3 Let us asunder break their bands,
And cast their cords from us.

4 He that in heaven sits shall laugh;
The Lord shall scorn them all.
5 Then shall he speak to them in wrath,
In rage he vex them shall.

6 Yet, notwithstanding, I have him
To be my King appointed ;-
And over Šion, my holy hill,
I have him King anointed.
7 The sure decree I will declare;
The Lord hath said to me,
Thou art mine only Son; this day
I have begotten thee.

8 Ask of me, and for heritage
The heathen I'll make thine;
And, for possession, I to thee
Will give earth's utmost line.
9 Thou shalt, as with a weighty rod
Of iron, break them all;

And, as a potter's sherd, thou shalt
Them dash in pieces small.

10 Now, therefore, kings, be wise; be taught, Ye judges of the earth:

ye

11 Serve God in fear, and see that
Join trembling with your mirth.

12 Kiss ye the Son, lest in his ire
Ye perish from the way,
If once his wrath begin to burn :
Bless'd all that on him stay.

PSALM III.

THE last Psalm, as was already observed in the illustration thereof, perfectly ascertains the meaning

of this and the following one-Both whereof are remarkably similar, in spirit and expression, to Psalm xxvii.-The attentive reader, who enters into these views, will find abundance of pleasure and profit, by tracing out and discovering the innumerable and surprising parallels, that run through the whole divine effusions of the one Spirit breathing in the Psalms, and prophecying of all the then future things, now past, and accomplished in Messiah our King. Blessed are they who are honoured to look within the veil, and to behold his glory..

Clap, clap your hands, exult, and sing.
Ye saints, for evermore!

For death's bereaved of his sting,
And hell's dominion's o'er:
Messiah, coping with his foes,

O'ercame by prayer and pow'r :
He laid him down, he slept, he rose ;
But death did them devour.

1

10 LORD, how are my foes increas'd e Against me many rise.

2 Many say of my soul, For him In God no succour lies.

i

3. Yet thou my shield and glory art, Th' uplifter of mine head.

♦ I cried, and, from his holy hill, The Lord me answer made.

5 I laid me down and slept, I wak'd; For God sustained me.

6 I will not fear though thousands ten
Set round against me be..

7 Arise, O Lord; save me, my God;
For thou my foes hast stroke
All on the cheek-bone, and the teeth
Of wicked men hast broke.

8 Salvation doth appertain
Unto the Lord alone:

Thy blessing, Lord, for evermore
Thy people is upon.

PSALM IV.

BESIDES What has been already observed in the respective illustrations of the three foregoing Psalms, it ought, for the honour and further ascertainment of the meaning of this Psalm, with its parallels, to be remarked, that it contains in its own bosom one pecuiliar, decisive characteristic evidence of its divine Author, as the only speaker therein: For who besides the King of glory alone, who is God over all, blessed ' for ever,' can, with any propriety, be supposed to use such an expostulation as this, O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame ? < How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. So expostulates the eternal Wisdom, the uncreated Word, Prov. i. 22. How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate 'knowledge? Turn you at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you; I will make 'known my words unto you.'-Thus also, the enemies of this King are directly charged with changing their glory into the similitude of an ox that ' eateth grass,' Psalm cvi. 20.-In the same derisive strain, they are upbraided by the Lord God, Jer. ii. 11. Hath a nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.-And, Rom. i. 22. it is said, ' They became vain in their 'imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools; and changed the glory of the incorruptible 'God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and to four-footed beasts, and to 'creeping things.And, last of all, though these

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were the figures, or outward signs, the spirit of the worship thereby signified was the devil; for so it is expressly asserted by the apostle, 1 Cor. x. 20. 'I · say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God.'—Opposed to this false object of worship, become almost universal among the nations, we behold the one, living, and true God, declaring himself the Just God, the Saviour, the Lord, besides whom there is nonein whom all the seed of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory.' Is. xlv. 20, &c. compared with John xvii. 3. Rom. iii. 26. 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6. and 1 John v. 12.

1

Christ glories in his grand employ ;
Fools glory all in vain—
The highest pleasures they enjoy
Decay-but his remain :

He boldly to his Father cries;
The Father hears his Son,

And gives him from the grave to rise-
The prize his valour won.

NIVE ear unto me when I call,

GI

God of my righteousness:

Have mercy, hear my pray'r; thou hast
Enlarged me in distress.

20 ye the sons of men! how long
Will ye love vanities?

How long my glory turn to shame,
And will ye follow lies?

3 But know, that for himself the Lord
The godly man doth chuse :
The Lord, when I on him do call,
To hear will not refuse.

4 Fear, and sin not; talk with your heart
On bed, and silent be.

Off'rings present of righteousness,
And in the Lord trust ye.

60 who will shew us any good?
Is that which many say:

But of thy countenance the light,
Lord, lift on us alway.

7 Upon my heart, bestow'd by thee,
More gladness I have found

Than they, ev'n then, when corn and wine

Did most with them abound.

8 I will both lay me down in peace,
And quiet, sleep will take;
Because thou only me to dwell
In safety, Lord, dost make.

PSALM V.

To ascertain the speaker, and consequently the meaning of this Psalm also, it is only necessary to consider, if it can be any other than the very Christ of God, who boldly builds his plea for acceptance upon justice, which hath no pleasure in sin, but hateth all the workers of iniquity.-These, under the notion of his enemies, from whom he prays to be separated and delivered, he describes, as explained, Rom. iii. 13. imprecating and denouncing ver geance against them for their rebellion against Goo; and concludes with encouraging, and announcing the blessedness of those who put their trust in tl e Lord, according to his own peculiar prerogative, being the Judge of all, and having all power in heaven and earth in his hand, that those whom 1 blesseth may be blessed, and those whom he curset h may be cursed.

Messiah pleads, and gains his plea
In per ect righteousness;

But, lo! from him, confounded flee
The foes of holiness: