captivity, is uncertain. In it, the people of God, [1] Look back on their often-repeated tribulations, with thankfulness to God for their deliverances from Egypt, and from their oppressors, under the Judges, Saul, kr. ver. 1-4. [2] They look forward, with a believing prayer for, and prospect of the destruction of all their implacable enemies; ver. 5-8.

While I sing, let me not only be affected with what the Lord did for the Jewish, but chiefly with what he hath done for the gospel church; and let'me, in faith, cry for, and expect the downfall of Antichrist, and of all the other enemies of Christ and his church.

0'

FT did they vex me from my youth,
may Isr'el now declare ;

2 Oft did they vex me from my youth,
yet not victorious were.

3 The plowers plow'd upon my back, they long their furrows drew.

4 The righteous Lord did cut the cords of the ungodly crew.

5 Let Zion's haters all be turn'd back with confusion.

6 As grass on houses tops be they, which fades e're it be grown : 7 Whereof enough to fill his hand the mower cannot find:

Nor can the man his bosom fill,

whose work is sheaves to bind. 8 Neither say they who do go by, God's blessing on you rest: We in the name of God the Lord do wish you to be blest.

PSALM CXXX.

A Song of Degrees.

This Psalm contains, [1] David's earnest cries to God, out of the depths of corruption, desertion, temptation, or trouble; ver. 1, 2. [2] His ingenuous repentance, in the faith of God's merciful forgiveness; ver. 3, 4. [3] His attentive waiting on God for his favours; ver. 5, 6 [4] His encouraging expecta tions from God; ver. 7, 8.

While I sing, let my soul go and do likewise. While the unbounded mercy and plenteous redemption of JEHOVAH remains unexhausted, let my soul cry mightily in every trouble; believe forgiveness under the deepest sense of guilt; and quietly hope and wait for the salvation of God. Let never hopeless despair steel my heart against a God of grace.

ORD, from the depths to thee I cry'd. 2 My voice, Lord, do thou hear:

Unto my supplication's voice

give an attentive ear.

3 Lord, who shall stand, if thou, O Lord, should mark iniquity?

4 But yet with thee forgiveness is, that fear'd thou mayest be.

5 I wait for God, my soul doth wait,
my hope is in his word.

6 More than they that for morning watch,
my soul waits for the Lord:
I say more than they that do watch
the morning light to see.

7 Let Israel hope in the Lord,
for with him mercies be;

And plenteous redemption is ever found with him. 8 And from all his iniquities, he Isr'el shall redeem.

PSALM CXXXI.

A Song of Degrees of David.

This Psalm contains, (1) David's candid profession of his contentment with his lot; ver. 1, 2. (2) His warm encouragement of others to a constant dependence on God; ver. 3.

While I sing it, let me be ashamed of my pride, and of meddling with things above my sphere. Let me desire humility, as my great ornament, in every station; and study, like a child of God, weaned from worldly lusts, to set all my hope on God himself.

M

Y heart not haughty is, O Lord,
mine eyes not lofty be:

Nor do I deal in matters great,
Or things too high for me.

2 I surely have myself behav'd
with quiet sp'rit and mild,

As child of mother wean'd; my soul is like a weaned child.

3 Upon the Lord let all the hope of Israel rely,

Ev'n from the time that present is unto eternity.

PSALM CXXXII.

A Song of Degrees.

Whether this Psalm was penned by David when he brought up the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim; 2 Sam. vi. or for Solomon's dedication of the temple; 1 Kings viii. is uncertain. It contains, (1) A representation of David's pious and earnest care to provide a proper lodging for God's ark; ver. 1-7. (2) Earnest prayers for God's presence and blessings to attend his ark; ver. 8-10. (3) David's care to provide an habitation for God; and God's promises to David relating to the prosperity and establishment of his family, especially in the Messiah, are pled as arguments to enforce these requests; ver. 1—5. 10—18.

While I sing, let my soul, with ardour, go out after God, the living God. Let nothing less than his presence in his ordinances satisfy my desires. Let the welfare of his ministers and people be matter of my deep concern. Let me admire the kindness of God, that I have so many exceeding great and precious promises to plead upon. While I sing them, let me grasp, let me believe them, with my whole heart.

D

all,

AVID, and his afflictions Lord, do thou think upon : 2 How unto God he sware, and vow'd

to Jacob's mighty One.

3 I will not come within my house, nor rest in bed at all:

4 Nor shall mine eyes take any sleep, nor eye-lids slumber shall;

5 Till for the Lord a place I find, where he may make abode : A place of habitation

for Jacob's mighty God.

6 Lo, at the place of Ephratah
of it we understood:

And we did find it in the fields-
and city of the wood.

7 We'll go into his tabernacles,
and at his footstool bow.
8 Arise, O Lord, into thy rest,

th' ark of thy strength and thou
9 O let thy priests be clothed, Lord,
with truth and righteousness:
And let all those that are thy saints
shout loud for joyfulness.

10 For thine own servant David's sake, do not deny thy grace:

Nor of thine own anointed One
turn thou away the face.

11 The Lord, in truth, to David sware,
he will not turn from it,
I, of thy body's fruit will make
Upon thy throne to sit.

12 My cov'nant if thy sons will keep, and laws to them made known; Their children then shall also sit for ever on thy throne.

13 For God of Zion hath made choice: there he desires to dwell.

14 This is my rest: here still I'll stay, for I do like it well.

15 Her food I'll greatly bless her poor with bread will satisfy.

16 Her priests I'll clothe with health, her saints shall shout forth joyfully.

17 And there will I make David's horn
to bud forth pleasantly:

For him that mine anointed is
a lamp ordain'd have I.

18 As with a garment I will clothe
with shame his en'mies all:
But yet the crown that he doth wear
upon him flourish shall.

PSALM CXXXIII.

A Song of Degrees of David.

This Psalm was perhaps penned when the Hebrew tribes concurred to fix David on his throne, or to restore him to it; 2 Sam. v. or xix. Here is (1) A declaration of the excellency and pleasantness of brotherly affection; ver. 1. (2) The illustration of this in two similitudes; ver. 2, 3. (3) The great advantage of it; ver. 3.

While I sing, let Jesus' love, shed abroad in my heart, make me exemplify my notes. How happy the churches and fami lies, where this prevails! And how blessed above all, the church above, where LOVE, LOVE for ever reigns.

EHOLD, how good a thing it is,
and how becoming well,

Together such as brethren are
in unity to dwell.

2 Like precious ointment on the head, that down the beard did flow,

Ev'n Aaron's beard, and to the skirts* did of his garments go.

To imagine that the sacred oil ran down upon and stained the high priest's robe to the skirt, or lower parts thereof, to me seems very inconsistent with the remarkable cleanlines prescribed by the ceremonial institutes; very inconsistent with the prescribed finery and beauty of this sacred apparel. The Hebrew word PHI ought therefore to have been translated hot SKIRT but COLLAR or NECK-BAND; compare Joh. xxx. 18. Exodus xxviii. 32.-Perhaps too, the hills of Zion, in ver. 3.denote not those about Jerusalem, Psalm cxxv. 2, which stood an hundred miles distant from Hermon, but that which is called SION, Deut. iv. 48, on which, without controver