man. At the same time also, he proclaimed himself "the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long suf"fering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keep"ing mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin:" Exod. xxxiv. 6. To all mankind, therefore, the Prophet here recommendeth meditation on these two most interesting subjects, the "power" of God to punish sin, and his mercy" to pardon it. Fear of the former will beget desire of the latter, and both together will set a man upon doing works worthy of their parent faith; works, which God, of his infinite "mercy," for the sake of Christ, has graciously promised to accept, and to "reward."

PSALM LXIII.

ARGUMENT.

David, in the wilderness of Judah, expresseth, 1, 2. his longing desire after the presence of God, and the divine pleasures of the sanctuary; 3-6. he blesseth and praiseth God both day and night, in the midst of affliction, and, 7, 8. declareth his faith to be immoveable; 9, 10. he predicteth the fate of the wicked, with, 11. the exaltation, triumph, and glory of Messiah, to be exhibited in his own. The whole Psalm is applicable to the circumstances of Christ in the flesh, and to those of his people in the world.

1. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2. To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

After the example of the persecuted David in the wilderness of Judah, and that of the afflicted Jesus upon earth, the true Christian dedicates to God "the sweet hour of prime;" he opens the eyes of his understanding, together with those of his body, and awakes, each morning, to righteousness. He arises, with an inextinguishable thirst after those comforts which the world cannot give; and has immediate recourse, by prayer, to the fountain of the water of life; ever longing to behold the divine power and glory, in the sanctuary above, of which he has been favoured with some glimpse in the services of the church below.

3. Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

"Life" is the greatest of earthly blessings, all others being included in it; "all that a man hath," saith Satan," will he give for his life:" Job ii. 4. Not so the Psalmist. He knew a pearl of far greater price, namely, the "loving kindness" of Jehovah, on which is suspended not only the life which now is, but that which is to come. The sense of this loving kindness tuned the harp of the son of Jesse, and now tunes those of the spirits before the throne. 4. Thus will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name.

"While we live," however wretched our condi

tion may be, we have an opportunity of obtaining pardon, grace, and glory; for which we ought, at all times, “to bless” God, “lifting up pure hands" in prayer, employing them in every good work, and all in the "name" of Jesus.

5. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: 6. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

Solitude and stillness render the " night watches” a fit season for meditation on the so often experienced mercies of God; which, when thus called to remembrance, become a delicious repast to the spirit, filling it with all joy, and peace, and consolation; giving songs in the night, and making darkness itself cheerful. How cheerful, then, will be that last morning, when the righteous, awaking up after the divine likeness, shall be "satisfied" with all the fullness of God, and " praise him with joyful lips," in those eternal courts, where there is no night, and from whence sorrow and sighing fly far away!

7. Because thou hast been my help, therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me,

Recollection of past mercies inclines the soul to put herself under the " wing" of an all-shadowing Providence. Should her Redeemer, for a time, seem to be deserting her, faith constraineth her to "follow "hard after him," as a child doth after the father; and not to let go the "hand" which hath so often upholden" her from falling.

9. But those that seek my soul to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. 10. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.

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The enemies of Jehovah, and his Anointed, if they come not to a violent death, an early grave, or to have their carcases devoured by the beasts of the field (as hath sometimes been the case), yet in an after-state, their condition will certainly be deplorable. Their habitation must be in the "pit;" their punishment, the flaming "sword" of almighty vengeance; and their companions, those crafty and malicious ones, who, having contributed to seduce, will help to torment them.

11. But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

If David found cause to rejoice in God, who gave him the victory over all his enemies; if the subjects of David might well glory in their king; if the slanderers of David were put to silence, at beholding him exalted to the throne of Israel; how much greater is the joy of Messiah in the Godhead, giving the manhood victory over his enemies, sin, death, and hell; how much rather may his subjects and worshippers glory in their triumphant King; and how much more shall the blasphemers of such a Saviour be everlastingly confounded, when they shall behold him invested with all the power and majesty of the Father, and seated on the throne of judgement! Surely, THEN, "the mouth of them that "speak lies shall be stopped."

David, in the person of Messiah, 1, 2. prayeth to be delivered from his enemies, from their counsels and insurrections; 3, 4. he describeth their calumnies and slanders, their scoffs and blasphemies, and, 5, 6. their indefatigable malice; predicting, 7—9. their astonishing fall, with, 10. the exaltation of the church, in God her Saviour.

1. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer; preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

The Prophet, after beseeching God to hear him; prefers his petition, which is, to be "preserved from

fear of the enemy." A petition of this kind is granted either by a removal of the ground of fear, when the enemy's power to hurt is taken from him, or his will changed; or else, by an extirpation of the fear itself, through the increase of faith, charity and fortitude. For the former let us pray conditionally, "if it may be done, and if it is God's will that it "should be done," as Christ prayed against the bitter cup in the garden; for the latter we may pray absolutely; since a victory, gained by the fear of God over the fear of man, is a necessary step, and a happy prelude, to a full and final triumph over every enemy of our salvation.

2. Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity.