[Pss 117:1] O praise Jehovah, all ye nations; Laud him, all ye peoples.
[Pss 117:2] For his lovingkindness is great toward us; And the truth of Jehovah (endureth) for ever. Praise ye Jehovah.
[Pss 118:1] Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness (endureth) for ever.
[Pss 118:2] Let Israel now say, That his lovingkindness (endureth) for ever.
[Pss 118:3] Let the house of Aaron now say, That his lovingkindness (endureth) for ever.
[Pss 118:4] Let them now that fear Jehovah say, That his lovingkindness (endureth) for ever.
[Pss 118:5] Out of my distress I called upon Jehovah: Jehovah answered me (and set me) in a large place.
[Pss 118:6] Jehovah is on my side; I will not fear: What can man do unto me?
[Pss 118:7] Jehovah is on my side among them that help me: Therefore shall I see (my desire) upon them that hate me.
[Pss 118:8] It is better to take refuge in Jehovah Than to put confidence in man.
[Pss 118:9] It is better to take refuge in Jehovah Than to put confidence in princes.
[Pss 118:10] All nations compassed me about: In the name of Jehovah I will cut them off.
[Pss 118:11] They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: In the name of Jehovah I will cut them off.
[Pss 118:12] They compassed me about like bees; They are quenched as the fire of thorns: In the name of Jehovah I will cut them off.
[Pss 118:13] Thou didst thrust sore at me that I might fall; But Jehovah helped me.
[Pss 118:14] Jehovah is my strength and song; And he is become my salvation.
[Pss 118:15] The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous: The right hand of Jehovah doeth valiantly.
[Pss 118:16] The right hand of Jehovah is exalted: The right hand of Jehovah doeth valiantly.
[Pss 118:17] I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of Jehovah.
[Pss 118:18] Jehovah hath chastened me sore; But he hath not given me over unto death.
[Pss 118:19] Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will enter into them, I will give thanks unto Jehovah.
[Pss 118:20] This is the gate of Jehovah; The righteous shall enter into it.
[Pss 118:21] I will give thanks unto thee; for thou hast answered me, And art become my salvation.
[Pss 118:22] The stone which the builders rejected Is become the head of the corner.
[Pss 118:23] This is Jehovah's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
[Pss 118:24] This is the day which Jehovah hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
[Pss 118:25] Save now, we beseech thee, O Jehovah: O Jehovah, we beseech thee, send now prosperity.
[Pss 118:26] Blessed be he that cometh in the name of Jehovah: We have blessed you out of the house of Jehovah.
[Pss 118:27] Jehovah is God, and he hath given us light: Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
[Pss 118:28] Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
[Pss 118:29] Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness (endureth) for ever.

"Oh praise Jehovah, all ye nations;
Laud him, all ye peoples.
For his loving kindness is great toward us;
And the truth of Jehovah endureth forever.
Praise ye Jehovah. (Ps. 117:1-2).

As I have repeatedly stated, the Psalms are the poetical version of the Prophets. No one can understand a poem, no matter how beautiful and how excellently it may have been written, unless he is acquainted with the occasion of its being written. When he understands the circumstances which gave birth to such a composition, he can feel the heart throb of the writer as he expresses himself in verse.

The Psalms fall into different categories. They must therefore be studied in order to determine their true nature. For instance, there are certain psalms which are individual, whereas others are national in their outlook. The recognition of this distinction is imperative to the proper understanding of any psalm. Psalm 1, for instance, is individual and may be appropriated to anyone, Jew or Gentile, who complies with the conditions laid down in it. Again, Psalm 23 is individual in its nature and may be claimed by anyone who sustains the relationship to God that David did. Once more, Psalm 24 is individual in the first six verses. The question is asked, "Who shall ascend unto the hill of Jehovah? And who shall stand in his holy place?" The answer is, any individual who complies with the conditions laid down. But in verses 7-10 the outlook is national and applies to Israel, for it is a call to the nation of Israel to welcome the return of her Messiah. Psalm 37, for instance, is a national hymn and applies to Israel alone. A study of the entire composition reveals this fact: This psalm is grounded upon Leviticus 26, which was spoken to Israel only. Not going any further into this phase of our subject, I shall say that most of the psalms are national in their outlook, applying to Israel alone and not yielding themselves to the individual. For instance, Psalm 46 is of this nature. In this psalm the nation of Israel is speaking to the Gentile world. The same thing is true with reference to Psalm 67 and to many others.

Some of the psalms are historical, and others are prophetic. In the former class are included all those that deal purely with or celebrate some historical occurrence in the history of the nation or of an individual of the race. Psalm 78 is purely historical. Psalm 105 and 106 likewise are historical compositions relating to outstanding events in the history of the nation. Psalm 73, on the other hand, is individual and historic; for in it the inspired writer recounts his experiences. On the other hand, many of the psalms are purely prophetic; in fact, the greater portion of them sing of the glories that await Israel in the future.

Most of the psalms are put in simple narrative form to be sung or read by an individual; but others are antiphonal and are to be sung responsively by a soloist and the choir, or by one group to another, each responding to the other.

Some are literal and others are symbolic. We are to consider a psalm as literal unless there are clear indications pointing to a figurative or symbolic character. Some few are dramatic and symbolic. For example, Psalms 117 and 118 are of this nature—especially 118. Psalm 117 is but an introduction to Psalm 118. The latter is a pageant setting forth in a dramatic manner the return of Israel to her God at the end of the Tribulation. Unless one understands this fact, this poem is but a jumble of words.

