ner wage a good warfare. As far as we have done this, we should acknowledge his power, which hath made us willing and at the same time remember that he is the king of righteousness, and that his people must be a holy people. May it be our care, that we may be righteous before God, and holy in all manner of conversation and godliness. And while we are conscious of great imperfections, we should remember that he is the prince of peace; humbly rely on his atonement and intercession, and rejoice that our affairs, our souls, and spiritual interests, are in his hands. As he stooped to such humiliation and abasement for us, it should induce us to be content with a low estate, and cheerfully take our part of the sufferings of Christ; following our leader through the most thorny paths, though poverty, reproach, and sufferings be in the way; remembering that he has lifted up his head above them all, and has declared, Where I am, there shall my servants be; and that if we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified together.

PSALM CXI.

This and the following psalm have what might be then thought a peculiar poetical beauty in them; the several clauses of them begin. ning with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in succession ; and were probably composed to be used at their great feusts.

1

PRAISE ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with [my]

whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and [in] the 2 congregation. The works of the LORD [are] great, sought out 3 of all them that have pleasure therein. His work [is] honoura4 ble and glorious and his righteousness endureth for ever. He

hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD 5 [is] gracious and full of compassion. He hath given meat unto them that fear him he will ever be mindful of his covenant. 6 He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may 7 give them the heritage of the heathen. The works of his hands

[are] verity and judgment; all his commandments [are] sure. 8 They stand fast for ever and ever, [and are] done in truth and 9 uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people, he hath commanded his covenant for ever; holy and reverend [is] his 10 'name. The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do [his commandments :] his praise endureth for ever.

PSALM CXII.

This is a large illustration of the last verse of the foregoing psalm, containing a description of the character and happiness of a good man.

1

RAISE ye the LORD. Blessed [is] the mân [that] feareth

2 1 seed shall be mighty, that is, numerous and honourable, upou

PSALM CXI, CXII,

CXII, CXIII.

435

3 earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches [shall be] in his house: and his righteousness er4 dureth for ever. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness his sufferings shall make his virtue more conspicuous, and spread a light and glory around him: or it may refer to his speedy deliverance; as great deliverance, joy, and prosperity are often described by light shining out of darkness: [he is] gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous; he is just to all, while he takes pity on the poor; yet, he does not err in the exercise of his generosity, but manages his affairs with frugality, that he may have 5 the more to give. A good man showeth favour, and lendeth ; 6 he will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remem7 brance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fix8 ed, trusting in the LORD. His heart [is] established, he shall 9 not be afraid, until he see [his desire] upon his enemies. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness 10 endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. The wicked shall see [it,] and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

PSALM CXIII..

This psalm was called by the Jews, the great hymn of praise, and used to be sung at the feast of the passover.

1

2

P

RAISE ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the 3 LORD from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the LORD's name 4 [is] to be praised. The LORD [is] high above all nations, [and] 5 his glory above the heavens. Who [is] like unto the LORD our 6 God, who dwelleth on high. Who humbleth [himself] to be7 hold [the things that are] in heaven, and in the earth! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth the needy out of 8 the dunghill; That he may set [him] with princes, [even] with 9 the princes of his people. He maketh the barren woman to keep house, [and to be] a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

REFLECTIONS on PSALM CXI, CXII, CKIII.

FRO

ROM the hundred and eleventh psalm we learn, 1. That we should be engaged both from the works and the goodness of God, to praise him with our whole hearts. It is the character of good men that they take pleasure in God's works, and seek them out diligently. They are all great, striking, and awful, honourable and glorious; displaying the greatest wisdom and power; and his goodness to his creatures is conspicuous in all; he giveth tham meat in

due season; he is full of bounty, tenderness, and compassion. Especially is he good to his people, in giving them his law, in establishing his covenant with them, and in sending them redemption by his Son. All these things are inducements and motives to praise God; and he is so great and bountiful a Being, that we must praise him with our whole hearts. He claims and deserves such praise; and no other will be acceptable to him. Let us then awaken our spirits to this work, and call upon all that is within us to bless his holy name.

2. We are here shown wherein true wisdom and learning consist; namely, in the fear of the Lord, and in doing his commandments. This is a truth which is often inculcated, and is a very important one. The fear of the Lord, is the beginning of wisdom; the foundation, and the chief part of it; the end of all true wisdom, and the grand point in which it centers. All other kinds of knowledge without this, will be of little avail. An understanding which leads men to keep God's commandments, shows that they are sensible and judicious. May we be ambitious of this wisdom.

From the 112th psalm we learn,

1. That if we desire the happiness of the good man, we must unite piety, charity, and justice together; must endeavour to fear the Lord, and delight ourselves greatly in his commandments; make it as it were our meat and drink, our chief business and pleasure to do them. We must abound in every good work; not heaping up riches for ourselves and our families, but dispersing them to the needy; and at the same time, by diligence, discretion, and frugality, doing justice to our families, our neighbours, and the public. Thus shall we enjoy the favour of God and man; entail a blessing upon our offspring, and be had in honourable remembrance among survivors.

