God's Mercy and Truth

for SATB Choir

Duration: 1:15 min.

Text: Psalm 117

Program Notes:

God's Mercy and Truth was not the original title of this piece. Like others who have set Psalm 117 before me, I fully intended to title the piece Praise the Lord. "Praise" is the most repeated word in the psalm, and the command to praise the Lord bookends the text. But is it really a command, or is it an invitation? For curiosity's sake, I had glanced at the heading put on Psalm 117 in my recently-acquired King James Version of the Bible. I was surprised to find, not Praise the Lord, but God's Mercy and Truth as the heading. I immediately realized I needed to change my own title. "Praise the Lord" is not simply a command, but an invitation to react to "God's Mercy and Truth." Praise is the overflow of our reflection on the character of God, and cannot be divorced from it. May your own reflections on the character of God lead you to praise the Lord.

Text: Psalm 117 (KJV)

O Praise the Lord, all ye nations:

praise him, all ye people.
For his merciful kindness is great toward us;

and the truth of the Lord endureth forever.

Praise ye the Lord.