themselves free from the infection, and in the midst of the disorders that prevail, always look up to God, and put their trust in him. III. This Psalm engages us to consider further, that God beholds from heaven the sins which are committed; that he will punish them; and that those who dread not his power, shall one day have terror and consternation for their portion. Lastly, It should be remarked, that St. Paul, in the third chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, quotes this Psalm, to prove that the Jews were sinners as well as the heathen; that, consequently, they could not be justified by the law of Moses, but only by faith in Jesus Christ.

PSALM LIV.

KING Saul being informed by the men of Ziph, that David was retired into their country, and going thither to take him, David prays God to defend him from those that sought his death, and he promises to praise and bless him when he granted his request. The event which gave occasion to this prayer, recorded in the twenty-third and twenty-sixth chapters of the First Book of Samuel.

Reflections.

is

In this Psalm David does three things. I. He implores the divine assistance in the danger that threatened him. II. He expresses a firm reliance upon God. III. He promises to praise him for ever. The Royal Prophet teaches us by his example, that prayer should always be our refuge in the time of danger; that even when men have conspired our ruin, if we call upon the Lord with a pure heart, he will protect us; and that when he has heard us, we ought to bless him with all our heart, and make grateful acknowledgments.

PSALM LV.

David, fearing he should fall into the hands of his enemies, calls upon the Lord, and represents the ex

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treme danger he was in. He complains, that he had been betrayed and slandered by those very men whom he had shown the greatest friendship to, and had confided most in. However, he comforts himself with hopes that God would not forsake him, but would destroy those that sought his ruin.

Reflections.

THE example of David shows, I. That the faithful may be persecuted by wicked men, and even sometimes hated by those whose assistance they had reason to expect. II. That in this condition they apply themselves to God with confidence, and are assured he will support them, and restrain the malice of those who unjustly persecute them. However, we must take care not to make an ill use of this Psalm, and some others of the like nature, by applying what David says against his persecutors to the occasions which we may have of complaining against others, for any uneasiness or displeasure which we may be exposed to by them. The offences we receive are, generally speaking, trifling: and if not, a Christian is bound to forgive all, and to hate no man; and should be so far from making imprecations against any, that he ought to pray for those who do him the greatest injury, herein conforming to the laws of the Gospel, and to that pattern of patience and meekness which our Lord has given us in his life and death.

PSALM LVI.

David having been taken by the Philistines in the city of Gath, as we read in the twenty-first chapter of the First Book of Samuel, prays the Lord to have pity on him in that pressing danger; and to his prayer joins praises and thanksgivings, which show the great trust he put in God.

Reflections.

By the example of David we are here taught, that

whatever extremity the children of God are in, and when even force and artifice are employed against them, they are not moved: that their trust in God is so firm, that they do not fear what man can do unto them; and that even before their deliverance they rejoice in the Lord, and pay him their vows and thanksgivings. David assures us likewise, that the sufferings of the righteous are precious in the sight of God, that he sees their troubles and afflictions, and that he puts their tears into his bottle. This is an inestimable blessing which piety procures for us, and is the greatest comfort in our adversities.

PSALM LVII.

David flying before Saul, and being hid in a cave, where he was surprised by Saul, as we read in the twenty-fourth chapter of the First Book of Samuel, offers up this prayer to God, in which he calls upon him for his help, and shows the firm confidence he had in his protection.

Reflections.

We find in this, as in the preceding Psalms, that David, animated by his piety, and supported by his faith, always applied to God for deliverance in the dangers that threatened him. Though we are not exposed to dangers like those of David formerly, and therefore cannot apply to ourselves all we read in this Psalm, we may nevertheless from hence conclude in general, that in our necessities we should draw nigh to God, and hide ourselves under the shadow of his wings; being fully persuaded, that he will not fail to send us help from heaven, and to deliver us. But that we may thus trust in him, we must always adhere stedfastly to our duty, and never make use of any unworthy means to extricate ourselves from any pressing difficulties; herein imitating David, who when he had it in his power to take away Saul's life, when that king came into the cave where he was, would not do it. Lastly, As David,

at the end of the Psalm praises the Lord with holy transports of joy; so it is our duty, after we have experienced the divine assistance, to thank and praise his holy name, and every where publish his goodness towards us.

PSALM LVIII.

I. THIS is a complaint of David against wicked judges, whose impiety and obstinacy to do evil he here describes. II. He likewise foretells, that the divine vengeance should quickly overtake and entirely destroy them. It is probable David here speaks of the counsellors of Saul.

Reflections.

THIS is a Psalm which those in public offices ought to take good notice of, because it teaches them, that if they do not administer strict justice, if they oppress the innocent with artifice or violence, the vengeance of God will overtake them. And in general, we see here, that all those who harden themselves in their evil ways, without hearkening to the voice of God, are likewise threatened with his vengeance. Lastly, we learn from this Psalm, that Providence governs all things righteously; and though the wicked prosper, and good men are afflicted for a while, yet they will always have reason to acknowledge, That there is a reward for the righteous, and that there is a God who judges in the earth.

PSALM LIX.

David, in danger of being taken by some persons whom Saul had sent to his house for that purpose, represents to the Lord the great danger he was in; not doubting but God would deliver him from his enemies, restrain their malice, and make them examples to all the world. The history which gave occasion to this Psalm is contained in the nineteenth chapter of the First Book of Samuel.

Reflections.

THAT we may improve by the reading of this Psalm, it is proper to make these two reflections. I. That David's prayers were heard, and that Providence furnished him with means of escaping the fury of Saul, who sought his life; from whence we learn, that the prayers of the faithful, and their confidence in God, are never in vain. II. It is to be observed, that what David says in this Psalm against his enemies, was not spoken out of a principle of hatred or revenge, but being persecuted unjustly, and his cause being that of God, he might, as a prophet, denounce the divine judgments against them. However, it is not lawful for any private person to make the like prayers. All we are allowed to do when men treat us with malice and injustice, is to keep within the bounds of that meekness prescribed in the Gospel, to return good for evil, and wait with patience for the divine assistance.

PSALM LX.

KING David describes in this Psalm, the wars and calamities to which the Israelites had been exposed, and the victories and deliverances that God had granted them. In the eighth chapter of the Second Book of Samuel, we learn what was the occasion of this Psalm.

Reflections.

I. THE first thing we observe in this Psalm is, that king David lays before God the miseries which had befallen the Israelites: which teaches us, that when nations are exposed to war, and other public calamities, God is the dispenser of them, to chastise and humble them. II. David celebrates the power and goodness of God, who had assisted his people, and given them the victory over their enemies. Thus is God reconciled with men, after he has afflicted them; and in particular disappoints the plots and con