Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
This psalm is the first of the trilogy, Psalms 111:1-10; Psalms 112:1-10; Psalms 113:1-9. All three strengthen God's people in trouble by praising Him. Psalms 111:1-10 praises Him for past deliverances, a pledge of future ones. Psalms 112:1-10, as the God of righteousness who maketh light to arise to the upright, in darkness. Psalms 113:1-9, as the Raiser of the poor out of the dust to set him with princes. The Hallelujah at the beginning and end of Psalms 113:1-9 marks it as third of the trilogy: Psalms 111:1-10; Psalms 112:1-10 have it only at the beginning. So in the trilogy, Psalms 104:1-35; Psalms 105:1-45; Psalms 106:1-48. Psalms 111:6 is the turning point of the Psalm, hinting at the sad inversion of the relations between Israel and the pagan; God's people, to whom by a mighty interposition He had given the "heritage" of Canaan, now in it serving the pagan. The Hallelujah marks the time of the captivity: then first (Psalms 104:35) that phrase occurs. To the joy at the Jews' restoration from Babylon (celebrated in Psalms 107:1-43) succeeded dejection at their low state compared with their prosperity before the captivity. They did not see that the foretold glory of Israel was to be restored only under Messiah. This psalm calls to praise God for His works of redeeming love, as the remedy against despondency (Psalms 111:1-4); His supplying meat in the wilderness (Psalms 111:5) suggests faith that He will supply His people, now comparatively, destitute on their return. His giving the heritage of the pagan (Psalms 111:6) assures Israel that God's verity, which stands fast forever (Psalms 111:7-8), engages Him yet to subject the now dominant world-power to the kingdom of God. As He sent redemption out of Egypt, and lately out of Babylon, so His covenant is forever, and His name Holy (Psalms 111:9); so that our wisdom is to fear, obey, and praise Him forever (Psalms 111:10).
Praise ye the Lord - Hallelujah, the key-note of the psalm, a stirring up of the Lord's people to praise Him. The title; because the following word in the Hebrew begins with the letter 'aleph ('), the first letter of the alphabet, which shows that it is the first word of the verse, the arrangement of the whole psalm being alphabetical.
I will praise the Lord with my whole heart - (Psalms 86:12.) In Psalms 109:30 it is, "I will praise the Lord with my mouth." Both must go together to constitute perfect praise.
In the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation - literally, in the secret or confidential assembly х cowd (H5475)], the communion, of the pious, as distinguished from the general 'congregation х `eedaah (H5712)] of the peoples' (Psalms 7:7: cf. note, Psalms 25:14).