3 Yea, let thou none ashamed be

That do on thee attend:

Asham'd let them be, O Lord,
Who without cause offend.

4 Thy ways, LORD, shew; teach me thy paths:
5 Lead me in truth, teach me:
For of my safety thou art God;
All day I wait on thee.

6 Thy mercies, that most tender are,
Do thou, O LORD, remember,
And loving kindnesses; for they
Have been of old for ever.

7 Let not the errors of my youth,
Nor sins, remember'd be:

In mercy, for thy goodness' sake,
O LORD, remember me.

8 The LORD is good and gracious,

He upright is also:

4, 5. All this the Psalmist urges from this consideration; for thou art the God of my salvation. Messiah was so to David, the Father to him, and He will prove so to all his people, who are the objects of his care.

Verse 6. Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies, &c. God is said to remember these, when he relieves his people in their distress. These having been ever of old, or from everlasting, as urged here as a plea, his immutability is the sure pledge of their seasonable exercise. Mercies in the plural, or the parental yearnings of the bowels, and the epithet tender is added, to shew they resemble, but infinitely exceed, what an affectionate parent feels towards a child in distress. To shew that those greatly err, who confine such declarations, we find it expressly said, That Jehovah's tender mercies are or shall be over all his works; that is undeniably, over all his creatures, and all his dealings with them, even future punishment not excepted, Ps. cxlv. 9.

Verse 7. Remember not the sins of my youth, &c. To remember us according to his mercy, is to forgive our sins; and to do it for the sake of his goodness, as David pleads, shews that the exercise of forgiveness is perfectly agreeably to God's nature, who is essential love and goodness. Let youths be on their guard that they treasure not up materials for fu ture repentance, lest the view and grace that can produce it, should be hid from their eyes; for who can say how few such are brought, like David, timely to confess and forsake their sins?

Verse 8. Good and upright is the LORD; therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The attribute of justice is included in the term upright or

He therefore sinners will instruct
In ways that they should go.

9 The meek and lowly he will guide
In judgment just alway:

To meek and poor afflicted ones
He'll clearly teach his way.

10 The whole paths of the LORD our God
Are truth and mercy sure,

To such as keep his covenant,

And testimonies pure.

11 Now, for thine own name's sake, O LORD,
I humbly thee entreat

righteous and so God's goodness and justice secure the instruction of sinners in the way, in the saving knowlege of Christ, and the way of salvation. To maintain that no sinners are intended, but such as are so and so qualified, is to add to God's word, in order to take from the extent of its application and promises. Sinners, no doubt, must be disposed to receive divine instruction, before his promise can be accomplished in their case; but then, who gives that disposition? Solomon says,-The preparations, margin, disposings of the heart in man is from the LORD. Prov. xvi..1. We understand this of man indefinitely, or of every man; and view the Psalmist's declaration as an absolute promise, which will be literally realized in the case of all sinners.

Verse 9. The meck will he guide in judgment, &c. Instead of making this verse to restrict the promise in the preceding, it only marks the effect of divine teaching, and the privilege of those who are so taught; for grace does not find sinners meek, but makes them so. The Psalmist plainly connects mercy with the appropriate work of justice; Unto thee, O LORD, belongeth mercy; for thou renderest to every man according to his work, Psalm lxii. 12. A connection so sacredly formed cannot be dissolved; and hence, to maintain, that the claims of mercy and justice, in the case of the subjects of future punishment, shall remain at endless. variance, is to give the lie to express Scripture testimonies, and make the word of God a riddle or enigma.

Verse 10. All the paths of the LORD, &c. Though this promise be made to such as keep his covenant and testimonies, like many others, yet we are not to restrict their union to such. All the paths of wisdom are said to be peace, that being their consummation; and yet punishment is doubtless one of these paths. Mercy promising, and truth performing, meet together in Christ, and justice guarantees the blessed effects of that performance.

Verse 11. For thy name's sake, O LORD, &c. Jehovah's name may here, and elsewhere, denote Messiah; for he said of the angel, who was keep the children of Israel in the way, and to bring them into the

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To pardon mine iniquity;

For it is very great.

12 What man fears GOD? him shall he teach
The way that he shall choose.

13 His soul shall dwell at ease; his seed

The earth, as heirs, shall use.

14 The secret of the LORD is with
Such as do fear his name;

And he his holy covenant
Will manifest to them.

place which he had prepared; Obey his voice, provoke him not; for he wili not pardon your transgressions, he will punish them; for my name is in him, Exod. xiii. 20, 21. To guide into the land of promise, and put in possession of it, to pardon transgressions, and also to punish them in the impenitent, are all ascribed to Messiah here, as his appropriate work; which evinces his proper deity. Pardon mine iniquity, prays David, for, or though, it is great, referring probably to the matter of Uriah.

