An exhortation to bless God for his own excellencies, Psa 113:1-6; and for his great mercy to the poor and necessitous, Psa 113:7-9. Psa 113:1-9, Psa 114:1-8, 115, 116, Psa 117:1-2, and 118, form the great Hallel, and were sung by the Jews on their most solemn festivals, and particularly at the passover. To these reference is made by the evangelists, Mat 26:30, and Mar 14:26, there called the hymn which Jesus and his disciples sung at the passover, for the whole of the Psalms were considered as one grand hymn or thanksgiving. It was probably composed after the return from the captivity. It has no title but Hallelujah in the Hebrew and ancient Versions.
Verse 1
Praise, O ye servants - Probably an address to the Levites. The Anglo-Saxon has praise the Lord, ye knaves. Knapa or knave signified among our ancestors a servant; sometimes a male, a young man.