Ps. 117:1; 116:1-2
Give praise to the Lord for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. ℣. O praise the Lord, all ye nations, and praise Him all ye people. For His mercy is confirmed upon us: and the truth of the Lord remaineth forever.
Haydock
Psalm 117
Verse 1. Alleluia is borrowed from the end of the former psalm in Heb. Our Saviour and the apostles determine us to explain this solely of the Messias, though should would also see another literal sense, applicable to the victories of David, or of the captives, at their return, over God or Cambyses. Bert. — This supposition seems very probable, 2 Esd. vi. 16. Yet the Jews saw that some passages belonged to the Messias, and were accustomed to use v. 26. in praying for his manifestation. This psalm is very pompous, and in the dramatic style, (C.) though this is not certain. Bert. — Praise. Or “confess,” and praise God for his great mercies. W.
Psalm 116
Verse 1. Alleluia. This word is found at the end of the last psalm, in Heb. H. — The captives invite all to thank God for their delivery, which was a most striking figure of the world’s redemption, in which sense the apostle (Rom. xv. 11.) quotes this psalm, with the holy Fathers, though Ven. Bede puts it in the mouth of Ezechias, after the retrogradation of the sun. Kimchi allows that it regards the times of the Messias. C. — Praise him. S. Paul reads, magnify him, as the Heb. means, “extol” by your praises. Bert. — All are invited to praise, as the redemption is sufficient, (W.) and designed for all the posterity of Adam.
Verse 2. Remaineth is not in Heb. Mercy and truth confirm us. H. — The psalmist acknowledges that he also stands in need of them, and S. John assures us, that grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Bert. — No promise had been made to the Gentiles (W.) by the law; though they were all included in the original promise. Gen. iii. 15. H. — God hath withdrawn them from idolatry, to impart to them his mercies. C.