Reward the Lord, All You Nations!
A Research of Psalm 117
Evaluate: Only some days earlier than my spouse, Katrina, went to Heaven as I used to be serving to her into mattress, she began saying one thing. She was reciting a stanza of a hymn by Charles Wesley. She mentioned, “My gracious Grasp and my God, help me to proclaim, to unfold by means of all of the earth overseas the glory of Thy identify. A couple of days later, all of us circled round her and sang that nice hymn, “O for a thousand tongues to sing my nice Redeemer’s reward. The glories of my God and King, the triumph of His grace.”
My gracious Grasp and my God,
Help me to proclaim,
To unfold by means of all of the earth overseas
The glory of Thy identify.
Jesus! The identify that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows stop.
‘Tis music within the sinner’s ears,
‘Tis life and well being and peace.
A couple of days later we sang this at her funeral.
Nicely, on the evening earlier than He died by crucifixion, the Lord Jesus and His disciples sang a choice of hymns collectively. It was the closest He would come to having folks sing round His deathbed, because it have been. Matthew and Luke each inform us Jesus and His disciples sang within the Higher Room, and the songs that have been sung on that event, across the Passover meal, have been Psalm 113 by means of 118. These are referred to as the Egyptian Hallel songs.
After I realized that, I needed to see precisely what Jesus would have been singing on that never-to-be forgotten evening. These songs current for us the progressive components of the Gospel. I’m stunned I’ve by no means seen this earlier than.
Psalm 113 is concerning the almighty God humbling Himself to return and take care of us, and there’s the robust trace of the incarnation there.
Psalm 114 is about redemption.
Psalm 115 is concerning the life of religion.
Psalm 116 is about victory over demise.
The almighty God of time and eternity humbled Himself and have become a person to redeem us by grace by means of religion and to present us victory over demise and eternal life.
Now we come to Psalm 117, and the theme of this little tune is the worldwide scope of the Gospel. It is a message, not only for Israel or the Jews, however for all of the world. That is the shortest chapter within the Bible. Two very transient verses, solely 29 phrases within the New Worldwide Model, and fewer than that within the unique Hebrew. It’s the Outdated Testomony Nice Fee.
Scripture: Psalm 17
Reward the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For nice is his love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures ceaselessly. Reward the Lord.
1. Invitation
This little tune has a number of elements to it. First, an invitation to the nations. Discover that the tune opens and closes with the phrases “Reward the Lord.” However the which means is completely different. This phrase is used another way every time. On the opening, that is an invite. We’re inviting the nations to reward the Lord—reward the Lord, all you nations. We’re inviting the Russians to reward the Lord. We’re inviting the Chinese language to reward the Lord. We’re asking the folks of Nigeria and Brazil and America to reward the Lord. We’re calling on them to acknowledge Him, to honor Him. Reward the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples.
2. Clarification
The second a part of the tune is an clarification. Why ought to the folks of Russia and China and Nigeria and Brazil and America reward the Lord? As a result of He loves them and has made guarantees to them, which He’ll preserve.
Reward the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For nice is his love towards us [us human beings, us who populate the nations], and the faithfulness of the Lord endures ceaselessly.
First, nice is His love towards us. Love is an insufficient translation, and, in truth, it is extremely tough to translate the Hebrew phrase hesed. It means covenant love. Think about a pair falling in love. They exit to eat. There’s a candlelight on their desk. The moon is full as they stroll out of the restaurant. They really feel filled with the emotions of lovey-dovey love. However two months later they stand earlier than a preacher who leads them and their marriage ceremony vows. Abruptly the groom is exercising greater than lovey-dovey love. He’s saying, “All that I’m and all that I’ve is yours, and it’s yours ceaselessly, so long as we’re alive. I’m committing all I’m and all I’ve to you.” That’s covenant love; and that’s the sort of love this verse is speaking about.
Nice is his dedication of whole love in the direction of us.
And the phrase faithfulness has to do with God’s dedication to maintain each promise He has made. Probably the most fantastic style of Scripture are the guarantees God has given us. He has given us so many guarantees that we are able to by no means encounter any problem with out there being guarantees there to bear us by means of them. Once we discuss God’s faithfulness we’re speaking about His absolute dedication to maintain each syllable of each phrase of each promise that he has ever made to us
Reward the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For nice is his love towards us [us human beings, us who populate the nations], and the faithfulness of the Lord endures ceaselessly.
3. Celebration
The final phrase within the verse is celebration: Reward the Lord! This time the phrase is used as an acclamation, an exclamation! The author simply shouts it out! He says, if I could paraphrase: “I’m an Outdated Testomony Jew, however I’m inviting the folks of Russia and China and Nigeria and Brazil and America to reward the Lord and extol Him, as a result of He loves them—each one among us—and He has made guarantees to us which can be everlasting in nature, and He’ll preserve them. Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing my nice Redeemer’s reward! Reward the Lord, Hallelujah!”
4. Affirmation
So we’ve an invite, an evidence, and a celebration. We even have a affirmation of the missionary nature of this Psalm within the e-book of Romans. When Paul wrote to Rome, he had one factor on his thoughts, which was reaching the world with the message of Christ.
Take a look at the best way Paul opens this e-book in Romans 1:1-5: Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, referred to as to be an apostle and set aside for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand by means of his prophets within the Holy Scriptures relating to his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who by means of the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in energy by his resurrection from the useless: Jesus Christ our Lord. By him we acquired grace and apostleship to name all of the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from religion for his identify’s sake.
Paul mentioned that the Lord has promised by means of the Outdated Testomony prophets to deliver a Messiah into the world as a channel for our salvation, and that he—Paul—had been appointed to take this message to the Gentiles, to the nations.
Take a look at Romans 3:29: Or is God the God of Jews solely? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Sure, of Gentiles too, since there is just one God, who will justify the circumcised (the Jewish folks) by religion and the uncircumcised (the Gentiles, the nations of the world) by means of the identical religion.
Let’s flip over to Romans 10, verses 12 and 13: For there isn’t a distinction between Jew and Gentiles—the identical Lord is Lord of all and riches blesses all who calls on him, for everybody who calls on the identify of the Lord shall be saved.
The invitation goes out to the Gentiles, to the nations, to Russia and China and Nigeria, and Brazil, and America. Paul continues together with his instructing all the best way to his climactic end in chapter 15. There are sixteen chapters to Romans, however the final chapter is an epilogue full of non-public greetings. The precise physique of content material ends in chapter 15. And on the conclusion of all his teachings and arguments he merely erupts in a procession of passages from the Outdated Testomony, displaying that God’s love and faithfulness is accessible to all of the world. Take a look at verse 9 and following:
As it’s written: “Due to this fact I’ll reward you among the many Gentiles; I’ll sing praises to your identify.” Right here he quotes from 2 Samuel. Once more, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, together with his folks.” [And that’s a quotation from the book of Deuteronomy]. And once more, “Reward the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all of the peoples extol him.” And right here he quotes from Psalm 117—the quick, little missionary tune that Jesus sang on His last evening.
5. Proclamation
The subsequent day, Good Friday, He gave His life for us. The subsequent day, Saturday, His physique rested within the tomb. And the subsequent day, Sunday, the primary day of the week, the Lord’s Day, was when He arose. Now what do you assume was on His thoughts popping out of the grave?
Mark 16 tells us how Jesus rose from the useless early on Sunday and appeared to Mary Magdalene. Then He appeared to the 2 disciples on the highway to Emmaus. And that night He appeared to the disciples within the Higher Room. He mentioned to them, “Go into all of the world and preach the Gospel all creation” (Mark 16:15).
Go into the world, to the nations, and take the Gospel to each creature. However He mentioned one thing else that evening. Take a look at Luke 24. Identical to Mark, Luke tells how Jesus rose early within the morning, how he appeared to the ladies, how He appeared to the 2 disciples on the highway to Emmaus. And that night He appeared to the disciples within the Higher Room. What did He say, in response to Luke? He advised them, “That is what’s written: The Messiah will endure and rise from the useless on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins can be preached in His identify to all nations, starting at Jerusalem. You might be witnesses of this stuff” (Luke 24:46-48).
To all of the nations, he mentioned. However that’s not all He mentioned that night. Take a look at John 20. John additionally tells how Jesus rose early within the morning, how He appeared to the ladies, after which that night He appeared within the Higher Room to His disciples. What did He say to them? Take a look at John 20:21: “Peace be with you! Because the Father has despatched me, I’m sending you.”
Jesus will need to have talked fairly a bit about His plan for the disciples to take the Gospel to the whole world. Mark quoted a little bit of that message; Luke quoted a special half; and John but a special half.
Someday later, the risen Christ met the disciples once more on a mountainside in Galilee. What do you assume was on His thoughts? What did He need to say to them? It’s very doubtless that is the event when, because the apostle Paul advised us, the risen Jesus appeared to and spoke to 500 folks. Take a look at Matthew 28:16-20: “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain the place Jesus had advised them to go. 17 Once they noticed him, they worshiped him; however some doubted. 18 Then Jesus got here to them and mentioned, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Due to this fact go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them within the identify of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and instructing them to obey every thing I’ve commanded you. And certainly I’m with you all the time, to the very finish of the age.’”
He expanded on the message He had given them on Easter night. What occurred subsequent? Nicely, a couple of days later the disciples noticed Jesus once more, this time they have been strolling with Him on a highway on the Mount of Olives. Acts 1:6-9 says, “Then they gathered round him and requested him, ‘Lord, are you at the moment going to revive the dominion to Israel?’ He mentioned to them: ‘It isn’t so that you can know the occasions or dates the Father has set by his personal authority. However you’ll obtain energy when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you may be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After he mentioned this, he was taken up earlier than their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
What was on our Lord’s thoughts when He rose from the useless was precisely what He had sung concerning the evening earlier than His crucifixion: Reward the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For nice is his love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures ceaselessly. Reward the Lord.
That’s what He talked about on the night of the primary Easter, and three of the disciples remembered varied sentences. That’s what He spoke about mid-way by means of His 40 days of post-resurrection appearances, and Matthew ended his Gospel with that model of the Nice Fee. And that’s what He spoke about simply earlier than He ascended again to Heaven on the finish of His 40 days of post-resurrection ministry.
