That would devour me: God his truth
and mercy forth shall send.

4 My soul among fierce lions is,
I fire-brands live among :

Men's sons, whose teeth are spears and darts, a sharp sword is their tongue.

5 Be thou exalted very high

above the heav'ns O God; Let thou thy glory be advanc'd o'er all the earth abroad.

6 My soul's bow'd down: for they a net
have laid, my steps to snare:

Into the pit which they have digg'd
for me, they fallen are.

7 My heart is fix'd, my heart is fix'd,
O God I'll sing and praise,

8 My glory, wake; wake psalt'ry, harp;
myself I'll early raise.

9 I'll praise thee 'mong the people, Lord,
'mong nations sing will I.
10 For great to Heav'n thy mercy is,
thy truth is to the sky.

11 O Lord, exalted be thy name,
above the heav'ns to stand
Do thou thy glory far advance.
above both sea and land.

PSALM LVIII.

To the chief Musician, ALTASCHITH, MICHTAM of

DAVID.

This Psalm was probably composed by David, when Saul carried on some kind of legal prosecution against him, which is not mentioned in the history of his reign. Here, (1) He describes the corruption of these judges'

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government, in neglecting to do justice, and in reatliness to do injustice; and the corruption of their nature, with malice, falsehood and obstinate untractableness; 1—5. (2) He prays that God would disable them to perpetrate mischief; would defeat their projects, and weaken their influence; ver. 6-8. (3) He predicts their ruin, as calculated to promote the comfort of the godly, and the conviction of sinners.

While I sing, let me search out my corruptions, and bewail my obstinate refusals of Jesus Christ, and the counsels of his word. Let me dread the speedy but awful vengeance of God, if I regard iniquity in my heart, or indulge it in my life.

O ye, O congregation,

indeed speak righteousness?
ye that are the sons of men,
judge ye with uprightness?

2 Yea, ev'n within your very hearts
ye wickedness have done;
And ye the vi’lence of your hands
do weigh the earth upon.

3 The wicked men estranged are
ev'n from the very womb;
They speaking lies do stray, as soon
as to the world they come.

4 Unto a serpent's poison like

their poison doth appear;
Yea, they are like the adder deaf
that closely stops her ear;

That so she may not hear the voice
of one that charm her would,
No, not though he most cunning were,
and charm most wisely could.

Their teeth, O God, within their mouth
break thou in pieces small:

The great teeth break thou out, O Lord,
of these young lions all.

7 Let them like waters melt away,
which downward still do flow:
In pieces cut his arrows all,

when he shall bend his bow. 8 Like to a snail that melts away, let each of them be gone: Like woman's birth untimely, that they never see the sun.

9 He shall them take away before your pots the thorns can find, Both living, and in fury great, as with a stormy wind.

10 The righteous, when he vengeance sees, he shall be joyful then ;

The righteous one shall wash his feet.
in blood of wicked men.

11 So men shall say, the righteous man
reward shall never miss ;

And verily upon the earth
a God to judge there is.

PSALM LIX.

To the chief Musician AL-TASCHITH. MICHTAM of David, when SAUL sent and they watched the house to kill him.

This Psalm was penned by David, when Saul sent messengers to watch his house in order to kill him; 1 Sam. xix. In it, as in the seven immediate preceding, we have, (1) David's bitter complaints of his enemies, as wicked, barbarous, malicious, and atheistical; ver, 1— 7. (2) His predictory prayers that God would expose these enemies to contempt and derision; make them standing monuments of his just indignation; deal with

them according to their sins; consume then in his wrath; and even render their sin their punishment; ver. 8, 10, 15. (3) His holy resolutions to wait upon God, till his judgments should be executed upon them, and then to praise him for his favours; ver. 9, 10, 16, 17.

While I sing, let me think of the opposition made to David's Lord, and of the unrelenting vengeance which hath overtaken his enemies, Jewish and heathen, and shall overtake his antichristian and other opposers. While his honours are trampled under foot, let me wait on, and trust in God, that at last I may join in the HALLELUJAHS of his people, when the smoke of his enemies torment ascendeth up for ever and ever.

Y God, deliver me from those
that are mine enemies ;

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And do thou me defend from those
that up against me rise.

2 Do thou deliver me from them
that work iniquity;

And give me safety from the men
of bloody cruelty.

3 For, lo, they for my soul lay wait:
the mighty do combine

Against me, Lord; not for my fault,
nor any sin of mine.

4 They run, and without fault in me,
themselves do ready make :

Awake to meet me with thy help,
and do thou notice take.

5 Awake therefore, Lord God of hosts,
thou God of Israel,

To visit heathen all: spare none
that wickedly rebel,

6 At ev❜ning they go to and fro ;

they make great noise and sound,

Like to a dog, and often walk
about the city round.

Behold, they belch out with their mouth,
and in their lips are swords;
For they do say thus, who is he

that now doth hear our words?
8 But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them,
and all the heathen mock.

9 While he's in pow'r I'll wait on thee; for God is my high rock.

10 He of my mercy that is God betimes shall me prevent : Upon mine en'mies God shall let me see mine heart's content.

11 Them slay not, lest my folk forget; but scatter them abroad

By thy strong pow'r; and bring them down,
O thou our shield, and God.

12 For their mouth's sin, and for the words that from their lips do fly.

Let them be taken in their pride ;
because they curse and lie.

13 In wrath consume them, them consume, that so they may not be :

And that in Jacob God doth rule,
to the earth's ends let them see.

14 At ev❜ning let thou them return,
making great noise and sound,
Like to a dog, and often walk
about the city round.

15 And let them wander up and down in seeking food to eat ;

And let them grudge when they shall no be satisfy'd with meat.