(Delivered November 25, 2024)

הַלְלוּ אֶת־יי כׇּל־גּוֹיִם שַׁבְּחוּהוּ כׇּל־הָאֻמִּים׃
כִּי גָבַר עָלֵינוּ  חַסְדּוֹ וֶאֱמֶת־יי לְעוֹלָם הַלְלוּ־יָהּ׃

All peoples, praise God! Praise God, all peoples!
For God’s mercy is strong upon us, and God’s truth is eternal. Hallelujah!

At just two verses, Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in our shared Book of Psalms. Yet tradition teaches us that the Torah—the Bible—is exactly as it’s meant to be. There are no extra words, nor is anything missing. The brevity of Psalm 117 points us in a direction. It asks no questions, poses no problems, simply makes the bold statement that each and every one of us can and should praise God.

When this is easy, this is easy.

It isn’t always. Many of us are troubled by: acrimony over labor disputes in the local schools, political uncertainty at the national level, hostages barbarically held for over a year, devastating war grinding on in too many places. Our souls are shaken by hateful words and violent actions. Where can we find the energy to praise God?

Another of the shorter psalms, number 13, itself just six verses, suggests an answer. Psalm 13 begins in deep desolation and anxiety—a crisis of faith. God, how long will You ignore me? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long will I feel weighted down with my own griefs and sorrows? How long will my enemies lord it over me? The Psalmist describes a space where many of us might find ourselves, in these thickening days hurtling toward winter. 

The beauty of Psalm 13 is in the way it turns the corner. A simple vav, the word AND. The final verse begins: va’ani b’chasdecha vatachti. And I trust in Your kindness, God. There is a magic in that simple vav—in that and—a magic that tells us the story is not over yet. That at any given moment, things can turn around and we can put our trust in the divine to carry us through.

From there, the journey to 117 is simple. The power of “and” makes praise easy. 

In these days of many burdens, simply pausing to be in companionship with others in the community to notice what’s good—sharing words, sharing song, sharing bread—is a precious source of “and”. Jews and Christians, locals and newcomers, neighbors and friends and friends who just haven’t met yet. This is the and that gives us the courage and strength to renew our faith, in God and in one another. 

All peoples, praise God! Praise God, all peoples!