The big picture
Psalms 117 opens in verse 1 with “O praise the LORD , all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 1 with “O praise the LORD , all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.”, and closes in verse 2 with “For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, praise, endureth, kindness, merciful. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 2Psalms 117:1-2
1–2: O praise the LORD , all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
Psalms 117:1–2 opens with “O praise the LORD , all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.” and reaches “For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on the wording and movement of this passage, with particular weight carried by LORD, praise, endureth.
Psalms 117:1-2
King James Version1O praise the LORD , all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
2For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD .
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 117:1 begins with “O praise the LORD , all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 117:1 forms a natural hinge: “O praise the LORD , all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.”
The final note
Psalms 117:2 leaves the reader with “For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD .”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, praise, endureth, kindness, merciful, nations help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.