Psalm 111:1

Whole Psalm. -- The scope of this Psalm is to stir up all to praise God, and that for so many reasons as there are verses in the psalm. The exhortation is in the first words, "Praise ye the Lord." The reasons follow in order. The psalm is composed so after the order of the Hebrew alphabet, as every sentence or half verse begins with a several letter of the A B C in order, and all the psalm is of praise only. Whence we learn in general,

Verse 1. Praise ye the LORD, etc. The exhortation is immediately succeeded by the expression of a firm resolve; the psalmist having commenced by urging the duty of gratitude upon others -- "Praise ye the LORD," forthwith announces his determination to act upon his own advice -- "I will praise the LORD with my whole heart." Such a conjunction of ideas is fraught with several most important lessons.

Verse 1. With my whole heart. That is, earnestly, and with a sincere affection; meaning also, that he would do it privately, and, as it were, within himself, as by the next words he notes that he will do it openly. --Thomas Wilcocks.

Verse 1. -- With my whole heart. We see the stress here laid upon a whole heart, and the want of which is the great canker of all vital godliness. Men are ever attempting to unite what the word of God has declared to be incapable of union -- the love of the world and of God -- to give half their heart to the world, and the other half to God. Just see the energy, the entireness of every thought and feeling and effort which a man throws into a work in which he is deeply interested; the very phrase we use to describe such an one is, that "he gives his whole mind to it." Attempt to persuade him to divert his energies and divide his time with some other pursuit, and he would wonder at the folly and the ignorance that could suggest such a method of success. "Just take a hint from Satan," says some one; "see how he plies his powers on the individual, as if there were but that one, and as if he had nothing else to do but to ruin that one soul." It was a holy resolution of the Psalmist that he would praise God; and a wise one to add, "with thy whole heart." And we have the result of this determination in the following verses of the psalm. --Barton Bouchier.

Verse 1. Two words are used, assembly and congregation. The former implies a more private meeting of worshippers, the latter the more public. The former may apply to the family circle of those who were celebrating the passover, the latter to the public worship connected with the feast. --W. Wilson.

HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS

Verse 1. Praise ye the Lord; there is an exhortation. "I will praise the Lord;" there is a vow. It shall be "with my whole heart"; there is experimental godliness. It shall be "in the assembly of the upright"; there is a relative position occupied along with the family of God. --Joseph Irons.

Verse 1. With my whole heart. This includes spirituality, simplicity, and earnestness. -- Joseph Irons.

Verse 1.

Verse 1. Where I love to be, and what I love to do.