24 This is the day which the Lord hath made: we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Help me now, O Lord: O Lord, fend us now profperity.

26 Bleffed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord: we have wifhed you good luck, ye that are of the house of the Lord.

27 God is the Lord who hath fhewed us light: bind the facrifice with cords, yea, even unto the horns of the altar.

28 Thou art my God, and I will thank thee: thou art my God, and I will praise thee.

29 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious: and his mercy endureth for ever.

B

EVENING PRAYER.

Pfalm cxix. Beati immaculati.

LESSED are thofe that are undefiled in the way: and walk in the law of the Lord.

2 Bleffed are they that keep his teftimonies: and feek him with their whole heart.

3 For they who do no wickedness: walk in his ways. 4 Thou haft charged: that we shall diligently keep thy commandments.

5 O that my ways were made fo direct: that I might keep thy ftatutes!

6 So fhall I not be confounded: while I have refpect unto all thy commandments.

Pfalm cxix.-Beati immaculati.] This pfalm is a confideration of the divine law, the excellency, the neceffity, and advantages of it, defcanting on the several appellations of it, with frequent reflections on ourselves by way of exhortation to a pious life, and conftant adherence to God in time of distress.

1] It is obfervable, that the law of God has a great variety of names, and the observance of it is expreffed by a correfpondent difference in the terms. In this portion it is called the way, his teftimonies, commandments, ftatutes, judgments of the righteoufnefs of the Lord."

7 I will thank thee with an unfeigned heart: when I fhall have learned the judgments of thy righteousness. 8 I will keep thy ceremonies: O forfake me utterly.

W

In quo corriget?

Herewithal fhall a young man cleanse his way: even by ruling himself after thy word.

2 With my whole heart have I fought thee: O let me not go wrong out of thy commandments.

3 Thy words have I hid within my heart: that I fhould not fin against thee.

4 Bleffed art thou, O Lord: O teach me thy ftatutes. 5 With my lips have I been telling: of all the judg ments of thy mouth.

6 I have had as great delight in the way of thy teftimonies as in all manner of riches.

7 I will talk of thy commandments: and have refpe&t unto thy ways.

8 My delight fhall be in thy ftatutes: and I will not forget thy word.

Retribue fervo tuo.

Do well unto thy fervant: that I may live and

2 Open thou mine eyes: that I may fee the wondrous things of thy law.

3 I am a stranger upon earth: Q hide not thy com mandments from me.

8 Utterly] To any great degree. God's not forfaking in any eminent degree, as it contains his not forfaking altogether, or for ever, fo it is fomewhat more than that, and a greater privilege of a pious man, not to be forfaken in any eminent degree than not to be forfaken eternally, whatfoever that degree be at present.

In quo corriget.-1] The law of the Lord is here named his word, and the judgments of his mouth.

3] Hid is here only laid up, because he afterwards says that he would talk of the commandments of the Lord.

Retribue fervo tuo.-1] In the foregoing parts of the pfalm we have heard the believer declaring the excellency of God's word, and expresfing both his defire and his refolution to obferve its directions. He Dow befeecheth God to remove all impediments, and to accomplish this work

in him.

4 My foul breaketh out for the very fervent defire: that it hath alway unto thy judgments.

5 Thou haft rebuked the proud: and curfed are they that do err from thy commandments.

6 O turn from me fhame and rebuke: for I have kept thy teftimonies.

7 Princes alfo did fit and speak against me: but thy fervant is occupied in thy ftatutes.

8 For thy teftimonies are my delight: and my coun

fellors.

MY

Adhafit pavimento.

Y foul cleaveth to the duft: O quicken thou mè, according to thy word.

2 I have acknowledged my ways, and thou heardest me: O teach me thy ftatutes.

3 Make me to understand the way of thy commandments: and fo fhall I talk of thy wondrous works.

4 My foul melteth away for very heaviness: comfort thou me according unto thy word.

5 Take from me the way of lying: and cause thou me to make much of thy law.

6 I have chofen the way of truth: and thy judgments have I laid before me.

7 I have stuck unto thy teftimonies: O Lord, confound

me not.

8 I will run the way of thy commandments: when thou haft fet my heart at liberty.

TEAC

MORNING PRAYER.

Legem pone.

EACH me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes: and
I shall keep it unto the end.

4) My foul is wholly taken up with the defire.

Adhafit pavimento.- Duft] Does this exprefs the dejected state of the perfon in the fame manner as Job's lying among the potsherds?

36] It is plain that " the way of truth," in the latter of these two verfes, is opposed to "the way of lying," or of " falfehood," in the former, 7] The pfalmift does not fay, "I have followed," but "I have ftuck unto thy teftimonies." Nothing could allure or force him from them.

2 Give me understanding, and I fhall keep thy law: yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart.

3 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments: for therein is my defire.

4 Incline my heart unto thy teftimonies: and no to covetousness.

5 O turn away mine eyes, left they behold vanity: and quicken thou me in thy way.

60 stablish thy word in thy fervant: that I may fear thee.

7 Take away the rebuke that I am afraid of: for thy judgments are good.

8 Behold, my delight is in thy commandments: O quicken me in thy righteousness.

Et veniat fuper me.

ET thy loving mercy come alfo unto me, O Lord: even thy falvation, according unto thy word.

2 So fhall I make anfwer unto my blafphemers: for my truft is in thy word.

3 O take not the word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth for my hope is in thy judgments.

4 So fhall I alway keep thy law: yea, for ever and ever. 5 And I will walk at liberty: for I feek thy commandments.

6 I will speak of thy teftimonies alfo, even before kings and will not be afhamed.

7 And my delight fhall be in thy commandments: which I have loved.

8 My hands alfo will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved: and my ftudy fhall be in thy ftatutes.

Legem pone.-2] The law cannot be observed, unless it be understood; and it is understood in vain, unless it be observed.

5] Solomon took an inventory of the world and all the best things in it; he caft up the account, and the fum total was, vanity.

Et veniat fuper me.-2 Blafphemers] "Him that reproacheth me" (Bib. tran.) for my behaviour to Thee.

8 Lift up I have vowed and promised under an oath a conftant obedience to thy commandments.

Memor efto fervi tui.

Think upon thy fervant, as concerning thy word: wherein thou haft caufed me to put my trust. 2 The fame is my comfort in my trouble: for thy word hath quickened me.

3 The proud have had me exceedingly in derifion : yet have I not fhrinked from thy law.

4 For I remembered thine everlasting judgments, O Lord and received comfort.

5 I am horribly afraid: for the ungodly that forfake thy law.

6 Thy ftatutes have been my fongs: in the house of my pilgrimage.

7 I have thought upon thy Name, O Lord, in the night-feafon and have kept thy law.

8 This I had because I kept thy commandments.

Portio mea, Domine,

HOU art my portion, O Lord: I have promised to keep thy law.

TH

2 I made my humble petition in thy prefence with my whole heart: O be merciful unto me according to thy word.

3 I called mine own ways to remembrance; and turned my feet unto thy teftimonies,

4 I made hafte, and prolonged not the time: to keep thy commandments.

5 The congregations of the ungodly have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.

6 At midnight I will rife to give thanks unto thee: because of thy righteous judgments.

7 I am a companion of all them that fear thee: and keep thy commandments,

Memor efto fervi tui-3] The haughty infidel will fcoff at him for one part of his conduct, the infolent worldling will ridicule him for the, other; but neither will induce him to disbelieve, or to disobey.

Portio mea, Domine.-1] I have confidered and made my choice; from henceforth I renounce all things for the love of Thee.

61 Paul and Silas, with their feet faft in the ftocks, "fang praises at midnight."