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.

eft

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

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

15 The fprings of waters were seen, and the foundations of the round world were discovered 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 out his commandments from me.

and will not caft

3 F

23 I was

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

24 Therefore shall the Lord reward me after my righte ous dealing and according unto the cleanness of hands my 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 fhalt be clean and with the froward thou shalt learn frowardness.

27 For thou fhalt fave the people that are in adverfity: 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 shall 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 shall 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

41 They fhall cry, but there fhall be none to help them : yea, even unto the Lord fhall they cry, but he shall not

hear them.

42 I will beat them as fmall as the dust before the wind: I will caft them out as the clay in the streets.

43 Thou shalt deliver me from the ftrivings of the people: and thou shalt make me the head of the heathen.

44 A people whom I have not known: fhall ferve me. 45 As foon as they hear of me, they fhall obey me: but the ftrange children fhall dissemble with me.

46 The ftrange children fhall fail: and be afraid out of their prifons.

47 The Lord liveth, and bleffed be my ftrong helper: and praised be the God of my falvation.

48 Even the God that feeth that I be avenged: and fubdueth the people unto me.

49 It is he that delivereth me from my cruel enemies, and fetteth me up above mine adverfaries: thou fhalt rid me from the wicked man.

50 For this caufe will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles: and fing praises unto thy Name.

51 Great profperity giveth he unto his King: and sheweth loving-kindness unto David his Anointed, and unto his feed for evermore.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

Pfal. xviii.] 1. From the first words of this fong we learn, that the divine favours and deliverances should infpire us with the most tender and fincere affection, and lead us to praife God continually. 2. David's ac⚫ count of the extreme dangers he had been expofed to, and the wonderful power of God difplayed in his deliverance, fhews, that whatever extremities we fall into, we should never defpair of God's affiftance, if we fear him; that his power is greater than man's; and that he never wants means to deliver thofe who hope in him. 3. When David fays, that God had rewarded him according to his righteoufnefs, it cannot mean, that he thought himself innocent before God; but he thus fpeaks, firft, to fignify that God had maintained the juftice of his caufe againft Saul, and all these who had perfecuted him unjustly, or would not own him for king; and fecondly, to fhew that God had approved of his never forfaking the pure religion, and the worship of the true God. 4, We obferve in this pfalm, the unhappy state of the wicked; fince, as David fays, when they are in diftrefs, there is none to deliver them, and when

they

PRAYER.

MORNING

Pfalm xix. Cæli enarrant.

THE

HE heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament fheweth his handy-work.

2 One day telleth another: and one night certifieth another.

3 There is neither fpeech, nor language: but their voices are heard among them.

4 Their found is gone out into all lands: and their words into the ends of the world.

5 In them hath he fet a tabernacle for the fun which cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chaniber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course.

6 It goeth forth from the uttermoft part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

7 The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the foul: the teftimony of the Lord is fure, and giveth wifdom unto the fimple.

8 The ftatutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether,

10 More to be defired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold fweeter alfo than hony, and the hony-comb.

11 Moreover, by them is thy fervant taught; and in keeping of them there is great reward.

a

12 Who can tell how oft he offendeth: O cleanse thou me from my fecret faults.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

they cry to the Lord, he will not hear them. The confideration of fo nelancholy a condition, ought to be a powerful motive to deter us from fin. Laftly, David's zeal, expreffed in the last verses of this pfalm, prove, that it is not fufficient to praife God in private for his mercies, but that we ought to proclaim his praifes and loving kindness to the atmott of our power, that his holy name may be glorified by us, and by all

men.

PRAC

44

13 Keep thy fervant alfo from prefumptuous fins, left they get the dominion over me: fo fhall I be undefiled, and innocent from the great offence.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be alway acceptable in thy fight,

15 O Lord: my strength, and my Redeemer,

Pfalm xx. Exaudiat te Dominus.

TH

HE Lord hear thee in the day of trouble: the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee.

2 Send thee help from the fanctuary: and ftrengthen thee out of Sion.

3 Remember all thy offerings: and accept thy burntfacrifice.

4 Grant thee thy hearts defire: and fulfil all thy mind.

5 We will rejoice in thy falvation, and triumph in the Name of the Lord our God; the Lord perform all thy pe titions.

6 Now know I, that the Lord helpeth his Anointed, and will hear him from his holy heaven: even with the wholesome strength of his right hand.

7 Some put their truft in chariots, and fome in horses: but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

Pfal. xix.] King David here mentions the two principal means by which God has made himself known to us; which are, the works of nature, and his word. Let us therefore make a good ufe of both thefe means; meditating upon the former, which affords us fuch proofs of his power and wifdom; but particularly let us apply ourfelves to the reading and meditating on his word, David's high encomiums on God's word inform us, that it is a fure, evident, and unerring rule of faith and practice that it is of infinitely more value than the most excellent things of this world; that it was given to enlighten and fanctify us, to rejoice and comfort the heart; that the fear of the Lord procures perfect happiness to those who are poffeffed with it; and that there is great reward in the keeping of his holy commandments. To thefe reflections let us add cur humble and hearty prayers to God, with David, that he would imprint thefe truths in our hearts; that he would pardon all our fins; that he would preferve us above all from the fins of prefumption; and that he would fo fanctify our thoughts, words, and actions, that they may be always acceptable in his fight.

PRAC.