: 40 And he gave them over into the hand of the hea then and they that hated them, were lords over them. 41 Their enemies oppreffed them: and had them in fubjection. 42 Many a time did he deliver them: but they rebelled against him with their own inventions, and were brought down in their wickedness. 43 Nevertheless, when he faw their adverfity: he heard their complaint. 44 He thought upon his covenant, and pitied them, according unto the multitude of his mercies: yea, he made all those that led them away captive to pity them. 45 Deliver us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen: that we may give thanks unto thy holy Name, and make our boaft of thy praise. 46 Bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael from everlasting, and world without end: and let all the people fay, Amen. MORNING PRAYER. Pfalm cvii. Confitemini Domino. Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious: and his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Let them give thanks, whom the Lord hath re deemed and delivered from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the weft: from the north, and from the south. 4 They went aftray in the wilderness out of the way: and found no city to dwell in; 5 Hungry and thirsty; their foul fainted in them. Pfalm cvii.] All perfons are called upon in this pfalm to acknowledge the mercies of God in refcuing them from feveral dangers to which they are expofed during every part of their lives, peculiarly from hunger, imprifonment, difeafe, and danger by fea. The author, and the occafion of this pfalm, are unknown. It was fung in parts alternately. 4] Their paffage through the wilderness not being a journeying fuch as when men pafs on in a road to fome inhabited place, and though they are at prefent in the wilderness, yet if they have provifion for a time, they will foon arrive at the end of their labours, but a wandering up and down from all path and road in an endless maze. 6 So they cried unto the Lord in their trouble: and he delivered them from their distress. : 7 He led them forth by the right way that they might go to the city where they dwelt. 8 O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men! 9 For he fatisfieth the empty foul and filleth the hungry foul with goodness; 10 Such as fit in darkness, and in the fhadow of death: being faft bound in mifery and iron. 11 Because they rebelled against the words of the Lord : and lightly regarded the counfel of the most Highest ; 12 He alfo brought down their heart through heavi nefs they fell down, and there was none to help them. 13 So when they cried unto the Lord in their trouble: he delivered them out of their diftrefs. 14 For he brought them out of darkness, and out of the fhadow of death: and brake their bonds in funder. 15. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men! 16 For he hath broken the gates of brass: and fmitten the bars of iron in funder. 17 Foolish men are plagued for their offence: and because of their wickedness. 18 Their foul abhorred all manner of meat: and they were even hard at death's door. 19 So when they cried unto the Lord in their trouble: he delivered them out of their diftrefs. 20 He fent his word, and healed them: and they were faved from their destruction. 21 O that men wonld therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men! 22 That they would offer unto him the facrifice of thanksgiving and tell out his works with gladness! 23 They that go down to the fea in fhips: and occupy their bufinefs in great waters; 24 These men fee the works of the Lord: and his wonders in the deep. 25 For at his word the ftormy wind arifeth: which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26 They are carried up to the heaven, and down again tothe deep their foul melteth away because of the trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wit's end. 28 So when they cry unto the Lord in their trouble: he delivereth them out of their distress. 29 For he maketh the ftorm to cease: fo that the waves thereof are still. 30 Then are they glad becaufe they are at rest: and fo he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be. 31 O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men! 32 That they would exalt him alfo in the congregation of the people and praise him in the feat of the elders, 33 Who turneth the floods into a wilderness: and drieth up the water-fprings. 34 A fruitful land maketh he barren: for the wickednefs of them that dwell therein. 35 Again, he maketh the wilderness a standing water: and water-fprings of a dry ground. 36 And there he fetteth the hungry that they may build them a city to dwell in ; 37 That they may fow their land, and plant vineyards: to yield them fruits of increase. 38 He bleffeth them, fo that they multiply exceed. ingly and fuffereth not their cattle to decrease. 