An exhortation to praise God for his mercy and truth, 1-2.
1 O praise the LORD, all you nations./
Praise him, all you people.
2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us./
And the truth of the LORD endures forever./
Praise the LORD.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Psalms, Chapter 117[➚]
John Calvin's Chapter Summary:
Calvin did not provide a summary of Psalm 117.
[v.1-2a] - From John Wesley's Notes: "An exhortation to all nations to praise God for his mercy and truth."
[v.1-2b] - From The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: "[This psalm] celebrates the deliverance from the Babylonian captivity, the grand type of the redemption of the world by the Messiah."
[v.1a] - Quoted in Romans 15:11.
[v.1b] - "O praise" - Reference, Psalm 66:1, 4, 67:3, 86:9; Isaiah 24:15, 16, 42:10-12; Revelation 15:4.
[v.1c] - "Praise him" - Reference, Psalm 148:11-14, 150:6; Revelation 5:9, 7:9, 10.
[v.2] - Reference, Psalm 85:10, 89:1, 100:4, 5; Isaiah 25:1; Micah 7:20; Luke 1:54, 55; John 14:6; Romans 15:8, 9; 1st John 5:6.