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Psalm 117 · a question people ask

Romans has "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!" (Romans 15:11). Why Gentiles, and why are the words different from the psalm's?

In the text

The psalm is Hebrew and Romans is Greek, and the WEB translates each from its own language, so the two don't match word for word. The psalm has "Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!" (117:1). Romans has "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him" (Romans 15:11). The WEB prints the LORD in the psalm, where the Hebrew has the divine name, and the Lord in Romans. The psalm's nations is goyim (tap nations). Strong's gives goy as "a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile", and Brown-Driver-Briggs as "nation, people". Paul doesn't name the psalm: he brings these words in with "Again" (Romans 15:11), after "As it is written" (Romans 15:9). These notes claim no link between Paul's Greek words and the psalm's Hebrew ones.

The verses

“Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!”
Psalm 117:1 · World English Bible
“and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will give praise to you among the Gentiles and sing to your name.” Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.””
Romans 15:9-11 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 117

Psalm 117: Praise the LORD, all you nations

Psalm 117 calls "all you nations" and "all you peoples" to praise the LORD (117:1), and its reason is his loving kindness "toward us" (117:2). Its Hebrew word for peoples comes only three times in the Hebrew Bible. Paul quotes its call in Romans 15:11, after saying Christ became a servant "that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy" (Romans 15:9).

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