shall

pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun. Or, As a melting snail he pass away; as an abortion, they see not the sun. A snail, which, coming forth of his shell, marks his path with slime, continually losing some part of his substance in his progress; and an abortion, which consumes away in the like manner: these are the fourth and fifth images, selected to represent the transient nature of worldly greatness, still wasting, till it comes to nothing; and the miserable fate of those who perish, with their halfformed devices, nor ever behold the Sun of Righte

ousness.

9. Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath; or, he shall take them away alive, as with a whirlwind, in his wrath.

Wicked men have, in common with others, that tendency to decay which is entailed on the world, and on all things therein; but they are warned, by this sixth and last similitude, to prevent the judgments of the Almighty. These often break forth like a whirlwind, or a thunder-storm, and sweep away at once, in the flower of their strength, and the height of their prosperity, the tyrannical oppressors of the people of God; whose shortlived glory, and sudden extinction, are aptly resembled to that crackling and momentary blaze which is produced by a fire, kindled among thorns, under a pot.

10. The righteous shall rejoice, when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the

wicked: 11. So that a man shall say, Verily, there is a reward for the righteous; verily, he is, or, there is, a God that judgeth in the earth.

The victories of that Just One, gained in his own person and in those of his faithful servants, over the enemies of man's salvation, are productive of a joy, which springeth not from love of revenge, but is inspired by a view of the divine mercy, justice, and truth, displayed in the redemption of the elect, the punishment of the ungodly, and the accomplishment of the promises. Whoever duly weigheth and considereth these things, will diligently seek after the reward of righteousness, and humbly adore the providence which ordereth all things aright in heaven and earth.

Eleventh Day.-Evening Prayer.

PSALM LIX.

ARGUMENT.-This Psalm is said to have been composed on occasion of David's escape, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. See 1 Sam. xix. 11-18. David in these, as in many other circumstances of his life, may be considered as the representative of Messiah, 1, 2. praying to be delivered from the power of his blood-thirsty enemies, whose indefatigable malice he, 3-7. describes; but, 8—10. predicts his own enlargement through the tender mercy and mighty power of God; as also, 11-15. the singular vengeance to be poured out upon his enemies, for their punishment, and the admonition of others. The Psalm concludes with a strain of exultation and thanksgiving.

1. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God; defend me, Heb. exalt me, from them that rise up

against me. 2. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.

In these words we hear the voice of David, when a prisoner in his own house; the voice of Christ, when surrounded by his merciless enemies; the voice of the church, when under bondage in the world; and the voice of the Christian, when under temptation, affliction, and persecution.

3. For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; the mighty are gathered against me: not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord. 4. They run and prepare themselves without my fault; awake to help me, and behold.

The mighty men of Saul were gathered against David, who had been guilty of no offence against the king, and therefore was, so far, innocent. The Jews and Romans were gathered against Jesus Christ, who had committed no sin at all, and was perfectly innocent. And the world is oftentimes in arms against the children of God, only for doing what it is their duty to do. In all such cases, God is to be applied to, as the helper and avenger of those who suffer unjustly.

5. Thou, therefore, O Lord, God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake, or, thou shalt awake, to visit all the heathen be not merciful, or, thou wilt not be merciful, to any wicked transgressors.

The prophet, in this verse, seemeth to respect that great day of final retribution, which is to succeed the day of grace, the accepted time of repentance and pardon. For then it is that Jehovah shall awake, to judge the nations; to reward every man according to his deeds; and to banish for ever from

her presence the impenitent workers of iniquity. The malicious adversaries of David, and those of the Son of David, may not then find the mercy so often by them rejected, in the days of their flesh.

6. They return at evening; they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city.

The emissaries of Saul, coming after David in the evening,' besetting his house, and blocking up the avenues, are compared to a set of hungry bloodhounds in quest of their prey. But the picture is drawn likewise for that herd of evening wolves who thirsted after the blood of the Lamb of God, on whom their mouths were opened, crying, 'Crucify him! crucify him!'

7. Behold, they belch, or, spout, out with their mouth; swords are in their lips, for who, say they, doth hear?

Out of the abundance of malice in the heart, the mouth will speak, like the cutting of a sword; and the wicked take counsel against the just, as if there were no one above who heard and regarded.

8. But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

These very expressions are used in the fourth verse of the second Psalm, to denote the futility of all the counsels entered into, by Jew and Gentile, against Messiah and his church. The Psalm before us seems evidently to relate to the same counsels, against the same blessed Person, whatever part of king David's history might be the occasion of its being composed.

9. Because of his strength will I wait upon thee; for God is my defence, or, exaltation. 10. The

God of my mercy shall prevent me; God shall let me see my desire, Heb. look, upon mine enemies.

To the strength of the adversary the Psalmist opposeth that of God, which he foresaw would rescue him and avenge his cause. In all our troubles let us do likewise; and then, he who exalted David, and a greater than David, will in due time exalt us, and we shall look, without fear, upon our spiritual enemies.

11. Slay them not, lest my people forget; scatter them by thy power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield. Or, Thou wilt not slay them, thou wilt scatter them, &c.

The prophet, in the person of Messiah, predicteth the singular fate of the Jews; who, for their sins, were not extirpated, lest the Gentile Christians should forget' their punishment; but were scattered' among all nations, and degraded from the glorious privileges of that high rank in which they once stood.' Thus doth that people remain, at this day, a monument of God's vengeance against apostacy; a beacon, set up, and kindled by the hand of Heaven, as a warning to all Christian churches, that they split not on the same fatal rock.

12. For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them, or, they shall, even be taken in their pride and for cursing and lying which they speak.

The causes of the Jews' dispersion are here assigned, viz. the sin of their mouth' in the words

Propheticè, Christiani divinæ ultionis oblivisci non possunt, dum Judæi, excidio suo superstites, et ubique vagi, pœnam suam, et pariter, in testimonium, eloquia divina circumferunt. Bossuet.