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6 For this shall ev'ry godly one.
His prayer make to thee;

In such a time he shall thee seek,
As found thou mayest be.
Surely, when floods of waters great
Do swell up to the brim,
They shall not overwhelm his soul,
Nor once come near to him.

7 Thou art my hiding-place, thou shalt
From trouble keep me free:
Thou with songs of deliverance
About shalt compass me.

8 I will instruct thee, and thee teach
The way that thou shalt go;

And, with mine eye upon thee set,

I will direction show.

9 Then be not like the horse or mule,
Which do not understand;

Whose mouth, lest they come near to thee,
A bridle must command.

In the 6th verse the humbled royal penitent foretels, that other sinners profiting by the example of his repentance, and encouraged by its success, would in like manner find mercy; and so be secured from the floods of great waters, overwhelming calamities, the fears of death, and the terrors of future judgment.

In verses 7 and 8. He declares his hope and confidence in God, as his hiding place or refuge, who would fill his own mouth and that of his believing friends, with songs of deliverance; and introduces Him as promising wisdom to direct the penitent in the way, and grace to enable him to persevere to the end. How precious the promise, and counsel to the humble soul; I will guide thee with mine eye! Man cannot prevent evils, because they are often unforeseen; but God vouchsafes to his penitent peo ple, not only the protecting shelter of his wing, but also the directing and ecuring prospect of his eye.

But in order to enjoy this promised blessing, we are warned, verse 9. not to resemble the horse or the mule, in obstinacy, which, as having no un derstanding like man, are kept in check with bit and bridle, and can be tamed, and made tractable, only by force, and the severity of dicipline, the mule proving often proof even to such treatment.

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10 Unto the man that wicked is

His sorrows shall abound;

But him that trusteth in the LORD

Mercy shall compass round

il Ye righteous, in the LORD be glad,
In him do ye rejoice:

All ye that upright are in heart,
For joy lift up your voice.

PSALM XXXIII.

In this psalm God is celebrated for his beneficent works of creation, providence, and redemption, and for the power, goodness, and faithfulness which are manifested in them. Thus it extends to all his works, and leads the believing mind to contemplate with joy the consummation of them all. Hence the faithful, in compliance with the exhortations given, declare their joy and confidence in the great God their Saviour, and present their earnest prayers for the completion of his mercy, and the manifestation of his glory. In these respects, it presents a perfect model of the songs of Zion, in the celebration of God's works and ways, in which a greater than David abounded in his day.

1 YE righteous, in the LORD rejoice;

It comely is and right,

Verse 10. Many sorrows, or stripes, shall be to the wicked, who are perverse and obstinate; for God will continue and increase their correction, or the stripes of his rod, till they humble themselves; as David in experience found.

An eminent Hebrew critic thinks the 11th verse should introduce the next psalm; it being agreeable to the manner of that language to repeat and vary the expression. As it stands, it shews what ground of gladness, joy and triumph those have who are truly penitent; and also imparts a promise that all this shall be secured to them in and by the LORD their strength and Redeemer.

Notes an Psalm XXXIII-Verses 1-5. contain an exhortation to the righteous to cherish and express spiritual and holy joy in the LORD their God. Paul gives a similar invitation to Christians, Rejoice in the LORD always, and again, I say, rejoice, Thilip. iv. 4. A renewed heart, and welltuned affections constitute the best instrument, and the choicest melody, in the service of God; without which all proves as a sounding brass, and tinkling cymbal. God should be served with the best, whose gracious ac

That upright men, with thankful voice,
Should praise the LORD of might.

2 Praise God with harp, and unto him
Sing with the psaltery;
Upon a ten-string'd instrument
Make ye sweet melody.

3 A new song to him sing, and play
With loud noise skilfully;

4 For right is God's word, all his works
Are done in verity.

5 To judgment and to righteousness
A love he beareth still;

The loving-kindness of the LORD
The earth throughout doth fill.
6 The heavens by the word of God
Did their beginning take;

And by the breathing of his mouth
He all their hosts did make.

reptance of our very imperfect services claims our devout and griteti.1 praises. The men of the world talk of happiness; but the faithful in Christ Jesus alone enjoy it, who are in the way to its full and endless fruition in glory.

In verses 4 and 5. The Psalmist directs our attention to the word of the LORD, his righteousness and judgment, as suitable themes of thanks. giving and praise. Says Dr. H.The sense will be the same, if we suppose that by the word of the LORD is meant the personal WORD, or Son of God, all whose works wrought for the salvation of men, are done in truth, as witnessed by the law and the prophets.'—The earth is, or shall be, full of the goodness, Heb. mercy of the LORD. So far from sacrificing his justice and judgment, in filling the earth with his goodness and morcy, that attribute of his nature will contribute to the grand completion. Hence we find the royal Psalmist singing of mercy and judgment, as connected in his administration; by which union it would become a faint emblem of that of Messiah, Ps. ci. 1. In the Millennium, but especially in the new earth, will the goodness and mercy of God yield complete and universal happiness-the earth shall be full of them, or that part of mankind that are opposed to heaven, or the Church.

