2 How long will ye give wrong judgment: and accept the perfons of the ungodly?

3 Defend the poor and fatherlefs: fee that fuch as are in need and neceffity have right.

4 Deliver the out-caft and poor: fave them from the hand of the ungodly.

5 They will not be learned nor understand, but walk on still in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

6 I have faid, Ye are gods: and ye are all the children of the most Highest.

*

7 But ye fhall die like men: and fall like one of the princes. 8 Arife, O God, and judge thou the earth: for thou shalt take all heathen to thine inheritance.

‡ Pfalm 83. Deus, quis fimilis?

HR

OLD not thy tongue, O God, keep not still silence: refrain not thyself, O God.

2 For lo, thine enemies make a murmuring: and they that hate thee have lift up their head.

3 They have imagined craftily against thy people: and taken counsel against thy fecret ones.

4 They have said, Come, and let us root them out, that they be no more a people: and that the name of Ifrael may be no more in remembrance.

5 For they have cast their heads together with one consent: and are confederate against thee;

6 *The tabernacles of the Edomites and the Ifmaelites: the Moabites and Hagarens;

7 Gebal, and Ainmon, and Amalech: the Philiftines, with them that dwell at Tyre.

This is a grave remonftrance to Judges and Magiftrates in which the Prophet Exhorts them to a faithful administration of Juftice from the confideration that they are under God's infpection-that they are mortal -and muft one Day be accountable for their conduct.

But ye fhail die like Men. &c. How fhould it humble all human pride, and bring down the high

looks of the haughty, to confider that the King and the Beggar must be put upon a level in the Grave; and that in another ftate Mankind will be arranged, not according to the titles or diftinctions which they bore in this World, but according as they have excelled one another in Virtue."

Several of the neighbouring Nations having affem

8 Affur also is joined with them: and have holpen the children of Lot.

9 But do thou to them as unto the Madianites: unto Sifera, and unto Jabin at the brook of Kifon;

"

10 Who perished at Endor: and became as the dung of the earth.

11 Make them and their princes like Oreb and Zeb: yea, make all their princes like as Zeba and Salmana;

12 Who fay, Let us take to ourselves: the houses of God in poffeffion.

13 O my God make them like unto a wheel. and as the ftubble before the wind;

14 Like as the fire that burneth up the wood: and as the flame that confumeth the mountains.

15 Perfecute them even fo with thy tempeft: and make them afraid with thy ftorm.

16 Make their faces afhamed, O Lord: that they may seek thy

name.

17. Let them be confounded and vexed ever more and more: let them be put to fhame and perish.

18 And they fhall know that thou whose Name is Jehovah: art only the most Higheft over all the earth.

§ Pfalm 84. Quam dilecta!

OH

HOW amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of hofts!
2 My foul hath a defire and longing to enter into the

bled themselves to make War against the Ifraelites, the
Prophet intreats God to fubdue them as he had for
merly done to the Kings who made War against Ifrael
in the times of the Judges. This Pfalm is thought to
(refer to the affair related in z Chron. XX.

The Tabernacles of the Edomites and the Ifmaelites,
c. There is great propriety in the expreffion Taber-
nacles. For the wild Arabs who are the defcendents of
Ifmael live in Tents continually, as well in Peace as
War.
And in them is fulfilled at this very Day that
remarkable Prophecy Genefis xvi. 12. He will be

O

a wild Man; his hand will be against every Man, and every Man's hand against him: and he shall dwell in the prefence of all is Brethren.

The royal Prophet being excluded from the public worship of God in the Tabernacle, by his Son Abjalom's Rebellion, expreffes a molt ardent defire of being rettorea to it,-celebrates the happiness of those who could attend it at all times-and declares he fhould prefer that happinefs before every other worldly advantage without it.

courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God. 3 Yea, the fparrow hath found her an houfe, and the fwallow a neft, where the may lay her young: even thy altars, O Lord of hofts, my King and my God.

