You’re probably here because you’re doing a crossword puzzle, settling a friendly debate at a backyard BBQ, or maybe you’re just one of those people who loves digging into the oddities of ancient texts. It's a classic trivia question. People love it. But honestly, the answer is so brief you might blink and miss it while flipping through the thin, crinkly pages of a King James Version.
The shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117.
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It is tiny. Two verses. That’s it. Depending on which translation you’re holding, we’re talking about maybe thirty words. It’s the ultimate "blink and you'll miss it" moment in a book that otherwise contains massive, sweeping epics like Genesis or the dense, sometimes confusing laws of Leviticus.
But here’s the thing. Just because it’s the shortest doesn’t mean it’s an afterthought. In the world of biblical scholarship and Hebrew poetry, brevity is often a sign of extreme focus. This isn't just a filler track on an album; it's the punchy, high-energy single that everyone remembers the lyrics to because there are only two lines to memorize.
Why Psalm 117 Holds the Record
When we talk about the shortest chapter in the Bible, we have to look at the numbers. Let’s break it down. In the standard English Standard Version (ESV), the entire chapter reads like this:
"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!"
That’s it. You just read the whole thing. If you’re counting words in the original Hebrew, it’s even shorter—just seventeen words. It’s a "Hallel" psalm, which basically means it's a song of praise.
I’ve always found it kind of funny that it’s sandwiched right where it is. It sits immediately before Psalm 118, which is a fairly long, liturgical song, and not too far from Psalm 119, which is a behemoth. Psalm 119 is the exact opposite of our tiny friend here; it’s the longest chapter in the Bible with 176 verses. It’s almost like the editors of the Psalter wanted to give you a little breather before you hit the marathon.
The Math of the Middle
There is a bit of "Bible math" that gets passed around a lot in church basements and online forums. You might have heard that Psalm 117 is the exact center of the Bible.
Is it?
Well, it depends on who you ask and how you’re counting. If you’re using the King James Version and you count every single chapter (there are 1,189 of them), then yes, Psalm 117 is technically the 595th chapter. That makes it the numeric center. It’s the "hinge" of the book.
However, scholars like Dr. James Tabor or Bruce Metzger would probably tell you to be careful with that. The chapter and verse divisions we use today weren't in the original manuscripts. They were added much later—mostly in the 13th century by Stephen Langton and then refined in the 16th century. So, while it’s a cool coincidence that the shortest chapter is right in the middle, it’s more of a quirk of history than a secret code embedded by the original authors. Still, it makes for a great "did you know?" fact at a dinner party.
It’s Not Just a Trivia Point
You might think a two-verse chapter doesn't have much to say, but theologians have been chewing on these thirty words for centuries. The core of Psalm 117 is actually pretty radical for its time.
Think about the context. The Hebrew Bible is largely focused on the relationship between God and the people of Israel. But right here, in the shortest chapter in the Bible, the author shouts out to "all nations" and "all peoples." It’s a universal call. It’s an invitation to everyone on the planet, not just a specific ethnic group.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul actually grabs this tiny verse and uses it as a "gotcha" moment in his letter to the Romans. In Romans 15:11, he quotes Psalm 117 to prove that the message of the Gospel was always intended for the Gentiles (non-Jewish people). Paul was a master of using the Old Testament to make his points, and he knew that even the shortest verse carried the weight of a thousand pages. He saw it as a prophecy of a global community.
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The Art of Hebrew Poetry
Hebrew poetry doesn't rhyme like Dr. Seuss or Robert Frost. It doesn't rely on "cat" and "hat." Instead, it uses something called parallelism. This is where the second line of a verse echoes, expands, or contrasts the first line.
In Psalm 117, we see this perfectly.
- Line 1: "Praise the Lord, all nations!"
- Line 2: "Extol him, all peoples!"
