Once again “mercy and truth have met together” (Ps 85:10). Mercy makes us promises; truth keeps them.
Just about at the middle of our Bible, we have the shortest psalm. Psalm 117 has just two verses, composed of 17 words in Hebrew, unless “Praise the Lord!” is left as “Hallelujah!” But what a glorious subject! Two ideas are presented: the Occupation of Heaven (v 1) and the Occupant to be praised (v 2). The psalmist sends out the word—One Person alone deserves to be worshipped by all. “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!” (v 1). He anticipates the day when, as John saw it, “a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, [were] standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev 7:9). This sweeps us forward to the grand crescendo of history when, “every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!’” (5:13). The psalmist uses two different words to describe our unending privilege. “Praise the Lord” and “Laud Him.” The first word (Heb, hâlal) occurs 165 times in the Old Testament, including in the form “Hallelujah!” It is based on a root meaning “to be clear,” then “to boast,” “to shine,” or “to celebrate.” The second word (šâbah), is much rarer and is also sometimes translated as “praise.” It carries the ideas of “declaring loudly,” or “to triumph.” I like to link these ideas as the ultimate sound and light show! We have never imagined such glory, such radiance, such a dazzling spectacle of perfection. And, says the psalmist, we will be thrilled with both His merciful kindness and His unfailing truth. Oh the sounds of heaven’s love song! Oh the light of heaven’s truth!