7 Who righteous judgment executes for those oppress'd that be; Who to the hungry giveth food: God sets the pris'ners free. 8 The Lord doth give the blind their sight. the bowed-down doth raise : The Lord doth dearly love all those 9 The stranger's shield the widow's stay, 10 The Lord shall reign for ever more, Reigns to all generations, PSALM CXLVII. This Psalm was probably penned by David, while he epaired and fortified Jerusalem; 2 Sam. v. and contains, (1) Solemn calls to praise God; ver. 1, 7, 12, 20. (2) Weighty reasons for praising God, viz. 1. That as the God of nature he is infinitely intelligent and great, and the sovereign manager of all creatures; ver. 4, 5, 8, 9, 15, 18. 2. As the God of grace, he tenderly comforts, and affectionately delights in his people; ver. 3, 6, 10, 11. 3. As the God of Israel, Jerusalem and Zion, he settles their civil and religious state; ver. 2, 13, 14, 19, 20. When God manifests himself in so many things, be ashamed, my soul, that I discern him in so few. O to see God's power and glory in every work of his hand, and especially in every word of his mouth! and to be so affected with what he is, and hath done, and will do, as in every thing to give thanks. RAISE ye the Lord; for it is good PR For it is pleasant, and to praise it is a comely thing. 2 God doth build up Jerusalem, and he it is alone H That the dispers'd of Israel doth gather into one. 3 Those that are broken in their heart, He healeth and their painful wounds 4 He counts the number of the stars; 5 Great is our Lord, and of great pow'r; His wisdom search can none. The Lord lifts up the meek and casts the wicked to the ground. 7 Sing to the Lord, and give him thanks ; on harp his praises sound. 8 Who covereth the heav'n with clouds, 9 He gives the beast his food, he feeds 11 But in all those that do him fear 12 The Lord praise, O Jerusalem : 13 For thy gates' bars he maketh strong: thy sons in thee doth bless. 14 He in thy borders maketh peace; with fine wheat filleth thee. 15 He sends forth his command on earth, his word runs speedily. 16 Hoar-frost, like ashes, scatt'reth he: Like wool he snow doth give. 17 Like morsels casteth forth his ice: who in its cold can live? 18 He sendeth forth his mighty word, and melteth them again: His winds he makes to blow, and then 19 The doctrine of his holy word 20 To any nation never he such favour did afford; For they his judgments have not known, PSALM CXLVIII. Here, the Psalmist, overwhelmed with enrapturing views of the glory, and sense of the goodness of the Lord, issues forth a solemn call to all his fellow creatures to assist him in his songs of praise. (1) To the celestial creatures above, whether intellectual beings or not; ver. 1-6. (2) To the terrestrial creatures below, whether irrational; ver. 7-10. or rational; ver. 11-13. but chiefly to his chosen people; ver. 14. While angels and other rational beings actively trumpet forth his honours, and irrational creatures praise him objectively, in manifesting his excellencies marked on them; let my soul be ravished with his glory, amazed with his grace, and all inflamed with love in uttering his praise, who, i Christ, is MY GOD, and my EXCEEDING JOY. Cry out, all my powers, My God, who is like unto thee! Is there any work like unto thy work! RAISE God. From heavens praise the in heights praise to him be. PRA 2 All ye his angels, praise ye him; his hosts all praise him ye. 3 O praise ye him, both sun and moon, praise him all stars of light. [Lordy 4 Ye heav'ns of heav'ns him praise, and floods above the heavens' height. 5 Let all the creatures praise the name 6 He also, for all times to come, Praise ye JEHOVAH from the earth, 8 Fire, hail, snow, vapour, stormy wind, 9 All hills and mountains, fruitful trees, and all ye cedars high. 10 Beasts, and all cattle, creeping things, and all ye birds that fly. 11 Kings of the earth, all nations, princes, earth's judges all: 12 Both young men, yea, and maidens too, old men, and children small. 13 Let them God's name praise for his name alone is excellent: His glory reacheth far above the earth and firmament. 11 His people's horn, the praise of all Ev'n Isr'el's seed, a people near TH SECOND VERSION. HE Lord of heav'n confess, 2 Him, let all angels bless, Him, all his armies praise. Him glorify, 3 Sun, moon, and stars; 5 From God your beings are, B When he the word but spake. You cannot pass. Praise God from earth below, Ye dragons, and ye deeps: 8 Fire, hail, clouds, wind, and snow, Whom in command he keeps. Praise ye his name, 9 10 Hills great and small, All things that creep or fly. 11 Ye kings, ye vulgar throng, All princes mean or high ; 12 Both men and virgine young Ev'n young and old Exalt his name ; 13 For much his fame Should be extoll'd. O let God's name be prais'd Above both earth and sky; 14 For he his saints hath rais'd And set their horn on high |