vouchsafed a place afterwards in his temple above. "See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me "in the way everlasting!"

PSALM CXL.

ARGUMENT.

This Psalm containeth, 1-8. a prayer for deliverance from persecutors and calumniators, their violence and their wiles; 9-11. a prophecy of their final destruction, and, 12, 13. the salvation of the afflicted righteous. It was composed by David in his troubles, and is applicable to Christ and to the church, respectively, in theirs.

1. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man: 2. Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

"Evil and violent men" exist in all ages, to harass and oppress the servants of God; their thoughts are employed in "imagining mischief" against such, and their hands are ready at all times for the "war.” Had we no enemies without, there are those within, who are ever fighting and troubling us. We cannot put off our Christian armour for a moment in this world; nor enter into peace and rest, but by a happy death and a joyful resurrection. Then God will "deliver" us, as he delivered David, and our blessed Lord and Master, the Son of David, from their respective enemies.

3. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: adders' poison is under their lips.

Slander and calumny must always precede and accompany persecution, because malice itself cannot excite people against a good man, as such; to do this, he must first be represented as a bad man. What can be said of those who are busied in this manner, but that they are a "generation of vipers," the brood of the old "serpent," that grand accuser and calumniator of the brethren, having under their tongues a bag of " poison" conveying instant death to the reputation on which they fasten? Thus David was hunted as a rebel, Christ was crucified as a blasphemer, and the primitive Christians were tortured as guilty of incest and murder.

4. Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent men, who have purposed to overthrow my goings. 5. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the way-side; they have set gins for me.

David here describeth the subtilty and industry employed by his enemies to effect his destruction, by lying in wait for him, as a skilful fowler doth for his game, so that they thought it impossible he should escape their hands. Such was the conduct of the Jews, with regard to the Son of David. And, O how refined the policy, how unwearied the application of our spiritual adversaries, to "overthrow our goings" in the path of life and salvation, to circumvent, and to destroy us for ever! How are "the snares, the nets, and the gins," placed for us, by that cunning

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and experienced artist, who takes care that nothing should appear in view, but the alluring baits of honour, pleasure, and profit, while of the toils we have no notice, till we find ourselves entangled and caught in them! Who shall preserve us thus walking in the midst of dangers? He to whom David, in the following verses, preferreth his prayer, and teacheth us to do likewise.

6. I said unto the LORD: Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. 7. O God the LORD, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. 8. Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves.

Jehovah, the God of David, is also our God, and he is always ready to hear our supplications. He is our strength, and hath often covered our head with the helmit of salvation, in the day of battle and open war with our spiritual enemies. Nor will he, for the glory of his name, grant their desires, or permit their more secret "devices" and machinations to work the destruction of his people; lest they exalt themselves as having frustrated his counsels for the redemption of his servants.

9. As for the head of those that compass me about, the mischief of their own lips shall cover them. 10. Burning coals shall fall upon them; they shall be cast into the fire, into deep pits, that they rise not up again. 11. An evil speaker shall not be established in the earth; evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

The Prophet, in these three verses, predicteth those

just judgements which heaven will inflict on the slanderers and persecutors of the righteous. Their lips, which uttered mischief against others, shall be the means of covering themselves with confusion, when out of their own mouths they shall be judged. Those tongues, which have contributed to set the world on fire, shall be tormented with the hot burning coals of eternal vengeance: and they who, with so much eagerness and diligence, have prepared pits for the destruction of their brethren, shall be cast into a deep and bottomless pit, out of which they will not rise up again any more for ever. Evil speakers and false accusers shall gain no lasting establishment, but punishment shall hunt sin through all its doubles, and seize it at last as its legal prey. Let these great truths be firmly rooted in our hearts, and they will keep us steady in the worst of times.

12. I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. 13. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

That unjust and oppressive men shall, in the end, suffer proportionably to their deserts, we are assured from this consideration, namely, that the Almighty is the patron of the injured and oppressed. He will plead the cause of the meek and lowly, who are used by the world as their blessed Master was used before them. A day will come, when, delivered out of all their troubles, they shall "give thanks unto thy "name," O Lord, and " dwell in thy presence" for

evermore.

PSALM CXLI.

ARGUMENT.

David seems to have composed this Psalm just before his flight to Achish king of Gath; when he had a second time spared Saul's life, but could trust him no longer see 1 Sam. xxvi. and xxvii. 1, 2. He prayeth earnestly for help, and entreateth to be heard, as when able to attend the service of the tabernacle; 3-5. he petitioneth to be preserved from the snares of idolatry, in the country whither he was going; 6, 7. he relateth his own conduct toward Saul, and that of Saul toward him; 8, 9. he professeth his faith in Jehovah, and redoubleth his prayer to him; 10. he predicteth the destruction of his enemies, and his own deliverance. Many parts of the exposition of this Psalm, given by the late learned Mr. Peters, in his "Critical Dissertation on the Book of Job," have been adopted in the ensuing comment.

1. LORD, I will cry unto thee, make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. 2. Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

The earnest and repeated supplication for help, in the first of these two verses, sufficiently declares the Psalmist to have been, at the time, in a situation of K k

VOL. II.