39 And again, when they are minished and brought low through oppreffion, through any plague, or trouble; 40 Though he fuffer them to be evil-entreated through tyrants and let them wander out of the way in the wilderness ; 41 Yet helpeth he the poor out of mifery: and maketh him houfholds like a flock of fheep. 42 The righteous will confider this, and rejoice: and the mouth of all wickedness shall be stopped. 43 Whofo is wife, will ponder these things: and they fhall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. EVENING PRAYER. Pfalm cviii. Paratum cor meum. GOD, my heart is ready, my heart is ready: I will fing and give praife with the beft member that I have. 2 Awake, thou lute and harp: I myself will awake right early. 3 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people I will fing praises unto thee among the nations. 4 For thy mercy is greater than the heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. 5 Set up thyfelf, O God, above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth. 6 That thy beloved may be delivered: let thy right hand fave them, and hear thou me. 7 God hath spoken in his holiness: I will rejoice therefore, and divide Sichem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. 8 Gilead is mine, and Manaffes is mine: Ephraim alfo is the ftrength of my head. 9 Judah is my law-giver, Moab is my wash-pot: over Edom will I caft out my fhoe; upon Philiftia will I triumph. 10 Who will lead me into the ftrong city: and who will bring me into Edom? 11 Haft not thou forfaken us, O God: and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hofts? Pfalm cviii.] This pfalm was compofed by David. The first five verses are taken from pfalm lvii. 7-11; and the last eight are found in pfalm lx. 12. It commemorates God's mercies to David in the victories obtained by him over his enemies round about, particularly at the taking of Rabba, (2 Sam. xii. 29;) together with a prayer for a continuance of God's mercies. 11] This paffage, although in words the fame as in pfalm lx. 10, muft yet be understood in a fomewhat different fenfe. All that was faid there in an addrefs to God for his affiftance, is here repeated in a triumphant train. Let them now that afk that queftion, which formerly they did by way of fcorn, but now have little reafon to afk," Wilt not thou, O God, 12 O help us against the enemy: for vain is the help of man. 13 Through God we fhall do great acts: and it is he that fhall tread down our enemies. HOL Pfalm cix. Deus laudum. OLD not thy tongue, O God of my praife: for deceitful is opened upon me. the mouth of the 2 And they have spoken againft me with falfe tongues: they compaffed me about alfo with words of hatred, and fought against me without a caufe. 3 For the love that I had unto them, lo, they take now my contrary part: but I give myself unto prayer. 4 Thus have they rewarded me evil for good: and hatred for my good-will. 5" Set thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him: "and let Satan ftand at his right hand. who hadft caft us off?" It now appears by the event, that although God for a time withheld fuccefs, went not out with our armies, yet is now graciously pleased to efpoufe our caufe, and give us this great victory. Pfalm cix.]" David defcribes the malice and injuftice of his enemies, and gives a particular account of their imprecations against him. He then befeecheth God to deal kindly with him, and to disappoint the malice of his accufers, and promifeth that he will joyfully celebrate him, as the deliverer of the helplefs from unmerciful oppreffors." David in the anguish of his heart pours forth all his complaint before God, and recites the dreadful things Spoken against him by others. 3] The words to the end of this verfe convey no curfe whatever; they exprefs only a complaint of the ingratitude and injuftice of his perfecutors, and a confciousness of his not deferving them. 4 Thus] I think this word prepares the reader for the change of the fpeakers. In these words they have done it. It fhould be obferved, that David fays, "Thus have they rewarded me evil for good;" as in the 41ft pfalm, "All mine enemies whisper together against me, even againft me do they imagine this evil. Let the fentence of guiltinefs proceed against him, and now that he lieth let him rife up no more." 5] Here the imprecations of David's enemies commence. This is a defcription of a court of judicature, in which the perfon here spoken of is to be condemned. And that will follow, if a wicked man be fet on the tribunal before which he is arraigned. In agreement with this are the words, "and let Satan (the adverfary or accufer) tandat his right hand;" according to the cuftom of the Jewish judicature, where he that managed the plea was placed at the right hand of the accufed. And then it follows, when he fhall come to receive his fentence, let him go out wicked or condemned. The notion of going out is oppofed to that of ftanding in judgment, and of wicked as opposed to juft or acquitted. |