Psalm 117

What’s Happening?

Psalms 113 through 117 are known as Hallel Psalms, because of how regularly they say, “Hallelujah!” These psalms were traditionally sung by Israel during the Passover feast every year. During Passover, Israel remembered how God freed them from slavery and oppression. And in this shortest of psalms, the good news of Israel’s Passover goes global (Psalm 117:1). The love and faithfulness Israel experienced and sings about become the experience and praise of every nation in the world.

The Passover that saved Israel was a microcosm of God saving the world. When Israel left Egypt, it was a multinational crowd that experienced God’s love and rescue and who together became his people. Here God showed his faithfulness to Abraham. Long ago, he promised Abraham that his offspring would be enslaved in Egypt, but that he would rescue them (Genesis 15:13-14). He also promised Abraham that his offspring would conquer his enemies, and through him, all nations of the world would be blessed (Genesis 22:17-18). So through the first Passover, Israel celebrated that God freed them from slavery, because God was faithful to his promise to Abraham. This means hope for the nations that are still under the oppression of slavery to demons and idols. The God whose power overcame the Egyptian gods is the God whose great love saved those oppressed by them.

So Psalm 117 resounds with good news to the nations. God’s love and faithfulness will not fail to bless the entire world, so all nations can claim God as their God and praise him for his love for them (Psalm 117:2). If God was faithful to save Abraham’s children from Egyptian powers, he will be faithful to bless the nations through his offspring who would conquer the enemies oppressing the nations. Psalm 117 celebrates that a Passover for Israel means that a Passover is coming for the whole world.

Where is the Gospel?

The offspring God promised to Abraham, who would conquer his enemies and free the nations from oppression, comes in Jesus.

Jesus came to free not only one nation but the entire world from the powers of death and evil that oppress them. In Jesus, the Passover of the world is accomplished (1 Corinthians 5:7). In his death and resurrection, he conquered the demonic powers that laid claim to the nations. In disarming death, the greatest enemy, Jesus brought a Passover out of the grave. This is the message that spread from Israel to the nations. The apostle Paul boldly quotes this psalm when he tells the Christians in Rome that Jesus has joined Israel and the nations in this new Passover (Romans 15:8-11). This is why Jesus came to the children of Abraham, to be the offspring who would claim the nations as his people. In Jesus, God’s love and faithfulness have reached the farthest corners and deepest depths of the world. 

Ultimately, the Hallelujah of the nations’ Passover will reach every corner of the world. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John sees every nation and people praising Jesus (Revelation 7:9). When Jesus returns to remove all demonic enemies and oppression, the whole world will erupt with “Hallelujah” to Jesus, the true God of all nations (Revelation 19:1-8).

See for Yourself

I pray that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes to see the God whose love and faithfulness bless the nations. And may you see Jesus as the one who brings a greater Passover that frees all nations from oppression and joins them together in new songs of praise.