Bible Strands
Psalms 117:1
Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples!
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist issues a direct imperative to every ethnic group to worship. This occurs within a two-verse psalm that immediately grounds the command in God's covenant loyalty and enduring faithfulness.
The words — הַלְּלוּ (hal·le·lu) literally means "praise" or "give praise," functioning as a plural imperative. שַׁבְּחוּ (shab·khu) means "extol" or "praise highly," reinforcing the command to publicly magnify Yahweh.
The thread — This universal summons appears in Psalms 67:3, Romans 15:11, and Revelation 15:4, where Gentiles and all peoples are similarly called to worship. The pattern consistently links global praise to God's revealed character and actions.
Why it lands — The text explicitly commands all nations and peoples to praise Yahweh before stating His steadfast love as the reason. A reader must acknowledge that worship is directed to every ethnic group without exception, not as a suggestion but as a required response.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
Cross-references
- Revelation 15:4 Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”
- Psalms 67:3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.
- Romans 15:11 And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and extol Him, all you peoples.”
- Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
- Psalms 66:1 For the choirmaster. A song. A Psalm. Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth!
- Psalms 86:9 All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.
- Psalms 66:4 All the earth bows down to You; they sing praise to You; they sing praise to Your name.” Selah
- Psalms 148:11 kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth,
- Revelation 7:9 After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
- Psalms 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Hallelujah!