EVENING PRAYER. Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious: and his mer- 2 O give thanks unto the God of all gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. 3 O thank the Lord of all lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. e 4 Who only doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. 5 Who by his excellent wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. 6 Who laid out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. 7 Who hath made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever; 8 The fun to rule the day: for his mercy endureth for ever; 9 The moon and the ftars to govern the night: for his mercy endureth for ever. 10 Who fmote Egypt with their firft-born: for his dureth for ever; mercy en11 And brought out Ifrael from among them: for his mercy en dureth for ever ; 12 With a mighty hand, and stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever; 13 Who divided the Red fea, in two parts: for his mercy endureth for ever. 14 And made Ifrael to go through the midft of it: for his mercy endureth for ever. 15 But as for Pharaoh and his hoft, he overthrew them in the Red fea for his mercy endureth for ever.. 16 Who led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever. This may be reckoned amongst the hiftorical Pfalms, and was fung alternately, Ezra iii. 10. 11. The Pfalmift herein celebrates the praifes of God, and particularly his infinite power and goodnefs, which had been difplayed in the works of the Creation, and in the deliverance of the Ifraelites from the bondage of Egypt and giving them poffeflion of Canaan. 17 Who fmote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever; 18 Yea, and flew mighty kings: for his mercy endureth for ever; 19 Sehon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever; 20 And Og the King of Bafan: for his mercy endureth for ever; 21 And gave away their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever; 22 Even for an heritage unto Ifrael his fervant: for his Mercy endureth for ever. 23 Who remembred us when we were in trouble: for his mercy endureth for ever. 24 And hath delivered us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever. 25 Who giveth food to all Flefh: for his mercy endureth for ever. 26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever. 27 O give thanks unto the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. * Pfalm 137. Super Alumina. BY Y the waters of Babylon, we fat down and wept: when we remembred thee, O Sion. 2 As for our harps, we hanged them up: upon the trees that are therein. 3 For they that led us away captive, required of us then a fong, and melody in our heavinefs: Sing us one of the fongs of Sion, 4 How fhall we fing the Lords fong: in a ftrange land? 5 If I forget thee, O Jerufalem: let my right hand forget her cunning. 6 if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, yea, if I prefer not Jerufalem in my mirth. * This Pfalm feems to have been compofed by the Levite Singers when they were Captives in Babylon, or foon after their return; when they faw the impending deftruction of that City. 7 Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Jerufalem: how they faid, Down with it, down with it, even to the ground. 8 O daughter of Babylon, wasted with mifery: yea, happy fhall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou haft ferved us. 9 Bleffed fhall he be that taketh thy children: and throweth them against the stones. + Pfalm 138. Confitebor tibi. I Will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: even before the gods will I fing praise unto thee. 2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name, because of thy loving kindness and truth: for thou hast magnified thy Name, and thy word above all things. 3 When I called upon thee, thou heardest me: and enduedst my foul with much strength. 4 All the kings of the earth fhall praise thee, O Lord: for they have heard the words of thy mouth. 5 Yea, they fhall fing in the ways of the Lord: that great is the glory of the Lord. 6 For though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly as for the proud, he beholdeth them afar off. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet fhalt thou refresh me: thou shalt ftretch forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand fhall fave me. 8 The Lord fhall make good his loving kindness towards me: yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; defpife not then the works of thine own hands. MORNING PRAYER. Pfalm 139. Domini, probafti. Lord, thou haft searched me out, and known me: thou knoweft my down-fitting, and mine up-rifing, thou underftandeft my thoughts long before. O David here promifes publickly to celebrate the divine Worship: expreffing a firm confidence in God's praises of God for his Mercies towards him and ex- help and protection under every circumstance of Life. horts all the Kings of the Earth to join with him in 2 Thou art about my path, and about my bed: and spieft out all my ways. 3 For lo, there is not a word in my tongue: but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogether. 4 Thou haft fashioned me behind and before: and laid thine hand upon me. 5 Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me I cannot attain unto it. 6 Whither fhall I go then from thy fpirit: or whither shall I go then from thy prefence? 7. If I climb up into heaven, thou art there: if I go down to hell, thou art there alfo. 8 If I take the wings of the morning: and remain in the uttermoft parts of the sea; 9 Even there also shall thy hand lead me: and thy right hand fhall hold me. 10 If I say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover me: then fhall my night be turned to day. 11 Yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day: the darkness and light to thee are both alike. 12 For my reins are thine: thou haft covered me in my mathers womb. 13 I will give thanks unto thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works, and that my foul knoweth right well. 14 My bones are not hid from thee: though I be made fecretly, and fashioned beneath in the earth.. 15 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect: and in thy book, were all my members written; David here celebrates God's Omniprefence, his infinite Knowledge and wonderful Skill in the forma tion of the human Body. He expreffes his delight in contemplating the Works of Providence--and his averfion to Sin-and earnefly intreats God to cleanse him from all Iniquity. * O Lord thou haft searcked me out,. &c. &c. This very fublime and awful defcription of God's univerfal prefence and perfect knowledge of all things affords a moft powerful motive to Virtue, and difcouragement to Vice. For what Man could dare to live wickedly under the apprehenfion that he is continually in the prefence of an infieitely holy and jul God, who will most affuredly punish all Workers of Iniquity !. 16 Which day by day were fashioned: when as yet there was none of them. 17 How dear are thy counfels unto me, O God: O how great is the fum of them! 18 If I tell them, they are more in number than the fand: when I wake up, I am prefent with thee. 19 Wilt thou not flay the wicked, O God: depart from me, ye blood-thirfty men. 20 For they fpeak unrighteoufly against thee: and thine enemies take thy Name in vain. 21 Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee: and am not I grieved with thofe that rife up against thee? 22 Yca, I hate them right fore: even as though they were mine enemies. 23 Try me, O God, and feek the ground of my heart: prove me, and examine my thoughts. 24 Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me: and lead me in the way everlafting. § Pfalm 140. Eripe me, Domine. D ELIVER me, O Lord, from the evil man: and preserve me from the wicked man; 2 Who imagine mifchief in their hearts: and ftir up ftrife all the day long. 3 They have fharpened their tongues like a ferpent: adders poifon is under their lips. 4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the ungodly: preferve me from the wicked men, who are purposed to overthrow my goings. 5 The proud have laid a fnare for me, and spread a net abroad with cords: yea, and fet traps in my way. 6 I faid unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my prayers, O Lord. This Pfalm was compofed againft the Flatterers Monarch. of Saul who had mifieprefented David to that |