7 O Ifrael, truft in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption. 8 And he shall redeem Ifrael: from all his fins.

Pfalm cxxxi. Domine, non eft.

LORD, I am not high-minded: I have no proud looks.

2 I do not exercise myself in great matters: which are too high for me.

3 But I refrain my foul, and keep it low, like as a child that is weaned from his mother: yea, my foul is even as a weaned child.

4 O Ifrael, truft in the Lord: from this time forth for

evermore.

MORNING PRAYER.

Pfalm cxxxii. Memento, Domine.

ORD, remember David: and all his trouble;

2 How he fware unto the Lord: and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob;

3 I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house: nor climb up into my bed;

4 I will not fuffer mine eyes to fleep, nor mine eye-lids to lumber neither the temples of my head to take any rest;

Pfalm cxxxi.] David feems to have been the author of this pfalm. He vindicates himself from the accufation of his enemies, that he defignad mifchief against Saul, and wifhed to obtain the throne for himfelf. It was ufed after the return from the captivity, as it was well adapted by its ftrain of humility and expreffions of truft in God for thofe who had received

great mercies.

3 Weaned child I have endeavoured to wean myself from my natural affections and defires, as an infant is when he is eftranged from his mother's breaft.

Pfalm cxxxii.] This pfalm was probably compofed by Solomon upon the building of the temple, as part of it, ver. 8, 9, 10, is inferted in Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple, 1 Chron. vi. 41, 42. It records David's care of the ark, and God's promifes made to him and his pofterity; and alfo the peculiar deftination of Sion for the fituation of the temple. After the return from the captivity, it was used when the walls were 1 ebuilt.

3, 4, 5] If David's words are to be taken in a literal sense, is it not poffible that he might on the very day in which he made his vow fix upon a place in which he determined to build the temple; though his intention was afterwards fuperfeded by divine direction?

5 Until I find out a place for the temple of the Lord: an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

6 Lo, we heard of the fame at Ephrata: and found it

in the wood.

7 We will go into his tabernacle: and fall low on our knees before his footstool.

8 Arife, O Lord, into thy refting-place: thou, and the ark of thy ftrength.

9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousnefs: and let thy faints fing with joyfulness.

10 For thy fervant David's fake: turn not away the prefence of thine Anointed.

II The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David: and he shall not fhrink from it;

12 Of the fruit of thy body: fhall I fet upon thy feat. 13 If thy children will keep my covenant, and my tes timonies that I fhall learn them: their children alfo fhall fit upon thy feat for evermore.

14 For the Lord hath chofen Sion to be an habitation for himself: he hath longed for her.

15 This fhall be my reft for ever: here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.

16 I will blefs her victuals with increase: and will fatisfy her poor with bread.

:

17 I will deck her priests with health and her faints fhall rejoice and fing.

18 There fhall I make the horn of David to flourish: I have ordained a lantern for mine Anointed.

19 As for his enemies, I fhall clothe them with fhame: but upon himself fhall his crown flourish.

Pfalm cxxxiii. Ecce, quam bonum.

EHOLD, how good and joyful a thing it is: brethren, to dwell together in unity!

6] I cannot offer any fatisfactory explanation of this verse.

18] Luke i. 69, "And hath raised up an horn of falvation for us in the houfe of his fervant David."

Pfalm cxxxiii] This fhort and pleafing pfalm was compofed either to recommend unity among the tribes of Ifrael, or to celebrate it when it had taken place.

2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down unto the beard: even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the fkirts of his clothing.

3 Like as the dew of Hermon: which fell upon the hill of Sion.

4 For there the Lord promised his bleffing: and life for evermore.

Pfalm cxxxiv. Ecce nunc.

EHOLD now, praise the Lord: all ye fervants of the Lord;

BE

2 Ye that by night ftand in the houfe of the Lord: even in the courts of the house of our God.

3 Lift up your hands in the fanctuary: and praise the Lord.

4 The Lord that made heaven and earth: give thee bleffing out of Sion.

Praise the Lord, laud ye the Name of the Lord: praise it, O ye fervants of the Lord;

2 Ye that ftand in the houfe of the Lord: in the courts of the houfe of our God.

3 O praise the Lord, for the Lord is gracious: O fing praises unto his Name, for it is lovely.

4 For why? the Lord hath chofen Jacob unto himfelf: and Ifrael for his own poffeffion.

5 For I know that the Lord is great: and that our Lord is above all gods.

3]" As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that defcended upon the mountains of Sion." Bib. trans. There is an abfurdity in the tranflation, which makes the dew of Hermon, a mountain on one fide of Jordan, towards the eaftern extremity of Canaan, defcend on the mountain of Sion, which was fituated on the other fide of Jordan, at Jerufalem.

Pfalm cxxxiv. The three firft verfes of this pfalm feem to be the voice of the people, or of fome devout perfon exciting the priests to be intent on their office of praifing God, and praying for the people. 2 By night] Lev. viii. 35.

Pfalm cxxxv.] This is a thanksgiving to God for all his mercies and deliverances afforded to his people.

6 Whatsoever the Lord pleafed, that did he in heaven, and in earth in the fea, and in all deep places.

7 He bringeth forth the clouds from the ends of the world: and fendeth forth lightnings with the rain, bringing the winds out of his treasures.

8 He fmote the first-born of Egypt: both of man and beaft.

9 He hath fent tokens and wonders into the midft of thee, O thou land of Egypt: upon Pharoah and all his fervants. 10 He fmote divers nations: and flew mighty kings; 11 Sehon king of the Amorites, and Og the king of Bafan and all the kingdoms of Canaan;

12 And gave their land to be an heritage: even an heritage unto Ifrael his people.

13 Thy Name, O Lord, endureth for ever: fo doth thy memorial, O Lord, from one generation to another. 14 For the Lord will avenge his people: and be gra cious unto his fervants.

15 As for the images of the heathen, they are but filver and gold: the work of men's hands.

16 They have mouths, and fpeak not: eyes have they, but they fee not.

17 They have ears, and yet they hear not: neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18 They that make them are like unto them: and fo are all they that put their truft in them.

19 Praife the Lord, ye houfe of Ifrael: praife the Lord, ye houfe of Aaron.

20 Praise the Lord, ye houfe of Levi: ye that fear the Lord, praise the Lord.

21 Praised be the Lord out of Sion: who dwelleth at Jerufalem.

7] They who in old time paid their devotions to the elements, imagined thefe elements to be capable of giving or withholding rain at pleasure. Therefore we find the prophet Jeremiah reclaiming that power to Jehovah, as the God who made and governed the world: "Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can caufe rain, or can the heavens give flowers? Art not thou He, O Jehovah, our God? Therefore we will wait upon Thee; for thou haft made all these things." Jer. xiv. 22.

14]" Will judge." Bib. tranf. He will return to mercy and favour towards those with whom He was formerly displeased.

EVENING PRAYER.

Pfalm cxxxvi. Confitemini Domino.

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

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.

4 Who only doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

5 Who by his excellent wifdom 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 first-born: for his mercy endureth for ever;

II And brought out Ifrael from among them: for his mercy endureth 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 midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever.

15 But as for Pharoah and his hoft, he overthrew them in the Red fea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Pfalm cxxxvi. The continual mercies of God in the exercife of his power are here celebrated. This pfalm is called by the Jews the great thanksgiving.

1) This pfalm has been finely tranflated by Milton, the only English one of his in which we fee the hand of that great mafter of poetry.

131 Exod. xiv.