PSALM XIX.

To a perfon entering into the New-Teftament view of the Pfalms, this one will appear perfe&tly plain, according to what is attempted in the paraphrafe, as exactly parallel to Pfalm xcvii. with all thofe of the fame fpirit and expreffion, wherein the Godhead and glory of the Son of God, the univerfal Lord and King over all, are described by the Holy Ghost as declared from heaven, and filling the whole earth, not with regard to creation and providence; (which operations of his alfo are abundantly defcribed elsewhere); but, with regard to the manifeftation of the everlasting gofpel, and of the character and glory of God, fhining in the face of Jefus, as held forth in the light of the apoftolic teftimony.-As the apoftle Paul has actually interpreted this Pfalm, Rom. x. 18. So that the matter is for ever decided with thofe, who will be determined by the account given by the Holy Spirit of inspiration himself. As to the Arong poetical colourings ufed in this Pfalm, drawn from the grandeft objects in the world, the heavens, the fun, and the glory of warriors, &c. according to thofe times and places, they are the very mothertongue, fo to speak, of all the prophets. From the 11th verfe, and downward to the end, the form of the difcourfe begins naturally to flide into the firft perfon--And that Melliah is the perfon, will appear manifeft to him who confiders the meaning of the parallels quoted in the margin; as the fame thall be demonstrated in the proper places.

Like fire defcending down from heav'n,
And rufhing like a mighty wind,
The Holy Ghoft, the Saviour giv'n,
Announc'd his glory to mankind:
From day to day, from night to night,.
Th' apofiles all his glory tell;
His glory fines o'er ait, like light,
And all his faints in glory dowell.

THE brightness of his Godhead shines
In ftreaming glory from the fkies!
The God of pow'r the heav'ns inclines;
The darkness from his prefence flies:
The Holy Ghoft, in flaming fire

Defcending, fhews the Son of God-
Let all the idol-gods retire,

Let all the nations clear the road.

The pride of glory ftained all,
Meffiah reigns the King alone!
Let all the heav'nly armies fall,
And worship David's Lord and Son!
His day of pow'r proclaims him nigh,
His glory fhews him to the crowd;
Let all his foes before him fly:

Proclaim the gofpel far and loud.

2 Day unto day, and night to night, The wonders of his kingdom tell His wildom is the high delight

Of all in whom the fame does dwell; His knowledge breathes more precious fweets, In ev'ry foul where e'er it flows,

More kindly than Arabia greets

With ev'ry fcent Arabia blows.

His blefs'd Apoftles! fee, they come,
`Conducted by th' infpiring God,
To bring his elect veffels home

Unto their Father's dear abode :
3 There is no fpeech nor language known,
From Zion to the fartheft ifles,
Wherein his glory is not fhown;

No land unbleffed with his fmiles.

4 Their line is gone through all the earth;
Their high commiflion he extends,
To fill the world with joy and mirth,

Unto the world's remoteft ends:

Their preaching, like the fpacious sky,
Embraceth ev'ry living thing-
Behold the angels!-See them fly,
Who th' everlasting Gospel bring!

The Gospel everlasting fhines,

Of men the light, the life, the breath; It gives a day that ne'er declines,

A life that never ends in death:
In it the Sun of glory dwells,

And fhines with healing in his wings;
There is no light (for he excels)

But his, from whence all glory fprings.

In nuptial fplendour, all array'd

With garments wrought in heav'nly loom, See th' orient majefty display'd ́

Of Chrift, the dear divine Bridegroom! Rejoicing, from his rofy bow'r,

The foul and glory of the day!.

He comes, his morning-beams to pour,
And o'er the mountains make them play:

Arifing in the eastern skies,

And gradually advancing on

In courfe, thro' all the heav'ns he flies,
Nor ceases till his race be done :
The fhades of death before him fly,
And joys celeftial fill their room;
The barren heath, when he draws nigh,
Like Paradife begins to bloom,

7 His ways are all eternal love;
How perfect is his holy law!
It turns the heart to joys above,
And keeps the paffions all in awe.
Jehovah's teftimony wife,

Is faithful to tranfport the heart,
To fave the foul in fin that lies,

To make the fool become alert.

8 Jehovah's precepts all are right,

All his commands divinely pure,
Unto the eyes imparting light,
Unto the heart a comfort fure.
9 The reverential juft regard

Of all the character divine,
As God himself hath it declar'd,
Endures, and makes the face to fhine.

The judgments of the Lord are true,
And in an even balance weigh'd:
He gives to ev'ry one his due;
Nor is by any bias sway'd:
10 His ways are more defir'd by me,
And more to be defir'd by you,
Than all the gold that e'er fhall be,
Or has been, digg'd in rich Peru:77
His word more fweet than honey-combs,
Than honey dropping from the comb,
Into my heart with rapture comes,
And brings his heav'n unto me home.
11 Moreover, I the truth will tell,
Meffiah comes to do thy will;
Thy word directs thy fervant well:
Jehovah, I thy word fulfil.

T'obey thy word is to enjoy

More revenues than earth can yield;
But O the evils that annoy

Who trefpafs on thy will reveal'd! 12 Their errors who can understand? 13 But thou wilt me preferve fecure From ev'ry caufe of reprimand:

So I fhall stand before thee pure.

14 Thy fervant, I, Jehovah, come,
To plead my perfect innocence,
That I may dwell within thy dome,
And never know departure thence:

1

To fave himfelf, and fave his feed,

A righteousness that never fades,
In perfect thought, and word, and deed,
Thy own Messiah boldly pleads.

THIS Pfalm, it is allowed on all hands, is fpoken in the person of the church, glorying in, and fympathifing with, her King in the day of his calamity; while fhe breathes forth, at the fame time, her fervent hope-infpired defires for his deliverance from all his troubles.-That not David, but his Lord, is the King, is certain from the last words of the Pfalm, Save, Lord: let the King hear us when we call.'

To clothe his faints around with praise,
And raife them glorious by his fall,
In mercy, to fupport their ways,

Lo, Jefus fights their battles all-
They, glorying in the Lord their King,
And fympathifing with him too,
The travail of his fpirit fing,

And plead for him the vict'ry due.

I'LL fing a fong to my Belov'd,

And in my fong I'll breathe my joy;
Jehovah fhall himself be mov'd:
Jehovah fhall my harp employ.
Jehovah hear thee in the day

Of thy diftress, and fend thee eafe;
The name of Jacob's God thee stay,
And speedily thy foul release.

2 Ten thousand legions from on high,
Commiffion'd by the Father, come
To lead thy foul above the fky,
Efcorting to thy Father's home.