Alleluia
O praise the Lord, all you nations,
acclaim him all you peoples!
Strong is his love for us;
he is faithful for ever. (Grail Version)
or
Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol him, all you peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord
endures forever.
Praise the Lord! (NRSV)
Reflection
This psalm is the shortest one. It invites the whole world to praise God and it affirms the strength of God’s love and faithfulness. In remarkably few words it embraces the whole world and also assures us of God’s love towards us. It is both universal and intimate.
There is room for two versions of this psalm today, and perhaps there are more that you know. The one from the New Revised Standard Version is the one I happen to know best, and I treasure these familiar words because I can (just about) remember them off by heart. A new translation can bring new insight, but isn’t etched into my soul as these particular words are. And more and more I know I want to commit even small verses to memory so that I need nothing more than to call them to my lips.
I remember learning once of the dangers of ‘vain repetition’ in prayer, of saying words without meaning them, and I understand the point. But I have also learned that writing, and age, are the enemies of memory and that things well remembered, repeated and absorbed can actually feed and sustain my soul. So, with the small amount of memory available to me, I want to fill it with words that matter, that bring good news, that shape me and hold me.
Psalm 117 is a good place to begin. Short, joyful, and an encouragement to praise. So, choose, or make, a translation of this short psalm (or use the Hebrew!). Then repeat it again and again and let its words accompany the rhythm of the day. May it become our shared and remembered prayer.
Prayer
Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol him, all you peoples!
For great is his steadfast love
toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord
endures forever.
(and again…)