Page images
PDF
EPUB

3

Pfalm xvi. Conferva me, Domine.

P me, O God, for i

Referve me, O God: for in thee have I put my trust.

2 O my foul, thou haft faid unto the Lord: Thou art my God; my goods are nothing unto thee.

3 All my delight is upon the faints that are in the earth: and upon fuch as excel in virtue..

4 But they that run after another god: fhall have great

trouble.

5 Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer: neither make mention of their names within my lips.

6 The Lord himself is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup: thou fhalt maintain my lot.

7 The lot is fallen unto me in a fair ground: yea, I have a goodly heritage.

8 I will thank the Lord for giving me warning: my reins also chaften me in the night-feafon.

9 I have fet God always before me: for he is on my right hand, therefore I shall not fall.

my

10 Wherefore my heart was glad, and my glory rejoiced: flesh alfo fhall rest in hope.

11 For why? thou fhalt not leave my foul in hell: neither fhalt thou fuffer thy Holy One to fee corruption.

17 Thou shalt fhew me the path of life; in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore.

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. church; but only thofe who walk in uprightnefs, who are faithful and fincere in their discourse and all their behaviour; who avoid fander, injuftice, and extortion; who love good men, and religiously keep their promifes and engagements. Such is the character of a virtuous man, and one that fears God; and fuch is the glorious recompence that is promifed to him and fince none but these can enjoy the effects of God's love in this world or the next, we ought to apply ourselves with great earnestness to all thefe duties, and live in innocence and integrity; and then shall we experience the truth of the promife made in this pfalm, Whofo doeth these things fhall never fall."

:

Pfal. xvi.] We are here to obferve the fentiments of the children of God, and their happiness. As to their fentiments, David teaches us by his example, that they always truth in God; that they love and efteem the

H

3

Pfalm xvii. Exaudi, Domine.

EAR the right, O Lord, confider my complaint: and hearken unto my prayer, that goeth not out of teigned lips.

2 Let my fentence come forth from thy prefence: and let thine eyes look upon the thing that is equal.

3 Thou haft proved and visited mine heart in the nightfeafon; thou haft tried me, and fhalt find no wickedness in me: for I am utterly purpofed that my mouth fhall not offend.

4 Because of mens works that are done against the words. of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the deftroyer. 5 O hold thou up my goings in thy paths: that my footsteps flip not.

6 I have called upon thee, O God, for thou fhalt hear me: incline thine ear to me, and hearken unto my words.

7 Shew thy marvellous loving-kindness, thou that art the Saviour of them which put their truft in thee: from fuch as refift thy right hand.

8 Keep me as the apple of an eye: hide me under the fhadow of thy wings,

9 From the ungodly that trouble me: mine enemies compaís me round about to take away my foul.

10 They are inclofed in their own fat and their mouth Speaketh proud things.

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.

pious and virtuous above all; that they avoid the company and errors of the wicked, and adhere inviolably to the pure fervice of God. As to their happiness, this pfalm teaches us that it is very great; that God himself is their portion and inheritance; that he is on their right hand, that they may never be moved; and that the fenfe of their happiness makes them rejoice and praise God continually; and that they are even convinced that God will not abandon them to the power of death. Lastly, though what has been faid in this pfalm may fuit David and all the faithful, yet it is to be obferved, that these words, Thou wilt not leave my foul in hell, neither fhalt thou fuffer thy holy One to fee corruption," were compleatly fulfilled only in Chrift; who, (as St Peter takes notice, Acts ii. being the holy One of God, did not remain in the grive nor fee corruption; but was raifed the third day, and exalted to heaven, where he reigneth over all things, and has prepared for all true believers joys that never shall expire.

66

PRAC

11 They lie waiting in our way on every fide: turning their eyes down to the ground.

12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey: and as it were a lion's whelp lurking in fecret places.

13 Up, Lord, disappoint him, and caft him down: deliver my foul from the ungodly, which is a fword of thine.

14 From the men of thy hand, O Lord, from the men, I fay, and from the evil world: which have their portion in this life, whofe bellies thou fillet with thy hid treasure. 15 They have children at their defire and leave the rest of their fubftance for their babes.

+6 But as for me, I will behold thy prefence in righteoufnefs and when I awake up after thy likeness, I fhall be Satisfied with it.

I

EVENING PRAYER.

Pfalm xviii. Diligam te, Domine.