Verse 12. What man is he that feareth the LORD, &c. The promise annexed is,—Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose, intimating that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, that he who is blessed with it, will choose the right way, and will be taught how to proceed in that way.

Verse 13. His soul shall dwell at ease, Hcb. lodge in goodness: and his seed shall inherit the earth. This blessedness primarily and chiefly belongs to Messiah, and through him to all his faithful people. These bcing heirs of all things, the new earth, in which righteousness shall dwell, will be theirs by inheritance, but be possessed by the younger brethren in virtue of their right. Thus the promise, Psal. xxxvii. 9. made to those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth, and probably, referred to by Christ, Mat. v. 5. as the privilege of the meek, is reconciled to their enjoyment of the inheritance of the saints in light, as their personal portion. The restored may be justly called their seed, and their portion shall be the earth, and not heaven.

Verse 14. The secret, Heb. fixed counsel, or design of the LORD is with them that fear him; &c. Dr. H. renders the last clause, and his covenant to make them know it. This author makes this secret to respect the fixed and determinate counsels of God concerning the human race, and the covenant of redemption;' the knowlege and proper understanding of which he makes man's greatest happiness in this world. May we not pray, and expect, that, in contemplating the wonders of redeeming love, our Lord will fulfil to us what he said to his disciples; All things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you? John xi. 15.

15 Towards the LORD my waiting eyes
Continually are set;

For he it is that shall bring forth
My feet out of the net.

16 O turn thee unto me, O God,

Have mercy me upon;
Because I solitary am,

And in affliction.

17 Enlarg'd the griefs are of mine heart;
Me from distress relieve.

18 See mine affliction and my pain,
And all my sins forgive.

19 Consider thou mine enemies,

Because they many are;

And it a cruel hatred is

Which they against me bear.

20 O do thou keep my soul, O God,
Do thou deliver me:

Let me not be asham'd; for I
Do put my trust in thee,

21 O let integrity and truth

Keep me, who thee attend.

22 Redemption, Lord, to Israel

From all his troubles send.

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Verses 15-21. Mine eyes are ever towards the LORD; &c. These words import the exercise of faith and prayer; both of which are encouraged by the promise or the assurance expressed in the next clause; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net, in allusion to a bird intangled in the snare of the fowler, the emblem of a soul caught in the cares or pleasures of the world. The other verses convey an affecting view of the Psalmist's distressed case, with petitions adapted to every particular. His sins, and his enemies that hated him, are mentioned as the chief sources of his troubles and distress.

Verse 22. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. Israel here is to be taken for God's professed people in every age; and none are ex¬ cluded. Viewed as a prayer of faith of the Head, and of all the members, or the whole Church, it must obtain an answer of peace for the whole human race. Says Dr. Horne, In the common salvation all have

PSALM XXVI.

THOUGH the literal king of Israel be the immediate speaker in this ⠀ psalm, from the circumstances which occurred in his own case; yet a greater than David is here, and sets to his Church and people the example of appeal to God, under false accusations, and the calumny of enemies. While he appeals to God in regard of his injured innocence, he disclaims all connection with the wicked. He professeth his fixed determination to adhere to God's worship and service; prayeth to be delivered from ungodly men; farther protesteth his integrity, and promises grateful acknowlegements of benefits received.

1 JUDGE me, O LORD, for I have walk'd

In mine integrity;

I trusted also in the LORD;

Slide therefore shall not I.

2 Examine me, and do me prove;
Try heart and reins, O God:
3 For thy love is before mine eyes,
Thy truth's paths I have trode.

interest; and, for that reason, all should pray for it.'

Notes on Psalm XXVI.

Christ, like David his type, continues to intercede for all his subjects, and so should we, believing that He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities, Psal. cxxx. 8. Verse 1. Judge me, O LORD, that is,`judge for me, or plead my cause. To walk in integrity, is to be and act the part of an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile. The last clause is thus read-I have trusted also in the LORD, that I shall not slide, or fall Such was David's case often in regard of Saul; and Christ's in respect of the Jews, as it may be also that of Christians, in regard of the men of the world.

David and

Verse 2. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; &c. others might desire a trial of this kind, being conscious of their integrity, respecting crimes charged upon them by their enemies: but Christ alone could demand such a trial at large, as being holy, harmless, undefiled. and separated from sinners, and hence certain of deriving additional lustre from the increasing heat of the furnace.

Verse 3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes; &c. A deep and abiding sense of God's love hath a happy influence in leading us to walk in his truth; and where this is attained, we may have confidence towards him. What a motive to cherish an abiding sense of his love?