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able fear, when our enemies are again rising up against us; and encourage us to fix our dependence upon him, who hath delivered, and doth deliver; who, as he made heaven and earth, can defend us from the greatest dangers, and deliver us out of the greatest distresses. The French protestants always begin their public worship with the last verse of this psalm; and there is no thought more encouraging and comfortable. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

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This psalm was probably composed when the king of Assyria invaded Jerusalem in Hezekiah's time; and might be some of the good and comfortable words which we are told Hezekiah spoke to the people.

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HEY that trust in the LORD [shall be] as mount Zion, [which] cannnot be removed, [but] abideth for ever. 2 [As] the mountains [are] round about Jerusalem, the mount of Olives, Calvary, and others, which make it difficult of access to an enemy, so the LORD [is] round about his people, and is a much 3 surer defence than they, from henceforth even for ever. For the rod, that is, the sceptre or dominion, of the wicked, shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; many of the estates that in the division of the land had fallen to them by lot, may now be overrun by invading enemies; but they shall not keep possession of them, lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity, seek re4 lief by unlawful means. Do good, O LORD, unto [those that be] 5 good; and to [them that are] upright in their hearts. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, apostates, who choose sinful courses, for fear of persecution and reproach, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, to destruction, as malefactors are led to execution; they shall have their portion with those who never professed religion; [but] peace [shall be] upon Israel.

REFLECTION.

If we and may attack our lot, our persons, prop

F we desire stability and peace, let us sincerely trust in the name

erties, or reputations; but God knows what we can bear, how to proportion our trials to our strength, or our strength to cur trials. In him therefore let us hope, and dread those crooked ways which lead to destruction. If we choose sin before affliction, and forsake our duty to escape reproach and sufferings; we shall inevitably fall into greater mischiefs than those we seek to avoid. But if we continue good and upright in heart, whatever we suffer, we shall have satisfaction within; and our end will be peace,

PSALM CXXVI.

A Song of degrees.

This psalm was composed either by Ezra, Zerubbabel, or some other pious person after the captivity, and before their deliverance was quite complete; acknowledging the goodness of God in what was past, and encouraging the hope that the great work would be perfected.

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HEN the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream; we could hardly believe that so surprising and unexpected a change in our affairs was real ; that when Cyrus came to Babylon as a conqueror he should give the Jews their liberty, (a nation so hated bý kings and princes) and also give them supplies out of his royal treasury to build the temple. 2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath 3 done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; [whereof] we are glad, we resounded the declaration 4 with pleasure and thankfulness. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south; as Jordan, and many other rivers which flow toward the south, grow wider and deeper in their progress, and run with a stronger current; so let our restoration be gradually growing more complete, till we are all returned and 5 comfortably settled. To encourage their hope of this, he adds, They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy; an allusion to the circumstances in which the foundations of the temple were laid; though 6 we now weep, yet a glorious harvest is before us. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, that weeps when he sows it, lest it should be lost, and he quite impoverished, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [with him ;] the joy of the harvest, if successful, will be proportionable to the apprehension with which he committed the seed to the ground. So God will insure a plentiful crop; though you give out of your poverty toward building the temple, an honourable, glorious harvest shall arise.

REFLECTION.

ET us animate our hearts with a cheerful hope of the divine

ering how often God has turned again our captivity, our frequent deliverances from popery and slavery, and the surprising and sudden appearances of Providence for us. Let us reflect on these, and acknowledge that the Lord doeth great things for us, and rejoice in him. This may encourage our hope, that God will yet defend his own cause; and our prayers, that he would remember his persecuted servants, and turn again their captivity. In many circumstances we sow in tears; when bewailing our sins, mourning for public abominations, and suffering for well doing. But there is a rich harvest before us, when all tears shall be wiped away, and exchanged for settled peace and universal joy.

PSALM CXXVII.

A Song of degrees for Solomon.

This psalm was probably written by Solomon when he was about to build the temple, and at the time when Rehoboam was born. It is designed to illustrate this very important maxim, that the success of all our affairs depends upon God.

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XCEPT the LORD build the house, they labour in vain

2 man waketh [but] in vain. [It is] vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, to fare hard and live sparingly: [for] so he giveth his beloved sleep, sound and quiet sleep; while the children of the world deny themselves necessary comforts, God gives his servants composed rest under a sense S of his protection. Lo, children [are] an heritage of the Lord: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward; the hand of God in producing human creatures in the ordinary course of nature, is as visible to a thoughtful eye, as if he raised them out of the dust of 4 the ground. As arrows [are] in the hand of a mighty man; so [are] children of the youth; children born to a man in his youth, and grown up to years of maturity, when he is old are capable of 5 defending him, like arrows in the hand of a mighty man. Happy [is] the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate; an allusion to an old man sallying out to war, guarding and guarded by his sons; these would inspire him with vigour and courage, that he would not perhaps have felt if single.

