Let me abhor that levity of mind, that deceitfulness, that earthly mindedness proper to the ungodly, and every remain there. of. Let my soul pant for JEHOVAH, and prefer him to every thing else. Let me, by faith, lay myself down in his arms, his bosom, as all my salvation and comfort.

1 GIVE ear unto me when I call, God of my righteousness:

Have mercy, hear my pray'r; thou hast enlarg'd me in distress.

2 O ye the sons of men, how long will ye love vanities?

How long my glory turn to shame,
and will ye follow lies?

3 But know, that for himself the Lord
the godly man doth choose:
The Lord, when I on him do call,
to hear will not refuse.

4 Fear, and sin not; talk with your heart
on bed, and silent be.

5 Off 'rings present of righteousness,
and in the Lord trust ye.

6 O who will show us any good?
is that which many say:
But of thy countenance the light,
Lord, lift on us alway.

7 Upon my heart, bestow'd by thee,
more gladness I have found,

Than they, ev'n then, when corn and wine

did most with them abound.

8 I will both lay me down in peace,
and quiet sleep will take:
Because thou only me to dwell
in safety, Lord, dost make.

PSALM 5.

To the chief musician, upon Nehiloth. A psalm of David. Here, (1.) The man according to God's heart, in the assured faith of God's hearing his prayers, and hating his sins, fixeth a daily an early, an earnest, a steady, a grace-founded correspondence with God, in his ordinances of meditation, prayer, praise, &c. ver. 1-7. (2.) Behold him humbly requesting God's special direction in duties which his enemies had rendered difficult to perform; supplicating and predicting the ruin of his implacable foes; and, in the assured faith of obtaining it, imploring com fort and prosperity to his fellow saints, ver. 8-12. While I sing, let my heart and flesh cry out, and my soul pant and wait for the Lord. In the firm faith of infinite mercy to forgive all my crimes, and wash out all my sinful stains, let me blush at, and detest my own abominations. Let me cul tivate the closest familiarity with the Lord my God. Let my prayers correspond with his promises, and with the particular condition of myself or others.

1 GIVE ear unto my words, O Lord my meditation weigh.

2 Hear my loud cry, my King, my God; for I to thee will pray.

3 Lord, thou shalt early hear my voice; 1 early will direct

My pray'r to thee; and, looking up, an answer will expect.

4 For thou art not a God that doth in wickedness delight;

5

6

Neither shall evil dwell with thee;
Nor fools stand in thy sight.
All that ill doers are thou hat'st;
Cutt'st off that liars be:

The bloody and deceitful man
abhorred is by thee.

7 But I unto thine house will come in thine abundant grace;

C

And I will worship in thy fear, toward thy holy place.

8 Because of those mine enemies,
Lord in thy righteousness

Do thou me lead; do thou thy way
make straight before my face.

9 For in their mouth there is no truth,
their inward part is ill;
Their throat's an open sepulchre,
their tongue doth flatter still.

o O God, destroy them; let them be
by their own counsel quell'd:
Them, for their many sins, cast out;
for they 'gainst thee rebell'd.

1 But let all joy that trust in thee,
And still make shouting noise;
For them thou sav'st; let all that love
thy name in thee rejoice.

2 For, Lord, unto the righteous man
thou wilt thy blessing yield;
With favour thou wilt compass him
about, as with a shield.

PSALM 6.

To the chief musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith,
A psalm of David.

bserve here, (1.) David, a great saint, under grievous and mani. fold troubles, sickness of body, conscience-felt charges of guilt, vexation of mind, attended with desertion from God, and contemptuous insults from his enemies, ver. 2, 3. 5. 7. 9. (2.) His supplications, with strong cries and tears, to God for mitigation of trouble, support under it, and deliverance from it, ver. 1. 4. 6. (3.) His triumphant separation of himself from the wicked, in the full assurance of faith, that God had heard, and would graciously grant his requests, and would either convert or destroy his opposers, ver. 8 10.

In all my afflictions, let me believe that Jesus was afflicted for me. Let me call my sin to remembrance, spread my case he fore him, fill my mouth with arguments; implore his abundant free, and sovereign mercy, as my sole and all-comprehensive relief. Nor let me ever expect a comfortable answer to my prayers, while I cultivate an intimacy with profane and wick. ed men.

1 LORD, in thy wrath rebuke me not;
nor in thy hot rage chasten me.
2 Lord, pity me, for I am weak:

heal me, for my bones vexed be.

3 My soul is also vexed sore:

but, Lord, how long stay wilt thou make 4 Return, O Lord, my soul set free: O save me for thy mercy's sake.

5 Because those that deceased are

of thee shall no remembrance have; And who is he that will to thee give praises lying in the grave? 6 I with my groaning weary am, I also all the night my bed Have caused for to swim; and I with tears my couch have watered. 7 Mine eye, consum'd with grief, grows old, because of all mine enemies.

8 Hence from me, wicked workers all
for God hath heard my weeping cries.

9 God hath my supplication heard;
my pray'r received graciously.

10 Sham'd and sore vex'd be all my foes: sham'd and back turned suddenly.

SECOND VERSION.

1 IN thy great indignation,

O Lord rebuke me not;

Nor on me lay thy chastening hand in thy displeasure hot.

2 Lord, I am weak, therefore on me have mercy, and me spare:

Heal me, O Lord, because thou know'st my bones much vexed are.

3 My soul is vexed sore: but, Lord,
how long stay wilt thou make?
4 Return, Lord, free my soul, and save
me for thy mercy's sake.

5 Because of thee in death there shall
no more remembrance be:
Of those that in the grave do lie,
who shall give thanks to thee?
6 I with my groaning weary am,
and all the night my bed

I caused for to swim; with tears
my couch I watered.

7 By reason of my vexing grief,
mine eye consumed is;

It waxeth old, because of all
that be mine enemies.

8 But now depart from me all ye
that work iniquity:

For why, the Lord hath heard my voice, when I did mourn and cry.

9 Unto my supplication,

the Lord did hearing give: When I to him my prayer make,

the Lord will it receive.

10 Let all be sham'd and troubled sore,

that cn'mies are to me;