Nor wilt thou with burnt-offering 17 A broken spirit is to God a pleasing sacrifice : A broken and a contrite heart, 18 Shew kindness and do good, O Lord, The walls of thy Jerusalem 19 Then righteous off'rings shall thee please, and off'rings burnt, which they, With whole burnt-off'rings, and with calves, shall on thine altar lay. PSALM LII. To the chief Musician, MASCHIL. A Psalm of DAVID, when DOEG the EDOMITE, came and told SAUL, and said unto him, DAVID is come to the house of ABIME LECH. This Psalm relates to Doeg the Edomite, who informed Saul, how Abimelech the high-priest had entertained David and his servants, and in consequence thereof murdered Abimelech, and above fourscore other priests; 1 Sam. xxii. Here, (1) David charges Doeg that, notwithstanding the manifested and everlasting goodness of God, he gloried in his malice, craft, cruelty, and other wickedness; ver. 1-5. (2) By the spirit of prophecy he condemns him for his wickedness, to be pluckt from his dwelling, and rooted out of the land of the living, to the great joy of the fearers of God; ver. 6, 7. (3) He comforts himself in the everlasting mercy of God, and with the assured hopes that he should yet praise him for his kindness; ver. 8, 9. Learn, O my soul, to detest all deceit and cruelty. Learn, to imitate the goodness of God, which endureth continually; and, while friends are cut off or foes pre vail, let me live by faith on a gracious God, as my ALL and IN ALL. W HY dost thou boast, O mighty man, of mischief and of ill? The goodness of Almighty God endureth ever still. 2 Thy tongue mischievous calumnies Like to a razor sharp to cut, 3 Ill more than good, and more than truth 4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. 5 So God shall thee destroy for aye, Quite from thy house, out of the land 6 The righteous shall it see, and fear, 8 But I am in the house of God My confidence for ever hath upon God's mercy been. 9 And I for ever will thee praise, because thou hast done this: I on thy name will wait; for good before thy saints it is. PSALM LIII. To the chief Musician, upon MAHALATH MASCHIL. A Psalm of DAVID. This Psalm is much the same as the 14th. It speaks, (1) Humbling convictions to all men, of their sinfulness of nature and practice; ver. 1-3. (2) Fearful terrors to them who persecute and oppress the people of God; ver. 4, 5. (3) Abundant comfort, in the salvation of God, to his persecuted saints; ver. 5, 6. Learn, my soul, frequently to review thy original and contracted filthiness. Admire the patience and mercy of God towards mankind. Trust not in man, for wherein is he to be accounted of! In the the full assurance of faith, wait patiently for God's salvation. T HAT there is not a God, the fool They are corrupt, their works are vile, 2 The Lord upon the sons of men 3 They altogether filthy are, they all are backward gone; And there is none that doeth good, no not so much as one. 4 These workers of iniquity do they not know at all, That they my people eat as bread, 5 Ev'n there they were afraid, and stood For God, his bones that thee besieg'd hath scatter'd all abroad: Thou hast confounded them, for they despised are of God. 8 Let Isr'el's help from Zion come; when back the Lord shall bring His captives, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall sing. PSALM LIV. To the chief Musician, on NEGINOTH MASCHIL. À Psalm of DAVID, when the ZIPHIMS came and said to SAUL, Doth not David hide himself with us. This Psalm was composed when the Ziphites, men of the same tribe with David, instigated Saul to destroy him, and directed him how to accomplish it; 1 Sam. xxiii. xxvi. It contains, (1) David's strong cries to his God, that he would save and judge him, and hear his requests; ver. 1, 2. (2) Bitter complaints of the oppres sion and impiety of his enemies; ver. 3. (3) His triumphant consolation of himself, in the view of what God was to him, and would do for him, intermixed with holy resolutions to praise him for his kindness; ver. 4—7. While Satan and my lusts, and the men of this world, unite to destroy me, let me call on God. Let me be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Let me rejoice in him, who hath delivered, doth deliver, and in whom I trust that he will deliver me. AVE me, O God, by thy great name, 2 My prayer hear, Ŏ God; give ear 3 For they that strangers are to me do up against me rise; Oppressors seek my soul, and God set not before their eyes. 4 The Lord my God my helper is, O, for thy truth's sake, cut them off, 6 I will a sacrifice to thee give with free willingness : Thy name, O Lord, because 'tis good, with praise I will confess. 7 For he hath me delivered from all adversities; And his desire mine eye hath seen PSALM LV. To the chief Musician, on NEGINOTH MASCHIL. This Psalm was probably penned by David, when he fled from Jerusalem, for fear of Absalom his son; 2 Sam xv, xvi. Observe, (1) David's earnest prayers for help and favour from God, amidst his great oppression, griefs, and fears; ver. 1-8. (2) His requests for the just manifestation of God's vengeance, in the dispersion and destructon of his enemies, who, in Jerusalem, particularly Ahitophel, had behaved in so base and treacherous a manner; ver.9-15. (3) Resolved on frequent and fervent prayer, he encourages himself and friends to trust in God for support and deliverance, and for the speedy destruction of their enemies, however deceitful and bloody; ver. 16 -23. While I sing, behold, my soul, as in a glass, how Jesus our Redeemer, was hated, was betrayed, and murdered by his bretheren of Judah, at Jerusalem; and how the fearful vengeance of the Almighty overtook them, on |