mischief: eating up my people as it were bread, and call not upon

the Lord?

9 There were they brought in great fear, even where no fear was: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

10 As for you, ye have made a mock at the counsel of the poor: because he putteth his truft in the Lord.

II Who fhall give falvation unto Ifrael out of Sion? When the Lord turneth the captivity of his people: then fhall Jacob rejoice, and Ifrael fhall be glad.

MORNING

PRAYER. § Pfalm 15. Domine, quis habitabit?

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ORD, who fhall dwell in thy tabernacle: or who shall reft upon thy holy hill?

2 Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life: and doeth the thing which is right, and speaketh the truth from his heart.

3 He that hath ufed no deceit in his tongue, nor done evil to his neighbour and hath not flandered his neighbour.

4 He that fetteth not by himself, but is lowly in his own eyes: and maketh much of them that fear the Lord.

5 He that fweareth unto his neighbour, and disappointeth him not: though it were to his own hindrance.

6 He that hath not given his money upon ufury: nor taken reward against the innocent.

7 Whoso doeth these things: fhall never fall.
§ Pfalm 16. Conferva me, Domine.

PReferve

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.

In this Pfalm is pointed out to us what qualifications were requifite for fuch as would ferve God acceptably in his Tabernacle.

Lord who fhall dwell in thy Tabernacle? &c. From this inftructive Pfalm we learn that it is not fufficient for obtaining the divine favour that we be merely Pro Jelors of a pure and rational Religion; or that we Conform ourselves ftrictly to its outward Rites and Cere

monies: but that we ought also to fhew forth its influ ence upon our Lives and Converfations by becoming fruitful in all good Works; viz. by abftaining from Slander, Injuftice and Oppreffion, by a strict adherence to Sincerity and Uprightnefs, tho' it should prove to our temporal difadvantage-and giving all due en couragement to Men of Virtue and Holiness. Such; even reafon tells us, are the diftinguishing marks of

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

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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 shalt 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-feason.

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

16 Wherefore my heart was glad, and my glory rejoiced: my Alesh also shall rest in hope.

II For why? thou shalt not leave my foul in hell: neither shalt thou fuffer thy holy One to fee corruption.

12 Thou shalt fhew me the path of life; in thy prefence is the fulness of joy: and at thy right hand there is pleafure for evermore. Pfalm 17. Exaudi, Domine.

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EAR the right, O Lord, confider my complaint: and hearken unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips. 2 Let my fentence come forth from thy prefence: and let thine look upon the thing that is equal.

eyes

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true Religion and they who are poffeffed of them God
will one Day moft affuredly acknowledge as his Fa-
vourites, and admit them as Citizens of the New Jeru-
falem. Whilst to all mere nominal Believers, of what-
ever felt, he will declare, I know you not, depart from
me all ye that work Iniquity.

In this Pfalm David implores the divine protection,
not as due to his Merit, but as an act of Mercy: pro-
mifing to fhew his Gratitude for God's goodness, by
an affectionate regard to all fuch as are truly religious;
and an utter abhorrence of Idolatry and Prophane-
nefs, acknowleding that Jehovah is the only true God,
his chief good, and the Author and Fountain of all
good, by whom he is aflifted, defended, governed,

3 Thou haft proved and vifited mine heart in the night-season; thou haft tried me, and shalt 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 destroyer.

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.

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7 Shew thy marvellous loving kindness, thou that art the Saviour of them which put their truft in thee: from fuch as resist 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 compass me round about to take away my foul.

10 They are inclosed in their own fat: and their mouth speaketh proud things.

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 lions whelp, lurking in fecret places.

13 Up, Lord, difappoint 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, whose bellies thou filleft with thy hid treasure.

15 They have children at their defire: and leave the rest of their fubftance for their babes.

16 *But as for me, I will behold thy prefence in righteousness:

and when I awake up after thy likeness, I shall be satisfied with it. EVENING PRAYER.

|| Pfalm 18. Diligam te, Domine.

I

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 also of my falvation, and my refuge.

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

3 The forrows of death compassed me: and the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid.

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

trouble I will call upon the Lord: and complain unto

5 In my my God.

6 So fhall he hear my voice out of his holy temple: and my complaint shall 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 fmoke 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,

Let us therefore fo learn to imitate God in all Holinefs here, that we may be like him hereafter in eternal Felicity.

This is a Hymn of Thanksgiving for David' deliverance from Saul, and from all his Enemies : which as it is truly fublime in its language; fo the fentiments it contains are just and admirable. In which he defcribes the great Dangers he had been

expofed to, his wonderful deliverances, and the Vic tories he had gained by the divine auftance extolling the power, justice, and goodness, which God had fhewn in his preservation.

1 The Earth trembled and quaked, &c. &c. This truly fublime and rhetorical defcription of God's interpofition in David's behalf, feems ftrongly to allude to the reprefentation of God's appearance upon Mount C

12 At the brightnefs of his prefence his clouds removed: hailftones, and coals of fire.

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o! 13 The Lord also thundered out of heaven,, and the highest gave his thunder: hail-ftones, and coals of fire., by a 5 Ι 14 He fent out his arrows, and fcattered them, the caft forth lightnings, and destroyed them. ad! too you do n

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 displeasure.

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Pi..

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

17 He fhall deliver me from my strongest 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 also 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 cleannefs of my hands fhall he recompenfe me.

f

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.

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

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 shalt be holy and with a perfect man thou shalt be perfect.

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

Sinai at the delivery of the Law: and under the fgurative expreffions of Clouds, Hail, Thunders, Light nings and Earthquakes is reprefented God's difpleafare

against David's Enemies, his readinefs to deliver him, and the dreadful exercife of his power in taking ven geance upon them. That we may in like manner en