Psalm 117:1-2 "Praise the LORD!"

Psalm 117:1-2 ESV "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!"
Thanksgiving often gets compressed between Halloween and Christmas, and that is really too bad. Certainly, we look forward to Turkey Day, and maybe fighting with relatives about politics, but we so easily miss the point of the day—giving thanks.
Specifically, giving thanks to God. It is important to show gratitude to friends and family, but the point of this day is to reflect and give thanks to God—the giver of every good gift.
Psalm 117 doesn’t use the word thanksgiving, but it is a psalm of thanks all the same. It’s a doxology—giving praise—and part of what is called the Egyptian Hallel. It would be recited by Israelites during Passover as a song of praise and thanksgiving for God’s deliverance. (It’s also the shortest psalm/chapter in the Bible, so that should get us to the chili quicker)
As we unpack these short verses, we will see that it breaks down with three questions—What should be done? Who should do it? and Why should it be done? Before we start, I want to read the passage from three other translations to get a better feel for what the psalmist is saying:
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 for ever. Praise ye the Lord.
NASB Praise the Lord, all nations; Sing His praises, all peoples! For His mercy toward us is great, And the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!
NET Praise the Lord, all you nations. Applaud him, all you foreigners For his loyal love towers over us, and the Lord’s faithfulness endures. Praise the Lord.