As we shall presently see, Psalm 117 sets forth the evangelistic campaign which will be conducted by the saved remnant of Israel after it has been overcome by the grace of God and has recognized Him who is the way, the truth, and the life. Psalm 117 stands in relation to 118 in a manner similar to the way in which the headlines of a well-written article do to the article itself. The headlines express the gist of the article and focus attention on the outcome of the event concerning which it is written. Thus Psalm 117 gives the outcome of the journey over which the remnant of Israel travels in its return to God in the end time.

Psalm 118:1-4 gives the prediction of the evangelization of the entire nation of Israel with its proselytes. In verses 5-20 the personal pronoun I figures very largely. An examination of this portion of the poem shows that this I refers to each individual constituting the nation of Israel of that time. This is seen very clearly in verse 10-12 where the sentiment is expressed that all nations compass me about. Nations cannot literally compass an individual. This type of expression should not seem strange to us, when we remember that in our hymns appear the personal pronouns, I, me, and my very often, and that the entire congregation sings the hymn in unison. The I therefore refers, not only to the individual, but to the entire group singing it. Thus it is with this passage; each individual in Israel at the time here foreseen will join in and express the sentiment of this composition. That Israel at the time of the returning to God in the end time will be encompassed by the nations of the earth is clearly set forth in various portions of the prophetic word.

Another reason pointing to the fact that this psalm is symbolic in character is, as Delizsch intimates, that it was composed in celebration of the Feast of Passover in the seventh month of the first year of the return of the exiles from Babylon (Ezra 3:1-4); or at the laying of the foundation stone of the Temple in the second month of the second year of the return (Ezra 3:8f); or at the dedication of the completed Temple in the sixth year of the reign of Darius (Ezra 6:15f). The leading conservative scholars see in this composition echoes of the events of one of these national occasions. The late David Baron, a master in Hebrew exposition, favored the symbolic interpretation. So does Perowne. Rotherham confirms the same interpretation in the following words:

"It is obviously a processional psalm, and in the highest degree dramatic. The general course of it is clear; and the sound of several voices can be plainly heard, though precisely who speaks in the several divisions of the psalm is, naturally, to some extent, a matter of conjecture. Our headlines will therefore be accepted as exegetical suggestions, rather than as authoritative determinations—which, in no case, could they pretend to be."

When a person notes that there is progress represented in verses 15-20, he will see that the entire situation in the psalm presents a processional. The nation is represented as being in distress and marching up to the Holy City. Finally, the procession reaches the temple gate and calls upon the authorities to open it in order that pilgrims might enter. The response is given in verse 20 where the newly-arrived worshipers are told to enter the gate of Jehovah. From verse 21 to the end we observe the temple services and ritual as it is being enacted. Thus throughout the entire psalm there is set forth the thought of worshipers who journey to the national shrine, the Temple of Jehovah, and engage in worship which is accepted by the great God of the universe.

According to Franz Delitzsch, one of the greatest commentators on the Old Testament, at the Passover the pilgrims who journeyed to Jerusalem would sing the first nineteen verses of this psalm as they approached the temple area. They sang verse 19 upon their arrival. The temple choir responded from within, pointing them to the gate through which they should enter. This they did and engaged in the ritualistic worship. There are indications in the writings of the ancient rabbis that this psalm was thus used by the Jews in their worship, especially at the time of the Passover. According to David Baron and other Hebrew scholars Psalm 118 was the song which Jesus and His disciples sang at the conclusion of the last Passover Supper. It is the last of the Hallel Psalms.

Every year at the Passover the various bands of devout worshipers journeyed to Jerusalem. They would sing this hymn, as suggested above, and would enter into the temple area with their sacrifices to offer them. In the ritual in which they engaged appears a marvelous prediction concerning Israel's accepting her Messiah whom her leaders upon His first coming rejected: "The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner." These facts are sufficient to indicate that the psalm is symbolic, and that it was a processional and a dramatic representation of Israel's eventual return to her God and her Messiah whom she rejected. Thus, as she employed this hymn in her ritual yearly, she was setting forth symbolically the greatest event in all her history. The meaning of the passage will become more apparent as we go forward in the exposition of each detail.

Someone has said that, if he should be allowed to write the songs and the music used by a nation, he would control the life of the people. Song and music do effect people greatly. The Lord knew the power of song. He therefore enshrined Israel's theology in the Book of Psalms, which he was to use in her services in order to teach the truth to the people. The value and power of singing are set forth in the New Testament. For instance, Paul in the following passage exhorted the Ephesians to edify and strengthen each other with spiritual song: "And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ" (Eph. 5:18-21). With these introductory observations we are now prepared to study more minutely these two psalms, spiritual masterpieces.

We hear converted Israel calling to the nations in their great evangelistic campaign saying, "Oh praise Jehovah, all ye nations; Laud him, all ye peoples" (Ps. 117:1). There are certain teachings lying behind this psalm which must be understood in order that one might be able to comprehend fully the message of this prophetic utterance—the shortest chapter of the Bible. In the light of these great and fundamental truths this hymn will be seen to set forth one of the greatest facts in history—the conversion of Israel and her leading the residue of men to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.