2. We learn to maintain a steadfastness of mind in times of danger and affliction. This must be founded in a confidence in the power and protection of God, and a care to serve and please him. Let us manifest this, by being not afraid of evil tidings, to hear bad news; or be put into terror and confusion by it. Let us labour to keep masters of ourselves, and to preserve the calm of our own minds, under a persuasion of God's universal government, and that he will order all our affairs, and all events relating to the public, for his glory and the general good.

From the 113th psalm we learn,

To adore the greatness, and to admire the condescension of God, as illustrated by that. We should reverence him as high above all na.ions, above the greatest kings and potentates; yea, his glory is above the heavens, above the brightest, wisest, mightiest angels there. None can equal him, none compare with him. It is condescension in him to behold the things in heaven, to regard the noblest and most exalted services of saints and angels there. But it is a greater stoop of condescension to regard the things on earth; to

take notice of men, and take pleasure in their mean and worthless services. Nor does he only regard the great persons of the earth, but the mean ones, raising the poor to affluence and honour, and building up the families of the desolate. For these his amazing favours let us bless the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore; and earnestly pray, that from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same the Lord's name may be praised.

PSALM CXIV.

This psalm is a contemplation of the majesty of God in bringing Israel out of the land of Egypt into the land of Canaan. Dr. Watts calls it an admirable ode, and with great judgment observes, the poet does not introduce the presence of God till the close of the psalm; had God appeared at first, there could have been no wonder why the mountains should leap, and the seas retire; therefore, that this convulsion of nature may be brought in with due surprize, the sacred poet conceals God's name till afterward, and then with a very agreeable turn of thought, he is introduced in all his majesty, to account for this wonderful commotion of nature.

1

W1

HEN Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language; Judah was his sanctuary, [and] Israel his dominion; he dwelt in Judah the leading tribe, and where his temple was afterward fixed, and he 3 ruled over Israel as their king. The sea saw [it,] and fled: Jor4 dan was driven back. The mountains, Sinai and the hills about it, skipped like rams, [and] the little hills like lambs, at the giv5 ing of the law. What [ailed] thee, O thou sea, that thou fled6 dest? thou Jordan, [that] thou wast driven back? Ye mountains, [that] ye skipped like rams; [and] ye little hills, like 7 lambs? Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the LORD, at 8 the presence of the God of Jacob; Which turned the rock [into] a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters; alluding to the fiery form in which God appeared, and as it were melted the rocks into waters.

REFLECTION.

FROM we to

ROM hence we learn to rejoice with trembling, in the conduct Observe here, how great and glorious JEHOVAH is! what is too hard for him, who can remove mountains, divide rivers, and melt down rocks? How desirable is his guidance and protection! and how cheerfully should we follow him, though he may bring us into straits and difficulties, since we see he can never be at a loss to make a way for our escape. But let us follow him with all humility; remembering, that his presence maketh the earth tremble, and the mountains melt: and serve him with all reverence and godly fear.

VOL. IV.

Hhh

PSALM CXV.

This psalm was composed on occasion of some victory over idolaterə ; probably when David overcame the Jebuzites, and took Jerusalem, after they had set up their idols, called by the Israelites, the lame and the blind,' to defend it.

1

OT unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name

notund) for truth's for

thy mercy, in delivering us when we could not help ourselves, and 2 for thy truth, in making good thy promises. Wherefore should 3 the heathen say, Where [is] now their God? But our God [is]

in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased; 4 making them know his power, which they before denied. Their 5 idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not, to give advice or comfort: eyes have they, but they see not the prostration of their worshippers : 6 They have ears, but they hear not the petitions that are offered to them noses have they, but they smell not their sacrifices and 7 incense: They have hands, but they handle not, cannot wield the weapons they have in their hands to help their supplicants; feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat; though by the contrivances of their priests, their wor8 shippers may think they do. They that make them are like unto 9 them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them. O Israel, trust 10 thou in the LORD: he [is] their help and their shield. O house

of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he [is] their help and their shield. 11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he [is] their help 12 and their shield. The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will

bless [us ;] he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the 13 house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the LORD, [both] 14 small and great. The LORD shall increase you more and more, 15 you and your children. Ye [are] blessed of the LORD which 16 made heaven and earth. The heaven, [even] the heavens, [are]

the LORD'S but the earth hath he given to the children of men, to live upon and cultivate it, and he expects a return of 17 praise and obedience. The dead, as we should have been, had not God interposed for us, praise not the LORD, neither any that go 18 down into silence. But we and our posterity, who are so graciously preserved and protected, will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.

1.

REFLECTIONS.

ROM this psalm we are taught to remember with thank

not idols. The greatest part of the earth is still overrun with idolatry. Such was the worship of the inhabitants of this land before the gospel was published among us; and such it yet remains in