Twenty-nine words; that’s the entirety of Psalm 117. Frankly, it’s so short and so like other psalms that we might brush past it without contemplating what the words ask of us and the claim they make.
“Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord” (verses 1,2).
What if we ask the Holy Spirit to help us let this psalm sink in? What comes up if we quiet our minds and focus on it?
“Praise the Lord … extol him … for great is his love toward us.” Where does God’s great love show itself in your life? What blessings can you picture? What small miracles of life have you witnessed this week?
Perhaps it’s helpful to jot down a list—something tangible and visible to help you remember.
“Praise the Lord … extol him. … The faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.” How is God’s faithfulness obvious to you? Are you perhaps struggling to name ways in which God’s faithfulness leaves footprints in your life?
This psalm invites us to join with all God’s people to praise him. If this seems impossible in your current circumstance, that’s okay. God is with you in the struggle as well as in times of praise. Cling to God with your questions, and ask the Holy Spirit to bring glimmers of understanding and trust to still your soul.
