PRAYER.

May we humble ourselves before Thee, O Lord, at all times, under a just sense of our sins: and do Thou mercifully forgive us, and so endue us with grace and strength, that we may not provoke Thee to anger, but please Thee in all our ways. Living in faith and obedience, may we enjoy the happiness of Thy people, and evermore give thanks unto Thy holy Name, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

DAY 22.]

PSALM CVII.

MORNING PRAYER.

General acknowledgment, as Psalm xxiii. Supposed to have been written after the captivity.

(I. Praise.)

1 O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good:
For His
mercy endureth for ever.

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

Whom He hath redeemed from the hand

3 And gathered them out of the lands, From the east, and from the west, From the north, and from the south.

(II. Travellers returned home.)

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way;

They found no city to dwell in.

5 Hungry and thirsty,

Their soul fainted in them.

6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble,

And He delivered them out of their distresses. 7 And He led them forth by the right way,

That they might go to a city of habitation.

8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for His good

ness,

And for His wonderful works

to the children of men!

9 For He satisfieth the longing soul,
And filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

(III. Prisoners rescued from captivity.)

10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, Being bound in affliction and iron;

11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, And contemned the counsel of the Most High: 12 Therefore He brought down their heart with labour;

They fell down, and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses.

14 He brought them out of darkness

and the shadow of death,

And brake their bands in sunder.

15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for His good

ness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of

men!

16 For He hath broken the gates of brass,

And cut the bars of iron in sunder.

(IV. The sick restored to health.)

17 Fools because of their transgression,

And because of their iniquities, are afflicted. 18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat;

And they draw near unto the gates of death. 19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, And He saveth them out of their distresses.

20 He sent His word, and healed them,

And delivered them from their destructions.

21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for His good

ness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices

of thanksgiving,

And declare His works with rejoicing.

(V. Mariners brought safe to port.)

23 They that go down to the sea in ships, That do business in great waters;

24 These see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep.

25 For He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, Which lifteth up the waves thereof.

26 They mount up to the heavens,

They go down again to the depths:

Their soul is melted because of trouble.

27 They reel to and fro,

and stagger like a drunken man,

And are at their wit's end.

28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, And He bringeth them out of their distresses. 29 He maketh the storm a calm,

So that the waves thereof are still.

30 Then are they glad because they be quiet;

So He bringeth them unto their desired haven.

31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for His good

ness,

And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt Him also

in the congregation of the people,

And praise Him in the assembly of the elders.
(VI. God's providence over all.)

33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness,

And the water-springs into dry ground:

34 A fruitful land into barrenness,

For the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, And dry ground into water-springs.

36 And there He maketh the hungry to dwell,
That they may prepare a city for habitation;
37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards,
Which may yield fruits of increase.
38 He blesseth them also,

so that they are multiplied greatly ; And suffereth not their cattle to decrease. 39 Again, they are minished and brought low Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

40 He poureth contempt upon princes,

And causeth them to wander in the wilderness,
where there is no way.

41 Yet setteth He the poor on high from affliction, And maketh Him families like a flock.

42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice:

And all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things,

Even they shall understand the lovingkindness

of the Lord.

REFLECTIONS.

1. God's people redeemed from Egypt, redeemed from Babylon, might well sing of mercy and in what lofty strains will the Church celebrate the divine goodness when she shall form one assembly in the heavenly Canaan!

2. Thus God led Israel. They prayed, and were delivered and supported; they were led by the right way. Such, too, is the Christian life. And shall we not praise God for His goodness?

3. Sin is slavery; and the slavery of sin is full of darkness and distress. If we rebel against God, we shall soon find ourselves in trouble. But if we turn

to Him, He will hear our prayers, and deliver us from our fetters and darkness. Such is His goodness: such reason have we to praise Him.

4. Transgression is the cause of much of our affliction, of much of our bodily suffering. When we humble ourselves before God, He will heal us, comfort us, and deliver us from our distress. A fresh cause for praise and thanksgiving.

5. Are we like pilgrims in a wilderness? We are also like mariners on the tumultuous ocean. How much of our life may be compared to a stormy voyage! What is our comfort and security? Christ, whom winds and seas obey, is with us, and He will bring us to the desired haven. Shall we not, therefore, exalt Him both in public and in private?