t

I heavily bow'd down, as one That mourneth for his mother. 15 But in my trouble they rejoic'd, Gath'ring themselves together; Yea, abjects vile together did Themselves against me gather: I knew it not; they did me tear, And quiet would not be.

16 With mocking hypocrites, at feasts They gnash'd their teeth at me.

17 How long, Lord, look'st thou on? from those
Destructions they intend
Rescue my soul, from lions young
My darling do defend.

18 I will give thanks to thee, O Lord,
Within th' assembly great;

And where much people gather'd are
Thy praises forth will set.

19 Let not my wrongful enemies
Proudly rejoice o'er me;

Nor who me hate without a cause,
Let them wink with the eye.
20 For peace they do not speak at all;
But crafty plots prepare

Against all those within the land
That meek and quiet are.

21 With mouths set wide, they 'gainst me said, Ha, ha! our eye doth see.

22 Lord, thou hast seen, hold not thy peace; Lord, be not far from me.

23 Stir up thyself; wake, that thou may'st
Judgment to me afford,

Ev'n to my cause, O thou that art
My only God and Lord.

24 O Lord my God, do thou me judge
After thy righteousness;

And let them not their joy 'gainst me
Triumphantly express:

25 Nor let them say within their hearts,
Ah, we would have it thus;

Nor suffer them to say, that he
Is swallow'd up by us.

26 Sham'd and confounded be they all
That at my hurt are glad;
Let those against me that do boast
With shame and scorn be clad.
27 Let them that love my righteous cause
Be glad, shout, and not cease
To say, The Lord be magnify'd,
Who loves his servant's peace.

28 Thy righteousness shall also be
Declared by my tongue;
The praises that belong to thee
Speak shall it all day long.

PSALM XXXVI.

THIS Psalm also is all spoken in one person; and that the Messiah is he, will need no laboured proof to satisfy those who shall consider who is the speaker in Psalms xvi, lvii. and cviii. whose illustrations the reader is referred to, as also to that of Psal. xxxiv. with its parallels there mentioned.

Behold the natʼral man describ'd,
And found to be a fool,

Whose conscience by his lust is brib'd,
Whose tongue is Satan's tool.

Here, too, behold the fountains pure

Of everlasting light,

(God's mercies are for ever sure),

And drink with sweet delight!

1

THE

'HE wicked man's_transgression
within my heart thus says,
Undoubtedly the fear of God
Is not before his eyes.

2 Because himself he flattereth
In his own blinded eye,
Until the hatefulness be found
Of his iniquity.

3 Words from his mouth proceeding are, Fraud and iniquity :

He to be wise, and to do good,
Hath left off utterly.

4 He mischief, lying on his bed,
Most cunningly doth plot:
He sets himself in ways not good,
Ill he abhorreth not.

5 Thy mercy, Lord, is in the heav'ns;
Thy truth doth reach the clouds:
6 Thy justice is like mountains great ;
Thy judgments deep as floods:
Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
How precious is thy grace!
Therefore in shadow of thy wings
Men's sons their trust shall place.

7

8 They with the fatness of thy house
Shall be well satisfy'd;

From rivers of thy pleasures thou
Wilt drink to them provide.
9 Because of life the fountain pure
Remains alone with thee;
And in that purest light of thine
We clearly light shall see.

10 Thy loving-kindness unto them
Continue that thee know;

And still on men upright in heart
Thy righteousness bestow.

11 Let not the foot of cruel pride
Come, and against me stand;
And let me not removed be,
Lord, by the wicked's hand.

12 There fall'n are they, and ruined,
That work iniquities :

Cast down they are, and never shall
Be able to arise.

PSALM XXXVII.

WITH regard to this, a Psalm rather of instruction than of direct devotion and praise, as it is allowed on all hands, as well as all the rest, to have been inspired by the Holy Ghost, and as, for aught I know, there has been no wresting thereof, advanced under pretence of any fancied experience of the penman; without saying any thing more positive or particular, I would beg leave to refer the reader to the paraphrase,* written, I trust, according to the analogy of the one faith of God's elect, in the light of the whole connected testimony of God. If the reader's views differ from mine, he certainly has as good a right to exercise his own private judgment as I have; only, in all our exercises, we have both equal reason to take heed, lest we interfere with the one public interpretation of this and of all the other prophetic writings, which the Holy Ghost who inspired them has given us plainly, and without any figure, in the New Testament. See the il

lustration of Psal. xxxiv.

Behold the different ways and ends

Of all who live below the sun,

Who rank with God as foes or friends,

And all to heav'n or hell-wards run:

Of these or those, nhoe'er thou be,

Behold, thy judgment here is giv'n, 'I 6!

*See Note, page 94.

Q

1

To dwell with Christ eternally: con to. I
Or, from his presence to be driv'n')

6

FOR

OR evil-doers fret thou not h Thyself unquietly stryd bod Nor do thou envy bear to those IoT S That work iniquity. pini how teaT 2 For, even like unto the grasst web de Soon be cut down shall they; old cɑ And, like the green and tender herb, They wither shall away. hiver

3 Set thou thy trust upon the Lord,

And be thou doing good;t banys! 11:W -in And so thou in the land shalt dwell, art 9ad And verily have food.

1

14 Delight thyself in God; he'll given quil mag Thine heart's desire to thee

15 Thy way to God commit, him trust Po It bring to pass shall he.

6 And, like unto the light, he shall con Thy righteousness display;

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And he thy judgment shall bring forth - v Like noon-tide of the day. more 7 Rest in the Lord, and patientlyleby Wait for him do not fret For him who, prosp'ring in his way, is Success in sin doth get.

8 Do thou from anger cease, and wrath
See thou forsake also:vt pugh
Fret not thyself in any wise,
That evil thou should'st do.

9 For those that evil-doers are Shall be cut off and fall

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But those that wait upon the Lordi
The earth inherit shall.i ro sɛult ()

10 For yet a little while, and then

The wicked shall not be ;