Will love thee, O Lord, my ftrength; the Lord is my ftony rock, and my defence: my Saviour, my God, and my might, in whom I will truft, my buckler, the horn alfo of my falvation, and my refuge.

2 I will call upon the Lord, which is worthy to be praised: fo fhall I be fafe from mine enemies.

3 The forrows of death compaffed me: and the overflowings of ungodlinefs made me afraid.

4 The pains of hell came about me: the fnares of death overtook me.

5 In my trouble I will call upon the Lord: and complain unto my God.

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS..

Pfal. xvii ] 1. The confidence with which David calls upon the Lord in this pfalm, fhews the great advantage of an honeft and fincere heart; fince in all conditions good men can apply to God with assurance, knowing that he will always be their protector; "that he preferves them as the apple of his eye, and keeps them under the fhadow of his wings." 2. The laft words of this pfalm, "But as for me, I will behold thy prefence in righteoufnefs; and when I awake up after thy likeness, I fhall be fitisfied with it;" fhould raife our thoughts to the defire and expectation of eternal happinefs, which the righteous fhall enjoy after the refurrection.

3

6 So fhall he hear my voice out of his holy temple: and my complaint fhall come before him; it fhall enter even into his ears

7 The earth trembled and quaked: the very foundations alfo of the hills fhook, and were removed, because he was wroth.

8 There went a fmoak out in his prefence: and a confuming fire out of his mouth, fo that coals were kindled at it. 9 He bowed the heavens alfo, and came down and it was dark under his feet.

10 He rode upon the cherubins, and did fly: he came flying upon the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his fecret place: his pavilion round about him with dark water, and thick clouds to cover him. 12 At the brightness of his prefence his clouds removed : hail-ftones, and coals of fire.

13 The Lord alfo thundered out of heaven, and the Higheft gave his thunder: hail-ftones, and coles of fire.

14 He fent out his arrows, and fcattered them: he caft forth lightnings, and deftroyed them.

15 The fprings of waters were feen, and the foundations of the round world were difcovered at thy chiding, O Lord: at the blafting of the breath of thy difpleasure.

16 He fhall fend down from on high to fetch me: and fhall take me out of many waters.

17 He fhall deliver me from my ftrongest enemy, and from them which hate me: for they are too mighty for me. 18 They prevented me in the day of my trouble: but the Lord was my upholder.

19 He brought me forth alfo into a place of liberty: he brought me forth, even because he had a favour unto me.

20 The Lord fhall reward me after my righteous dealing according to the cleannets of my hands fhall he recompenfe me.

21 Because I have kept the ways of the Lord: and have not forfaken my God, as the wicked doth.

22 For I have an eye unto all his laws and will not caft out his commandments from me. 3 F

23 I was

23 I was alfo uncorrupt before him and efchewed mine own wickedness.

24 Therefore fhall the Lord reward me after my righteous dealing and according unto the cleanness of my hands in his eye-fight.

25 With the holy thou fhalt be holy and with a perfect man thou shalt be perfect.

26 With the clean thou shalt be clean: and with the froward thou thalt learn frowardness.

27 For thou fhalt fave the people that are in adversity: and fhalt bring down the high looks of the proud.

28 Thou alfo fhalt light my candle: the Lord my God fhall make my darkness to be light.

29

For in thee I fhall difcomfit an hoft of men and with the help of my God I fhall leap over the wall.

30 The way of God is an undefiled way: the word of the Lord alfo is tried in the fire; he is the defender of all them that put their trust in him.

31 For who is God, but the Lord: or who hath any ftrength except our God?

32 It is God that girdeth me with ftrength of war: and maketh my way perfect.

33 He maketh my feet like harts feet: and fetteth me up on high.

34 He teacheth mine hands to fight: and mine arms fhall break even a bow of steel.

35 Thou haft given me the defence of thy falvation : thy right hand alfo fhall hold me up, and thy loving correction fhall make me great.

36 Thou shalt make room enough under me for to go: that my footsteps fhall not flide.

37 I will follow upon mine enemies, and overtake them : neither will I turn again till I have deftroyed them.

38 I will fmite them that they fhall not be able to stand: but fall under my feet.

39 Thou haft girded me with ftrength unto the battle: thou shalt throw down mine enemies under me.

40 Thou haft made mine enemies alfo to turn their backs upon me and I fhall deftroy them that hate me.

41 They

« PreviousContinue »