4 Bleffed are they that dwell in thy houfe: they will be alway praifing thee.

5 Befled is the man whofe ftrength is in thee: in whose heart are thy ways.

ó Who going through the vale of mifery, use it for a well: and the poo's are filled with water.

7 They will go from strength to ftrength: and unto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion.

8 O Lord God of hofts hear my prayer: hearken, O God of Jacob.

9 Behold, O God our defender: and look upon the face of thine Anointed.

1 For one day in thy courts: is better than a thousand.

11 I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God; than to dweil in the tents of ungodliness.

12 For the Lord God is a light and defence: the Lord will give grace and worship, and no good thing fhall he withhold from them that live a godly life.

13

O Lord God of hofts: bleffed is the man that putteth his truft in thee.

| Pfalm 85. Benedixifti, Domine.

Li

ORD, though art become gracious unto thy land: though haft turned away the captivity of Jacob.

2 Thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people: and covered all their fins.

3 Thou haft taken away all thy displeasure: and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.

4 Turn us then, O God our Saviour: and let thine anger cease from us.

5 Wilt thou be difpleafed at us for ever: and wilt thou ftretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?

6 Wilt thou not turn again and quicken us: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

7 Shew us thy mercy, O Lord: and grant us thy falvation. 8 I will hearken what the Lord God will fay concerning me: for he shall speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, that they turn not again.

*

9. For his falvation is nigh them that fear him: that glory may

dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kiffed each other.

11 Truth fhall flourish out of the earth: and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.

12 Yea, the Lord fhall fhew loving kindness: and our land fhall give her increase.

13 Righteoufnefs fhall go before him: and he fhall direct his going in the way.

MORNING

|| Pfalm 86. Inclina Domine.

B and in mitery.

O W down thine ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am poor

2 Preferve thou my foul, for I am holy: my God, fave thy fervant that putteth his truft in thee.

began to be united into one body and to be elevated
with hopes of their former glory Though, in a sub-
limer fente, it has been thought to refer to the times
of the Mah.

PRAYER.

but Jefus Chrift, concerning whom it is faid that ne was made Flesh and dwelt among us (and we beh la his Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of Grace and Truth. John i. 14. He is alfa faid to be the Glory of his People Ifrael Luke ii. 32.

David, confcious of his own Weakness and need

For bis Salvation is nigh them that fear him; that Glory, &c. This was completely fulfilled in none

3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I will call daily upon thee. 4 Comfort the foul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my foul.

5

For thou, Lord, art good and gracious: and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

6 Give ear, Lord, unto my prayer: and ponder the voice of my humble defires.

7 In the time of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou heareft me.

8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord: there is not one that can do as thou doeft.

9 All nations whom thou haft made, fhall come and worship thee, O Lord: and fhall glorify thy Name.

10 For thou art great, and doeft wondrous things: thou art God alone.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth: 0 knit my heart unto thee, that I may fear thy Name.

12 I will thank thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and will praise thy Name for evermore.

13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou haft delivered my foul from the nethermoft hell.

14 O God, the proud are rifen against me: and the congregations of naughty men have fought after my foul, and have not set thee before their eyes.

15 But thou, O Lord God, art full of compaffion and mercy: long-fuffering, plenteous in goodness and truth.

16 O turn thee then unto me, and have mercy upon me: give thy ftrength unto thy fervant, and help the fon of thine handmaid.

of the divine Affiftance, here earnestly calls upon God
to help, teach, govern, and establish him in Innocency
of Life. He prays to him with a firm confidence of
being heard; and at the fame Time proclaims his in-
finite power, Majefty, and Mercy.
Preferve thou my Soul, for I am boly &c. This Ex-
preflion may at firft Sight appear harfh for David to
utter concerning himself; because, he fays elsewhere

that in God's fight no Man living fhall be justified: yet David might be faid to be holy in respect of his ene. mies; and might therefore have reafon to hope that God on that account would fhew Kindness to him in preference to them, becaufe, as the Man that had been born blind justly observed, We know that God heareth not Sinners: bt if any Man be a Worshipper of God and doeth his Will, him he beareth John 9. 31.