In verses 6-9. The exhortation is continued to celebrate God for his power and goodness manifested in the works of creation; and the preserving care of Divine providence. What is said here of the natural heavens and their host, that they were formed by the word of Jehovah,

7 The waters of the seas he brings

Together as an heap;

And in storehouses, as it were,
He layeth up the deep.

8 Let earth, and all that live therein,
With rev'rence fear the Lord;
Let all the world's inhabitants

Dread him with one accord.
9 For he did speak the word, and done
It was without delay;

Established, it firmly stood
Whatever he did say.

10 God doth the counsel bring to nought
Which Heathen folk do take;

And what the people do devise
Of none effect doth make.

and the breath, or spirit of his mouth, applies also to the mystical heavens and all their host; and since we know assuredly that Messiah, that personal incarnate Word of the LORD, and the Divine Spirit, make all things new in the latter; why exclude their agency here from the former? That of the Elohim, or mighty Ones, the Son of God was the ostensible agent in the first creation, we are taught to believe; and also, that the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, or brooded, like a bird over its eggs or young, to impart life, form, and beauty to the things created, Gen. i. 1, 2. That there is a plurality in Deity is here asserted, and the existence and agency of the Spirit affirmed; and the new creation will establish the same truth.

Though the waters of the sea, and the depth laid up in store houses, were made fatal to the antediluvians, and to Pharaoh and his host, yet they are here pointed out as subjects of praise. As in consequence of these events many were brought to fear the LORD; so by reason of that use which God shall make of them in future, All ends of the earth shall fear Jehovah; all the inhabitants of the world shall stand in awe of him; which ought to be understood as a prediction, and in the noblest sense. As in the first creation He made all things perfect in their kind, by the Word and Spirit of his mouth; so shall all be in the second creation, and then shall they stand fast, never more to be subjected to the changes consequent upon man's transgression.

Verses 10, 11. Here we are taught that all these counsels, erring schemes and devises of mankind in every age, which do not correspond to God's infinite wisdom, and immutable purpose, shall by him be made of none effect, or totally overturned and annihilated; whence his own

11 O but the counsel of the LORD
Doth stand for ever sure;

And of his heart the purposes
From age to age endure.

12 That nation blessed is, whose God
JEHOVAH is, and those

A blessed people are, whom for
His heritage he chose.

13 The LORD from heav'n sees and beholds

All sons of men full well:

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counsel standeth for ever, and the thoughts of his heart, which are those of a father towards his children, to all generations, or, as on margin, to generation and generation: by which we understand the Church, the generation of the righteous, and the rest of mankind. From all this we infer, that whatever shall have an endless existence in God's dominions, must correspond to his unerring wisdom, and directly result from his unalterable counsel and purpose. As sin corresponds not to the first, and proceeds not from the latter, it cannot exist without end; and misery, the fruit which originates from that killing root, must perish with it. Dr. II. remarks, By this wisdom, the counsels of states and empires are either directed to the accomplishment of the great counsel of Heaven; or, if they attempt to thwart it, are blasted, and brought to nothing. History will force all, who read it with this view, to acknowlege this much. And with this view, indeed, it should always be read.'

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Verse 12. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; &c.-While Israel of old were Christ's peculiar people, and so a figure of the faithful, he obtained the other nations as his property also. In psalm 2d. they are all given him as his inheritance, and upon the faith of this grant, the Church prays, Ps. lxxxii 8. That he would arise and judge the earth, or the rest of mankind, as he was to inherit all nations, restored to his image and enjoyment. We hence infer, that though the nation and people who now chuse him as their God, and whom he regards as his inheri tance, shall be peculiarly honoured and blessed; that yet through their means and agency, the rest of mankind shall be blessed too, as younger brethren, else he would be ashamed to be called their God, and the Father of the spirits of all flesh.

Verse 15. The LORD looketh from heaven: he beholdeth all the sons of men, Heb. sons of Adam. This language imports much more than merely an assertion of God's omniscience. As his eyes are said to be like a flame of fire; so to look from heaven, and behold all the sons of Adam, is to favour them, and transform them into his own likeness, as the sun does the objects on which he shines. Let the reader bear in mind what was said of the sons of Adam, as distinct from the sons of God, and he will be at no loss to understand such expressions.

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