The second line is just a beefed-up version of the first. "Extol" is a stronger word than "praise," and "all peoples" covers more ground than "all nations." Even in such a tiny space, the poet is using structure to create a sense of crescendo. It’s short, sure, but it’s dense. It's like a reduction sauce in cooking—all the flavor of a whole pot of stock concentrated into a single tablespoon.
Why do we care about brevity?
We live in an age of "Too Long; Didn't Read" (TL;DR). We love short content. But the ancient world valued brevity for a different reason: memorization. Most people couldn't read. Scrolls were expensive and rare. You learned your faith through song and repetition.
Psalm 117 was the "jingle" of the ancient religious world. You could teach it to a child in thirty seconds, and they’d have it for life. It’s the ultimate "entry-level" scripture.
Common Misconceptions About the Shortest Chapter
People get stuff wrong about this all the time. One of the biggest mistakes is confusing the shortest chapter with the shortest verse.
If you ask someone for the shortest part of the Bible, they usually yell out, "Jesus wept!" That’s John 11:35. And yeah, in English, it’s the shortest verse. But Psalm 117 is a whole chapter. It’s an entire unit of thought.
Another weird thing? People often think that because it's short, it must be less important. In biblical literature, the "Minor Prophets" get this reputation too. Just because Obadiah is one page doesn't mean it’s "minor" in terms of message. It just means the guy was concise. Psalm 117 is the "Minor Prophet" of the Psalms. It gets straight to the point: God is faithful, everyone should know it, move on to the next song.
Biblical Records: A Quick Look
While we're talking about records, it’s worth seeing where Psalm 117 sits in the grand scheme of things.
- The Goliath: Psalm 119. 176 verses. It’s an acrostic poem where every section starts with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It’s an absolute unit of a chapter.
- The Middle Child: Psalm 118. It’s right after the shortest and right before the longest.
- The Shortest Book: This is a trick question. 3 John is often cited as the shortest book by word count (about 219 words in the original Greek), though 2 John has fewer verses.
It’s almost like the Bible is a library (which, let's be honest, is exactly what the word "Bible" means). You have short stories, massive histories, tiny postcards, and long-winded legal documents. Psalm 117 is the postcard.
Why You Should Care Today
Honestly, there’s something kind of refreshing about Psalm 117 in 2026. We are constantly bombarded with information. Long-form essays, 24-hour news cycles, endless Twitter (X) threads. There is a lot of noise.
The shortest chapter in the Bible offers a different vibe. It says everything it needs to say and then stops. It doesn't over-explain. It doesn't try to sell you a 10-step program. It just gives you a single thought to hold onto.
There's a lesson in that for all of us, whether you’re religious or not. The power of being concise. The strength of a few well-chosen words. Sometimes, the most impactful thing you can say is the shortest thing you can say.
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Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of biblical trivia or just want to use this information practically, here’s how to handle it:
- Check Your Translation: Go look at Psalm 117 in a few different versions (NIV, KJV, Message). You’ll see how translators struggle to keep it short while capturing the "weight" of the Hebrew words.
- Memorize It: If you’ve ever wanted to say you’ve "memorized an entire chapter of the Bible," this is your chance. It takes about 10 seconds. It's a great party trick, but also a nice little meditative phrase to have in your back pocket.
- Look at the Context: Read Psalm 116, 117, and 118 in one sitting. You’ll notice they form a narrative of individual thanks, universal praise, and national celebration. They work together as a set.
- Explore the "Hallel": Look up the "Egyptian Hallel" (Psalms 113-118). These were the songs sung during the Passover meal. When the New Testament says Jesus and the disciples "sang a hymn" before going to the Garden of Gethsemane, there’s a very high chance they were singing these exact words from Psalm 117.
It’s easy to overlook the small things. We’re trained to think that bigger is better and longer is more profound. But the shortest chapter in the Bible stands as a 3,000-year-old reminder that you don't need a lot of room to make a big point. Next time you're flipping through the Psalms, stop at 117. Give it the ten seconds it asks for. It's earned its place in the middle of the most famous book in history for a reason.