the comforts of his Spirit, and the joys of his salvation; see Numb. vi. 25, 26.

"Save me for thy mercies sake."]-Not for any merit and righteousness of his own, but for the sake of the grace and goodness of the Lord: which is putting salvation, whether temporal or spiritual, upon its right foundation; which is never wrought out by, or is for works of righteousness done by men, but according to the grace and mercy of God.

Ver. 19. "O, how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee!"]-Both grace and glory; the blessings of grace were laid up in God's heart, in his thoughts and purposes, from everlasting; and in Christ, in whom the fulness of all grace dwells: he was prevented with the blessings of goodness, and his people were blessed in him with all spiritual blessings, and had all grace given them in him before the world was; and these were likewise laid up in the covenant of grace, "ordered in all things and sure;" eternal glory is the hope and crown of righteousness laid up in heaven, where it is reserved for the saints who are heirs of it; and the laying up of all this goodness shews it to be a treasure, riches of grace, and riches of glory.

Ver. 21. "Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness, in a strong city."]-This may spiritually design the church of God, which is called a strong city, being built on Christ the rock, and having salvation for walls and bulwarks, Isaiah xxvi. I. where the Lord displays his banner of love, makes discoveries of his marvellous kindness, and commands bis blessing for evermore. Some render it, as in a strong city, and take the sense to be, that he was safe through the kindness of God shewed to him in the salvation of him, as if he was in a fortified city, and this was marvellous in his eyes, as every instance of providential goodness is to the people of God; especially his loving-kindness shewed in spiritual things, in choosing them in Christ, saving them by him, regenerating them by his Spirit, and taking them into his family; which love is free and sovereign, distinguishing, unchangeable, from everlasting to everlasting; and so wonderful and astonishing.

Ver. 23. "O love the Lord, all ye his saints."]-To whom his goodness extends; who are favoured with the blessings of his grace, as pardon, peace, and righteousness; and who particularly are sanctified by his Spirit, and have

principles of grace and holiness wrought in their hearts: these, even all of them, are called upon to love the Lord, having that grace implanted in their souls; that is, to express it, not by words, but by deeds, under a sense of the love and kindness of God to them.

PSALM XXXII.

This psalm, though it speaks not of Christ, as many of the psalms hitherto we have met with, yet it has a great deal of gospel in it. The apostle tells us that David in this psalm describes "the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness withont works," Rom. iv. 6. We have here a summary of gospel grace in the pardon of sin, ver. 1, 2. In divine protection, ver. 7. and divine conduct, ver. 8. Grotius thinks it was designed to be sung on the day of atonement.

VER. 1. "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven."]-Or, lifted up; borne and carried away: sin is a transgression of the law; the guilt of it charged upon the conscience of a sinner is a heavy burden, too heavy for him to bear, and the punishment of it is intolerable: forgiveness is a removal of sin, guilt, and punishment. Sin was first taken off, and transferred from the sinner to Christ, the surety; and was laid upon him really and judicially, as the sins of the people of Israel were put upon the scape goat typically; and was borne by him, both guilt and punishment, and taken away, finished, and made an end of; and by the application of his blood and sacrifice, it is taken away from the sinner's conscience; it is caused to pass from him, and is removed afar off, as far as the east is from the west; it is so removed from him as to give him ease and

peace.

Ver. 2. "Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity."]-Or, does not think of it; with respect unto men, or at least to the hurt of them; his thoughts are thoughts of peace, and not of evil; their sins and iniquities he remembers no more; he does not charge them with them, he does not reckon them, or place them to their account, having imputed them to his Son; see 2 Cor. v. 19. The apostle Paul interprets this as inclusive of the imputation of righteousness without works; even of the righteousness of Christ, in which the blessedness of a man lies, Rom. iv. 6-8.

Ver. 6. "For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee."]-Meaning either, that the success he had met with in acknowledging his sin, would encourage others also to take a like step, and make their supplications to the Lord; or that every godly person should pray to God for the same blessing of pardoning grace. Pardon of sin is to be prayed for: not only Moses, David, Daniel, and other old testament saints, prayed for it; but Christ has directed his disciples and followers, under the gospel dispensation, to do the same, Luke xi. 4. and which must be understood of praying for the manifestation of it to their consciences: for God has by one eternal act forgiven all trespasses for Christ's sake; nor oan any new act of pardon arise in the mind of God, or a fresh one pass in the court of heaven, nor the blood of Christ be shed again for the remission of it.

Ver. 8. "I will guide thee with mine eye."]-As a master guides his scholar: or, as mine eye; with as much care and tenderness as if thou wert the apple of mine eye: see Deut. xxxii. 10. Zech. ii. 8. or the words may be rendered, I will give counsel, or give counsel; as he does, who is wonderful in counsel, and that by his Son, who is the wonderful Counsellor; and by his word and testimonics, which are the delight of his people, and the men of their counsel: "Mine eye is upon thee;" as the eye of the Lord is upon the righteous, to watch over them for good, to provide for them, guide and direct them.

