great Leviathan himself; all, all, are put under the feet of king Messiah; who," because he humbled

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himself, and became obedient unto death, even the "death of the cross, was therefore highly exalted, "and had a name given him above every name, that

at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, whe"ther of things in heaven, or things on earth, or things under the earth; and that every tongue "should confess that JESUS is LORD, to the glory of "God the Father. Phil. ii. 8, &c.

9. O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Let therefore the universal chorus of men and angels join their voices together, and make their sound to be heard as one, in honour of the Redeemer, evermore praising him, and saying, O LORD, our Lord Jesu Christ, King of Righteousness, Peace, and Glory, King of kings, and Lord of lords, how excellent, how precious, how lovely, how great and glorious is thy Name, diffused over all the earth, for the salvation of thy chosen! Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. And let heaven and earth say, AMEN.

SECOND DAY.-MORNING PRAYER.

PSALM IX.

ARGUMENT.

This Psalm consists of two parts, a thanksgiving, 1-12, and a prayer, 13-20. Upon what par

ticular occasion it was composed, is not known; probably to celebrate the victories gained by David over the neighbouring nations, after God had exalted him to be king in Sion. See ver. 11. But most certainly the Psalm was intended for the use of the Christian Church; and she continually, by using it, 1, 2. declares her resolution to celebrate the praises of her God; since, 3, 4. her enemies were vanquished, and her cause was carried; 5, 6. the empire of Satan was subverted, and, 7, 8. the kingdom of Christ established; 9, 10. affording to believers refuge and salvation. For all these blessings, 11, Christians are excited to praise their Redeemer, who, 12. forgets nothing that is done or suffered for his sake. 13, 14. The Church petitions for final deliverance from the world, and the evil thereof; 15, 16. building her hope upon the mercies already received, 17, 18. she foretels the destruction of the wicked; and, 19, 20. prays for the manifestation of God.

1. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvellous works.

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In this animated and exalted hymn, the church begins with declaring her resolution to "praise Jehovah," as the author of her salvation; and that, neither coldly, as if the salvation were little worth ; nor partially, reserving a share of the glory of it to

herself; but with the " whole heart," with an affection pure and flaming, like the holy fire upon the altar. She is determined to "show forth" to the world, for its conviction and conversion, "all his "marvellous works," the most "marvellous" of which are those wrought for, and in, the souls of men. Outward miracles strike more forcibly upon the senses; but they are introductory only to those internal operations, which they are intended to represent.

2. I will be glad and rejoice in thee; I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

Christians are taught to "be glad and rejoice," not in abundance of wealth, or plenitude of power, not in the pleasures of sense, or the praise of men, but in God their Saviour; and their joy is as far superior to the joy of the worldly, as the object of one is to that of the other. He who, with the spirit and the understanding, as well as with the voice, "sings praise to thy name, O most High," is employed as the angels are, and experiences a foretaste of the delight they feel.

3. When mine enemies are driven back, they shall fall, or, they stumble, or fall, and perish at thy presence.

The church begins to explain the subject of her joy, which is a victory over her "enemies;" a victory not gained by herself, but by the " presence of God" in the midst of her. The grand enemy of our salvation was first vanquished by Christ in the wilderness, and "driven back," with the words " Get thee be "hind me, Satan." The same blessed person after

wards completely triumphed over him upon the cross, when "the prince of this world was cast out." This is that great victory, which we celebrate in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, from generation to generation; and, through faith in him who achieved it, we likewise are enabled to fight and to overcome. 4. For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou sattest in the throne judging right.

The same important transaction is here described in forensic, as before it was in military terms. Satan having gotten possession of mankind, might have pleaded his right to keep it, since by transgression they have left God, and sold themselves to him. But Christ, as the church's representative and advocate, made the satisfaction required, paid down the price of redemption, "took the prey from the mighty, "and delivered the lawful captive:" Isa. xlix. 24. Thus was our "right and our cause maintained;" thus we were rescued from the oppressor, and he who "sat on the throne judged righteous judgement." Something of this sort may be supposed to pass, concerning each individual, between the Accuser of the brethren and the eternal Intercessor, in the court of heaven.

5. Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.

To the victory of Christ succeeded the overthrow of Satan's empire in the "The heapagan world. "then were rebuked," when, through the power of the Spirit, in those who preached the Gospel, men were convinced of sin, and of righteousness, and of

judgement; "the wicked were destroyed, and their name put out for ever," when the Roman power became Christian, and the ancient idolatry sunk, to rise no more. A day is coming when all iniquity shall perish and be forgotten in like manner.

6. O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end, or, The destructions of the enemy are completed to the utmost: and thou, O GOD, hast destroyed their cities, their memorial is perished with them* !

The Christian church, when repeating these words, may be supposed to take a retrospective view of the successive fall of those empires with their capital "cities," in which the "enemy" had from time to time fixed his residence, and which had vexed and persecuted the people of God in different ages. Such were the Assyrian, or Babylonian, the Persian, and the Grecian monarchies. All these vanished away, and came to nothing. Nay, the very "memorial" of the stupendous Nineveh and Babylon is so " pe"rished with them," that the place where they once stood is now no more to be found. The Roman empire was the last of the pagan persecuting powers; and when the church saw "that" under her feet, well might she cry out, "The destructions " of the enemy are completed to the utmost!" How lovely will this song be, in the day when the last

* Bishop Lowth renders this verse to the same effect. "De"solations have consumed the enemy for ever; and as to the "cities which thou, O God, hast destroyed, their memory is "perished with them." See Merrick's Annotations on the Psalms, p. 9.