And take into account this. Jesus spoke these phrases by singing them on the evening earlier than His demise. He sang this as a type of Outdated Testomony Nice Fee. He was giving us the Nice Fee even earlier than His demise and resurrection. The Scottish preacher, Andrew Bonar mentioned, “Allow us to…recall this tune to thoughts…. In so doing, we’re utilizing phrases which the Grasp used within the Higher Room…. For it’s He specifically who’s the speaker [in this call to praise].”
God all the time had the entire world on His coronary heart.
I listened to Christopher Ash’s sermon on Psalm 117, and he advised the story of a play on London’s West Finish. The play opened with a desk in the course of the stage and two males sitting on both facet of it. There was a cellphone, and the play started by the cellphone ringing and one of many actors selecting it up and talking into it. These have been the primary traces of the play. On one specific evening, the actor forgot his opening traces. He drew a complete clean when the cellphone rang. His thoughts went paralyzingly empty, and he couldn’t keep in mind the primary traces of the play. He checked out it a second, picked it up, handed it to the opposite actor, and mentioned, “It’s for you.”
Then Christopher Ash mentioned, in impact, “That’s the Gospel message. It’s for you!”
And it is for you. And it’s for you, China. It’s for you, Russia. It’s for you, Brazil. It’s for all of the world. Our job is to do no matter half the Lord has assigned to us.
Not too long ago I learn the autobiography of the Korean evangelist Billy Kim, whom I had identified about for a few years. His journey towards Christ started when some American troopers requested him to be their houseboy throughout the Korean Warfare. Certainly one of them had such a burden for the poverty-stricken Korean lad that he despatched him to America to be educated at Bob Jones Academy in South Carolina, and there Billy turned a Christian. He later returned to Korea the place he turned a really efficient evangelist.
In his e-book, Billy talked about touring to Havana in the summertime of 2000 to attend a gathering of the Baptist World Alliance. Billy all the time had the misplaced on his coronary heart, and on this journey he carried a heavy burden for Fidel Castro. The potential for truly seeing Castro was distant to not possible, however Billy prayed for an opportunity to witness to the person. He even introduced with him a particular Spanish copy of the Bible to present to him. When it appeared that no assembly would happen, Billy gave the Bible to a high-ranking member of the federal government to go on to Castro. But each morning whereas he was there, Billy prayed, “Lord, please lead me to Castro in order that I could share the Gospel with him.”
On the final day of the convention, a Communist official summoned Billy to the presidential workplace, and he was ushered in to see Castro in his trademark khaki army uniform. The 2 males talked for about ten minutes, however Castro remained standing and Billy anticipated to be ushered out shortly. However then Castro invited him into his internal workplace. Somebody gave the Bible again to Billy and he was capable of personally hand it to the Cuban dictator. Castro mentioned, “After I was younger my mom spent lots of time studying the Bible to me.” The 2 males talked for over two hours, and Billy was capable of current the Gospel of Christ to the person. The subsequent day, Castro despatched staff from the government-run media to the convention and the closing assembly was broadcast all throughout Cuba.
Nobody is aware of if, maybe on his deathbed, Fidel Castro responded to the Gospel he heard that day. Gained’t we be stunned if we discover him among the many multitudes to greet us after we arrive in New Jerusalem?
Few of us will be capable to share Christ in private dialog with a world chief, however we are able to all share it with the world round us. We share it after we give to the Lord’s work, after we witness to our associates and neighbors, after we invite others to church, and after we pray for missionaries around the globe. And we are able to inform them one factor concerning the Gospel that they badly must know—It’s for you!
6. Exaltation
Let me finish with a last statement, which I’ll name “exaltation.” Psalm 117 doesn’t truly name on the nations to be saved. It calls on the nations to reward the Lord for His nice love and everlasting faithfulness. Salvation just isn’t the ultimate consequence. The ultimate result’s coming into a lifetime of reward.
John Piper introduced this to our consideration a variety of years in the past in his e-book, Let the Nations Be Glad, which he opened with these phrases:
Missions just isn’t the final word aim of the church. Worship is. Missions exists as a result of worship doesn’t. Worship is final, not missions, as a result of God is final, not man. When this age is over and numerous tens of millions of the redeemed fall on their faces earlier than the throne of God, missions can be no extra. It’s a non permanent necessity. However worship abides ceaselessly.
Worship, subsequently, is the gas and the aim of missions. It’s the aim of missions as a result of in missions we merely goal to deliver the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The aim of missions is the gladness of the peoples within the greatness of God.
The world can’t be joyful if it isn’t filled with reward for the Lord, nor can any of us. The shortest chapter within the Bible has one of many largest messages of Scripture: Reward the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For nice is his love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures ceaselessly. Reward the Lord.
Conclusion
I need to shut at this time by inviting you to supply the prayer with me, the one which resides deeply in my coronary heart and reminiscences.
My gracious Grasp and my God,
Help me to proclaim,
To unfold by means of all of the earth overseas
The glory of Thy identify.