Ver. 11. "Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice ye righte ous and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart."]— Who have the truth of grace, and the root of the matter in them, oil in the vessels of their hearts, with their lamps: these ought to rejoice, and even shout for joy, because of the grace that is wrought in them and bestowed upon them, and the glory they shall be partakers of; for both grace and glory are given to those, and no good thing is withheld from them.

PSALM XXXIII.

This psalm is pursuing the subject which closed the former: stirring up the righteous to rejoice and praise the Lord; even the Lord, the Word, or Son of God, not only, as there, for his embracing them in the arms of his mercy; but also as being the maker of the heavens and all their hosts; the object of adoration to all the world; making void the

counsels of the heathen; forming the hearts of all men, and observing all their works; as being, in short, the Saviour, the help and shield of all that wait for his mercy.

VER. 3. "Sing unto him a new song."]-One newly composed on account of late mercies received; and as the mercies of God are new every morning, there ought to be a daily song of praise to him: and so a new song is a continual song, as Christ is called the "new and living way," Heb. x. 20. because he is the ever-living way; or the constant and only one, which always was, is, and will be.

Ver. 6. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made."]-The essential Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who often goes by this name, John i. 1, 14. Heb. iv. 12. Í John v. 7. Rev. xix. 13. and very fitly agrees with him, who spoke for all his people in the counsel and covenant of grace, and undertook to be their surety; is the word spoken of by all the holy prophets since the beginning of the world; is the interpreter of his Father's mind and will, of which he must be capable, since he lay in his bosom; and now he speaks for his saints in heaven, whose advocate he is. Ver. 11. "The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever."]-By which are meant, not the doctrines of the gos pel, nor the ordinances of it; though these will stand firm, and remain to the end of the world; but the purposes and decrees of God, which are wisely formed in himself, are eternal and infrustrable, and relate to all things in providence and grace. The Lord does all things according to the counsel of his will in the government of the world, and in the salvation of men: the choice of persons to everlasting life is according to it; and so are their redemption, effectual vocation, and glorification.

"The thoughts of his heart to all generations."]Which with respect to his own people, are thoughts of peace, grace, and mercy; these are many, and within himself, were very early, even from all eternity, and have their sure and certain effect, Isaiah xiv. 21. Prov. xix. 21. Isa. xlvi. 10.

Ver. 12. "And the people whom he hath chosen for bis own inheritance."]-Not Israel only, but the gentiles also; not all mankind, but a peculiar people, whom the Lord has chosen out of the world to be his possession, and who are his jewels and peculiar treasure; these are happy, being the Lord's portion, and the lot of his inheritance; and be

chooses an inheritance for them, adopts, and begets them unto it, and makes them meet to be partakers of it.

Ver. 18. "Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy."]-Not bis absolute mercy, but his special mercy in Christ, which appears in the provision of him as a Saviour, in the mission of him into this world, and redemption by him; and is displayed in regeneration, the pardon of sin, and eternal life: and such who hope in it are they that see themselves miserable creatures, and in need of it; and who are encouraged to hope in it from the plenty and abundance of it in the heart of God; and from the many instances of it among men, and even some the chief of sinners.

Ver. 19. "To deliver their soul from death."]-A spiritual death is here meant, which while in a state of nature they are under, but being quickened at conversion they live spiritually, and are preserved from dying any more in this sense; and also from an eternal death, which shall never hurt them, nor have any power over them.

Ver. 21. For our heart shall rejoice in him."]-In the essential Word of God, Christ Jesus; in his person, righteousness, and salvation; and this joy is heart joy, inward joy, real joy, joy in the Holy Ghost; and is unspeakable and full of glory. This is what the psalmist calls upon the saints to do, in the beginning of the psalm; and so his end in composing it is answered.

"Because we have trusted in his holy name."]-That is, in himself, who is holy, just, and good; and so faithful to every word of promise, to every engagement of his, and therefore to be trusted in: and hence it appears, that the joy before spoken of, is the joy of faith.

PSALM XXXIV.

Here we see the happy fruits of the Lord's making every thing arise for praise and devout meditation. When David did that (on whatever occasion he did it) the good Spirit of God visited his heart, and enabled him to look forward and behold that Just One, who was the hope of all the earth, and the glory of his people Israel. In his state of humiliation here he beholds him and after a thankful acknowledg ment of the deliverances and mercies vonchsafed to himself, with an exhortation to every one to learn from thence to fear the Lord, he foresees and foretels, ver. 19-22. that this blessed Just One was to be in like manner exercised with, but safely carried through many troubles;