Psa 117:1 O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. Psa 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm and chapter in the Bible. Still, this little psalm contains a great message: Praise the LORD. It summons all people of the earth to worship the God of Israel. Its messages are: 1. The Call to Praise the LORD (v.1). 2. The Reasons to Praise the LORD (v.2). Praising the LORD is certainly something all people should do. Christians should not need to be reminded constantly to praise God. Sadly, many of God’s people are not praising Him enough. But what exactly does it mean to praise God? The word praise has the meanings of, to exalt, glorify, honour, revere, magnify, confess and giving thanks. The Hebrew word used in this psalm is halal (the root of hallelujah). BDB Hebrew Dictionary defines it as: “to praise, boast, be boastful” (e-sword). Normally, we associate the word “boast” with self-glory. We also praise people who are worthy of praise. What do we do when we praise someone? We talk about his good points; we speak well of him. In essence, we are boasting about him. How much more should we boast about our heavenly Father who has given us life, abundant blessings, and the opportunity to spend eternity with Him! Praise starts with a right understanding of God based on God’s own Word. In this psalm, the Psalmist remembers the lovingkindness and faithfulness of God and boasts of them to the world. He wants the world to know that his God is loving, kind, and faithful to His promises. When we pray, giving thanks to God for His blessings, we are broadcasting His lovingkindness to the world, especially to the unbelievers who are present in the assembly. Also, when we pray, thanking God for the salvation and eternal life, we are broadcasting His faithfulness to the world that He will keep His promise to bring us home to be with Him forever: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). Our praise for God helps make Him known among the nations. When we praise God for all the good things that He has rendered upon us, we are showing His character. God is glorified when Christians are praising Him through their prayers, songs, preaching, worship, and life. We praise the Lord because He is worthy of all our praise. All people of this earth should see that God is worthy of praise, based on who He is, as told by His followers. Praising the Lord is not a one-time event or to be done only during the Sunday assembly, but continually. The Psalmist says God is to be praised from everlasting to everlasting: “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen” (Psalm 41:13). In times of crisis, it can be very difficult to give God praise. However, when we fall into despair, it is by praising God, remembering His lovingkindness and faithfulness, that we can get back up again. Praise is an act of faith. Our faith either breaks or is strengthened in times of crisis. When we are in the storms of life, let us take hope in God’s mercy. He has promised to help us: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Let us instead increase our praises to Him. He hears our praise; He is merciful and faithful.