**The Shortest Psalm, The Greatest Praise**

The sun had just begun its descent over the hills of Judah, casting long golden rays across the fields where shepherds tended their flocks. In the city of Jerusalem, the Temple stood resplendent, its white stones glowing in the fading light. The air was filled with the scent of incense and the distant sound of Levites tuning their instruments for the evening sacrifice.

Among the worshippers ascending the steps of the Temple was a man named Eliezer, a scribe well-versed in the Law. Though he had read the Psalms countless times, one in particular had captured his heart—Psalm 117, the shortest of them all.

*”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!”*

As he murmured the words under his breath, he marveled at how such a brief song could hold such boundless truth. The call to worship was not just for Israel, but for *all nations*—Gentiles and Jews alike. The Lord’s love was not confined to one people; it stretched beyond borders, beyond the understanding of men.

That evening, as the priests prepared the sacrifices, a group of foreign travelers entered the Temple courts. They were merchants from Greece, their tunics finely woven, their speech accented. They had heard of the God of Israel and had come seeking wisdom. Eliezer watched as one of them approached a priest and asked, *”What must we do to honor your God?”*

The priest, moved by their sincerity, smiled and recited the words Eliezer had just been pondering: *”Praise the Lord, all you nations!”*

The Greeks listened intently as the priest explained the meaning of the Psalm. *”The Lord’s love is not small—it is vast, unending. His faithfulness does not waver with time. He invites all people, from every tongue and tribe, to know Him.”*

Touched by the words, the foreigners bowed their heads. One of them, a man named Demetrius, lifted his hands and said, *”If your God welcomes even those who are not of Israel, then He is indeed worthy of praise!”*

As the Levites began to sing, their voices rising in harmony with the harp and lyre, Eliezer felt a deep joy stir within him. The Psalm had come alive before his eyes. The nations *were* praising the Lord—just as the Scripture had foretold.

That night, as the stars shimmered over Jerusalem, Eliezer knelt in prayer, his heart overflowing. He understood now that the smallest Psalm carried the grandest truth: God’s love was for *everyone*, His faithfulness unshaken through all generations.

And so, with a voice full of reverence, he whispered once more into the stillness:

*”Praise the Lord!”*