REFLECTION.

E are here taught our constant dependence upon God for

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of great importance, and ought to be made familiar to us. Let us depend upon him for every kind of security and peace; the safety and quiet of the places of our residence; the building up of our families; our success in business; and our comfort in every relation. On this we depend for safe and quiet repose, undisturbed with care or fear. No skill, sagacity, application, friends, or cordials, will do without his blessing. May we trust in him therefore at all times, pour out our hearts before him, and beware that we for get not the Lord our God.

PSALM CXXVIII.

A Song of degrees.

This psalm may be considered as an appendix to the former, and is a further encouragement to be good.

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LESSED [is] every one that feareth the LORD; that 2 walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of VOL. IV.

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thine hands happy [shalt] thou [be,] and [it shall be] well with thee; thou shalt have good success in thy labours, and a com3 fortable enjoyment of them. Thy wife [shall be] as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table, the ornament, delight, and entertainment of 4 it. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the 5 LORD. The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion, with such choice

blessings as he bestows on his covenant people: and thou shalt see 6 the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, [and] peace upon Israel, which, if thou art a true Israelite, thou wilt be much concerned about.

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REFLECTION.

E learn from this psalm, that the way to secure God's blessing is to be holy; to fear him, and walk in his ways. Devotion, faith, sobriety, justice, and charity, are the best friends to temporal prosperity; to the support, increase, and comfort of our families, and the peace of our own minds. It will also have an happy influence on the public welfare; as every good man is a common good. But whether we prosper in this world or not, whether we see the good or evil of our country, it shall be well with them that fear God; happy shall they be in the divine favour now, and in the enjoyment of everlasting felicity hereafter. Let us then follow after godliness, for it hath the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

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ANY a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say; ever since we have been a people, both in 2 Egypt, and at our first settlement in Canaan : Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed 3 against me, to our utter extirpation. The ploughers ploughed upon my back: they made long their furrows; we have been cruelly oppressed, and our vexation long continued, like a person 4 who has been frequently and severely scourged. The LORD [is] righteous he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked; disarmed their power, as Cyrus did that of the Chaldeans when he 5 conquered Babylon. Let them all be confounded and turned 6 back that hate Zion. Let them be as the grass, or green corn, [upon] the house tops, which withereth afore it groweth up to 7 maturity; Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom, but it continues unregarded, none 8 caring to gather it. Neither do they which go by say, The

blessing of the LORD [be] upon you; we bless you in the name of the LORD; so let the designs of our enemies never come to perfection, and let none wish them well.

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REFLECTION.

E may comfort ourselves from hence, that the enemies of

the church shall not prevail against it. The christian church, like Israel, was afflicted from its youth, met with great opposition and persecution; but it still continues, and always will. God has cut the cords or scourges of the wicked, and healed the furrows they have made. This gives us encouragement to pray, that God would confound all the devices of its enemies, and that he would bless and prosper all those who are labouring for its good.

PSALM CXXX.

A Song of degrees.

This fisalm was composed by David, probably after his sin in the matter of Uriah.

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UT of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD; from the lowest misery and distress, when sinking into despair. 2 LORD, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of 3 my supplications. If thou, LORD, shouldst mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand? If thou shouldst set it down in the book of thy remembrance, and in the strictest manner bring thy creatures to account for all their offences, none could stand in judgment; if thou didst not mingle mercy with thy justice, we must 4 despair. But [there is] forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared, that is, worshipped and sought unto, to which we should have no encouragement if on every offence our case was desperate. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I 6 hope. My soul [waiteth] for the LORD, more than they that watch for the morning: [I say, more than] they that watch for the morning; I wait for the displays of thy mercy, as travellers that are benighted, or centinels on duty, or persons in pain and 7 sickness, look and long for the approach of day. Let Israel hope in the LORD for with the LORD [there is] mercy, and with 8 him [is] plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities; they shall obtain pardon for all their sins, and deliverance out of all their troubles.

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REFLECTION.

ROM this psalm we are taught what should be our disposition as sinful creatures; namely, to be deeply humbled before God, under a sense of our own demerit. If he should deal with us.

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