her. In this case, she cannot more effectually prevail upon him, or comfort herself, than by recollecting, and, as it were, reminding him of former mercies; since, however the dispositions and affections of men may alter, God is always the same.

7. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me, for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

When God remembers his mercy, he forgets our sins; and when he forgets our sins, he remembers his mercy; for what else is his mercy, but the forgiveness, the blotting-out, the non-imputation of sin? Who that has lived long in the world, can survey the time past of his life, without breaking forth into this petition, adding, to the sins of his youth,' the many transgressions of his riper years ?'

8. Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

Another argument for hope and trust in God, is drawn from his nature. He hates sin, and loves righteousness; he sent his Son to suffer for the one, and his Spirit to produce the other; and he cannot but be faithful and just to his own gracious promises, which all centre in the salvation of sinners by pardon and grace, through Him who is the way, the truth, and the life.'

9. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

Pride and anger have no place in the school of Christ. The Master himself is 'meek and lowly of heart;' much more, surely, ought the scholars

to be so. He who hath no sense of his ignorance, can have no desire or capability of knowledge, human or divine.

10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

The law of God is the way by which he cometh to us, as well as that by which we go to him; and all the different dispensations of that law, here styled the paths of the Lord,' are composed of 'mercy and truth;' mercy promising, and truth performing, meet together in Christ, who is the end of the law to every one that believeth;' to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.'

11. For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

6

The pardon of sin is to be asked, and obtained, through that gracious name,' in which mercy and truth are met together;' and so 'great' is our sin, that pardon can be had only through that

name.

12. What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

The blessings consequent upon the fear of the Lord' are such as will fully justify the earnestness and fervour of the foregoing petitions for pardon and grace. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.' He who hath it, will choose' the right way, and will be taught' to go therein.

13. His soul shall dwell at ease, Heb. lodge in goodness; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

It is a privilege of the man who feareth the Lord,' that not only in this present life, all things

work together for his good,' but his soul, after having persevered in righteousness, shall take up its abode in the mansions of felicity. His seed' likewise shall be blessed in the same manner, with such a portion of the temporal promise made to Abraham as God seeth best for them, and certainly with an abundant share in the spiritual inheritance, the new earth, wherein dwell righteousness, joy, and glory. 'Blessed are the meek,' the seed of Christ, for they shall inherit the earth.' Matt. v. 5.

14. The secret, Heb. fixed counsel, or, design of the Lord, is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant, Heb. and his covenant, to make them know it.

The greatest happiness of man in this world is, to know the fixed and determinate counsels of God concerning the human race, and to understand the covenant of redemption. This likewise is the reward of the fear of the Lord,' which humbles the soul, and prepares it for divine illumination, causing it to place all its comfort in meditation on the wonders of heavenly love. All things which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you,' saith our Lord to his disciples: John, xv. 15.

15. Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

Encouraged to hope for the blessings above mentioned, the lowly suppliant still continues to fix the eyes of his understanding on their proper object, God his Saviour, beholding his glory, attending to his will, and expecting his mercy. An unfortunate dove, whose feet are taken in the snare of the fowler,

is a fine emblem of the soul, entangled in the cares or pleasures of the world; from which she desires, through the power of grace, to fly away, and to be at rest with her glorified Redeemer.

16. Turn me unto thee, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.

They who ever looking upon the Lord will be heard, when they beseech him to turn his face, and to look upon them. When the soul, forsaking and forsaken by all earthly supports and comforts, finds herself in a state of desolation, and is experimentally convinced of her being, not in a paradise of delights, but in a vale of misery, then her visitation and deliverance are at hand.

17. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: 0 bring thou me out of my distresses.

As life is prolonged, troubles are generally enlarged,' till at length they take up what room there is in the heart. The last scene of the tragedy is the most calamitous. So it was in the life of our dear Master. And every man will sooner or later perceive, that God alone can bring him out of his distresses.'

18. Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.

Affliction and pain, whether of mind or body, are the fruits of sin; and the pardon of sin is the first step towards the removal of sorrow. The

1 Bishop Lowth, with some slight alteration of the text, hinks the rendering should be,

Coarctationes cordis mei dilata;
Et ex angustiis meis educ me.

See Meyrick's Annotations.

latter is sent to beget in us a due sense of the former, in order to a deliverance from both. In the new earth, dwelleth righteousness;' and for that reason, there is no more sorrow, pain, nor crying.' 2. Pet. iii. 13; Rev. xxi. 4.

19. Consider mine enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.

As the evils we suffer are great, so the enemies we have to encounter are many. Their name is 'legion' and to their envy, hatred, and malice there are no bounds. How unequal the combat, unless thou, O God, goest forth with us by thy grace, conquering and to conquer !'

20. O keep my soul, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed; for I have put my trust in thee.

Preservation from sin, and deliverance from death, are two great gifts of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. For the latter clause, see ver. 2.

21. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

How many wishes do our hearts send forth after riches, honours, and pleasures! how few after integrity and uprightness!' yet these can preserve' us, and those cannot. Absolute integrity and uprightness are the prerogatives of the King of righteousness and it is his grace which makes us such as his mercy will accept. On him therefore let us 'wait.'

22. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. In the common salvation all have an interest; and for that reason, all should pray for it. The