Psalm 117 and Evangelism:
Let the Nations Praise God!
What is the connection between Psalm 117 and evangelism? In this chapter, there is an urgent, passionate plea for the nations to praise God.
Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!
That’s the entire chapter! It can be broken down into two commands, two groups of people, and two reasons.
Two Commands
- Praise the Lord!
- Extol Him!
Two People
- Praise the Lord, all nations!
- Extol him, all peoples!
Two Reasons
- Because His steadfast love is great
- Because the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Psalm 117 and Evangelism — Application
What from this brief Psalm can help us as we share the Gospel with others?
- Be aggressively joyful. Notice the Psalmist’s words to “Praise God” and “Extol Him” are not directed at fellow believers. These commands are issued to every single person and nation on the planet! This is aggressive joy, an eager desire for every person to find their joy in God. God commands us to praise Him not for His own benefit, but for ours. We were made to adore Him, and we will never be truly happy until our whole lives are consumed with love for Him. Let other people know that! Eagerly persuade them to praise God.
- Tell people why God is praiseworthy. The Psalmist doesn’t simply tell people to praise God. He also gives them reasons. The two mentioned are God’s love and His faithfulness. God’s love was especially shown on the cross, where He was willing to die for people like you and me. Tell people about this love! And God’s faithfulness is something every Christian experiences in an ongoing basis. Tell people about how through all your ups and downs, through all your sin, through all your ongoing struggles, God’s love hasn’t wavered one bit. Many people picture God as angry and unlovable. Show them who God really is, and you might just find they actually want to praise Him!
- Share the Gospel with all people. No, this doesn’t mean that you literally must talk to every single person you see. But don’t discriminate based off what someone looks like on the outside. God is saving a people from “all nations” and “all peoples.” Our evangelism should reflect the international love of God by being willing to talk to anyone and everyone.