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
that walk in upright ways.

9 The stranger's shield the widow's stay,
the orphan's help is he :
But yet by him the wicked's way
turn'd upside down shall be.

10 The Lord shall reign for ever more,
thy God, O Zion, he

Reigns to all generations,
Praise to the Lord give ye.

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
praise to our God to sing:

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,
and grieved in their minds,

He healeth and their painful wounds
he tenderly up-binds.

4 He counts the number of the stars;
he names them ev'ry one.

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,
who for the earth below
Prepareth rain, who maketh grass
upon the mountains grow.

9 He gives the beast his food, he feeds
the ravens young that cry.
10 His pleasure not in horse's strength,
nor in man's legs doth lie.

11 But in all those that do him fear
the Lord doth pleasure take;
In those that to his mercy do
by hope themselves betake.

12 The Lord praise, O Jerusalem :
Zion, thy God confess :

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
the waters flow amain.

19 The doctrine of his holy word
to Jacob he doth show:
His statutes and his judgments he
gives Israel to know.

20 To any nation never he

such favour did afford;

For they his judgments have not known,
O do ye praise the Lord.

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
of our almighty Lord;
For he commanded, and they were
created by his word.

6 He also, for all times to come,
hath them establish'd sure:
He hath appointed them a law,
which ever shall endure.

Praise ye JEHOVAH from the earth,
dragons, and ev'ry deep :

8 Fire, hail, snow, vapour, stormy wind,
his word that fully keep.

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
his saints exalteth he;

Ev'n Isr'el's seed, a people near
to him. The Lord praise ye.

TH

SECOND VERSION.

HE Lord of heav'n confess,
On high his glory raise.

2 Him, let all angels bless, Him, all his armies praise. Him glorify,

3

Sun, moon, and stars;
Ye higher spheres,
And cloudy sky.

5 From God your beings are,
Him therefore famous make;
You all created were,

B

When he the word but spake.
And from that place
Where fix'd you be,
By his decree,

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,
Trees low and tall,
Beasts wild and tame,

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