors_, and this he _did_. He has promised to _receive all who come unto him_ through Christ Jesus, and this he invariably _does_. He has promised that his _Gospel shall be preached in every nation_, and this he _is doing_; the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever. Therefore, _Praise ye the_ _Lord_

FOR HIS MERCIFUL KINDNESS IS GREAT TOWARD US - His kindness; his compassion; his love. All nations - all people - may say this, and therefore the psalm is adapted to universal praise. Especially may this be said in view of the love of God to mankind in the gift of a Saviour - a Saviour not for any one people especially or exclusively, but for the world, John 3:16. AND THE TRUTH OF THE LORD ENDURETH FOR EVER - All that God has said: his declarations; his promises; his assurances of mercy. They are the same in all lands where they are made known, and they are the same in all ages of the world. Truth is a representation of things as they are; and truth, therefore, must be ever the same. What was true in the first ages of the world in regard to the relation of the sum of the squares on the two sides of a right-angled triangle to

EXPOSITION IT has been doubted whether this exceedingly short psalm can ever have been in tended for a separate composition, and was not rather written as a conclusion to Psalms 116:1. or an introduction to Psalms 118:1. In Hebrew manuscripts it is often attached to one or other of these two psalms; but in the versions and in the best manuscripts it is always separate. The writer calls upon all the nations of the earth to laud and praise Jehovah, on the ground of his great mercy and faithfulness to Israel. The solidarity of the rest of mankind with Israel is assumed (comp. Psalms 47:1; Psalms 66:1,...

FOR HIS MERCIFUL KINDNESS IS GREAT TOWARDS US,.... Not us Israelites only, of whom David was, but Gentiles also; or otherwise there would be no force in the reason why all people and nations should praise the Lord: but it respects the time when these should become one people, partaking of the same grace, blessings, promises, and privileges; in which the grace, mercy, and lovingkindness of God, greatly appeared; "it prevailed over us" p, as it may be rendered: the word is used of the prevailing of the waters of the flood over the earth, Genesis 7:18; and so may denote the exuberance of the grace of God, of the abounding and superabounding of it. There is an abundance of it in the heart of God, in his covenant, and in his Son; and which is displayed in redemption by him; in the forgiveness of sin; and in the conversion of sinners, and their everlasting salvation: particularly there has bee...

Psalms 117 This is the shortest Psalm. All the earth, all the nations, are now called upon to praise, because His merciful kindness has been great towards His people Israel. And their blessing means the blessing of the world. See the significant and interesting verse in Deuteronomy 32:43, the last note of Moses' prophetic song. Hallelujah....

CXVII. All nations are invited to worship Yahweh, who has revealed His power and faithfulness to Israel. The Ps. is Messianic in the general sense that it contemplates the union of all nations in the sole worship of the one and only God. On account of its brevity, but with no solid reason, many MSS combine this with the preceding or following Ps....

MERCIFUL KINDNESS. lovingkindness, or grace. IS GREAT TOWARD. overcame, or prevailed over. Compare Psalms 103:11. PRAISE YE THE LORD. Hebrew Hallelu-Jah. App-4....

DISCOURSE: 693 THE GENTILES CALLED TO PRAISE GOD Psalms 117. _O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord._ THIS is the shortest of all the Psalms: but it is by no means the least interesting: the energy with which it is expressed abundantly marks the importance of the truths contained in it, and the feelings with which it should be read by us. The same sentiments are doubtless contained in many other psalms: but to a mind that is rightly disposed, they are ever new: they need no embellishment to adorn them, no eloquence to set them forth: if any man can hear or reflect upon them without emotion, the fault is in himself alone. Let us consider the psalm, I. In a general view— Here is a call to the whole world to praise and adore their God. T