“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise ye: Heb. Hallelujah”
Alleluia. This invitation is addressed to the sacred ministers, as the people and all creatures had been already exhorted to praise God. (Calmet) — This psalm was sung when the first-fruits were brought to the temple. (Selden, Syn. 3.) — The Lord. Hebrew el, “God.” (Haydock) — Places. Hebrew, “his sanctuary,” (Haydock) or heaven. (Calmet) — All both in heaven and earth sound forth his praises.
“Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.”
Acts. Ye, for whom miracles have been wrought, praise him as much as you are able, though you cannot do it sufficiently. (Worthington)
“Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. trumpet: or, cornet”
Trumpet. This instrument was reserved for priests, Numbers x. 2. The nine others might be used by Levites. (Calmet) — The precise signification of them is not known. (Berthier)
“Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. dance: or, pipe”
Choir….Strings. Unity and mortification are requisite to make our praises acceptable, as strings are made of the bowels of beasts. (Worthington)
“Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.”
Spirit. Wind instrument, (Menochius) or man, who is bound to praise God, even more than the angels, as Christ has assumed his nature, and will bring him to sing with them Alleluia. (Worthington) — Let “all that breathes” praise, (Berthier) including every living creature, (Calmet) as well as the celestial spirits. (Haydock) — Alleluia is not in Septuagint, Syriac, &c. But it is in the Hebrew, and no word could answer better for a conclusion of the psalms, which are almost wholly employed in the divine praises. This ought to be our occupation both on earth, and in heaven. Amen. (Calmet) — Pope Damasus, A.D. 380, ordered the Glory, &c., to be added to each of the psalms, as it has been since observed. (Worthington) — An apocryphal psalm, concerning David encountering Goliath, occurs in many Greek and Latin copies; but it is of no authority. (Calmet)