PSALM LXIII.

THIS Psalm affords a remarkably decisive proof of the divine Speaker, JESUS, not only in itself alone, but also in all its parallels, which are full four-fifths or more of the whole book; many whereof are mentioned in the illustration to Psal. ii. The proof referred to is exhibited in these words of the last verse, But the King shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory.' Is not this divine worship ascribed to this King, who is the only speaker in the Psalm ?-So, Deut. vi. 13. it is written, Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him. and shalt swear by his name.'

1

As parched land unto the skies,
When all her produce dies for thirst;
So, parched, weary, thirsty, cries
The longing soul of Jesus Christ
Till God in mercy downwards pour
The floods of glory on his soul;
Then all his joys begin to flow'r,
Which all his people's hearts console.

LORD, my

ORD, thee my God, I'll early seek:
My soul doth thirst for thee;

My flesh longs in a dry parch'd land,
Wherein no waters be:

2 That I thy power may behold
And brightness of thy face,
As I have seen thee heretofore
Within thy holy place.

3 Since better is thy love than life,
My lips thee praise shall give.
4 I in thy name will lift my hands,
And bless thee while I live.

5 Ev'n as with marrow and with fat My soul shall filled be;

Then shall my mouth with joyful lips,
Sing praises unto thee:

6 When I do thee upon my bed
Remember with delight,

And when on thee I meditate In watches of the night. 7 In shadow of thy wings I'll joy ; For thou mine help hast been. 8 My soul thee follows hard; and me Thy right hand doth sustain.

9 Who seek my soul to spill shall sink Down to earth's lowest room.

10 They by the sword shall be cut off, And Foxes' prey become.

11 Yet shall the king in God rejoice, And each one glory shall

That swear by him: but stopp'd shall be *
The mouth of liars all.

1

PSALM LXIV.

SIMILAR to the last. See the margin.

The sons of Belial deeply plot,

Against the Lord of Glory set,

His name and memory to blot

From under heav'n: the council's met! They search, and search in vain, for crimes, To colour o'er their cruel spite

But God shall rise on them betimes,

And suddenly their souls shall smite.

WHEN I to thee my prayer make,
Lord, to my voice give ear;

My life save from the enemy,
Of whom I stand in fear.

* Prose Psalms of the Bible.

2 Me from their secret counsel hide
Who do live wickedly;

From insurrection of those men
That work iniquity:

3 Who do their tongues with malice whet,
And make them cut like swords;
In whose bent bows are arrows set,
Ev'n sharp and bitter words :
4 That they may at the perfect man
In secret aim their shot;
Yea, suddenly they dare at him
To shoot, and fear it not.

5 In ill encourage they themselves,
And their snares close do lay;
Together conference they have;
Who shall them see? they say.
6 They have search'd out iniquities,
A perfect search they keep:
Of each of them the inward thought,
And very heart, is deep.

7 God shall an arrow shoot at them,
And wound them suddenly:

8 So their own tongue shall them confound; All who them see shall fly.

9 And on all men a fear shall fall,
God's works they shall declare;
For they shall wisely notice take
What these his doings are.

10 In God the righteous shall rejoice,
And trust upon his might;
Yea, they shall greatly glory all
In heart that are upright.

*

PSALM LXV.

SEE the general preface and the marginal references; which, if wisely considered, will fully justify the subsequent paraphrase † of this Psalm, which is evidently of the same spirit, meaning, and expression, as the 55th chapter of Isaiah, from ver. 10. to the end, with all the other passages in the Scriptures, where the Holy Ghost, poured out from on high in the everlasting gospel, is represented by the figures of rain, dew, floods, rivers, and streams in the desert, and his effects as the renewing of the year, by all the kindly influences of the spring, summer, and harvest upon the earth. The speaker in the Psalm is the Lord, the Son of the Father, manifest in the flesh, God over all, and blessed for ever;-whom the Father chose, and caused to approach unto himself, making his elect Servant, in whom his soul delighteth, the Shepherd, the Forerunner of the whole flock: see the 4th verse, Blessed is the man whom thou chusest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts',-compared with its parallel and interpreter, Jer. xxx. 21. Their GOVERNOR shall proceed 'from the midst of them, and I will cause HIM to draw near; and HE shall APPROACH unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord. And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.'

Bearing our sins and all our plaints,——
To
pave the way for all his saints,
Messiah comes to pay his vow,
And meekly to Jehovah bow :
Approaching in our room and stead,
Accepted, bless'd, (let us be glad!)
He pours whole floods of glory down,
TH' ACCEPTED YEAR with grace to crown !

Prose Psalms of the Bible.

+ See Note, page 94.

1 PRAISE waits for thee in Sion, Lord: To thee vows paid shall be.

20 thou that hearer art of pray'r,
All flesh shall come to thee.
3 Iniquities, I must confess,
Prevail against me do:

But as for our transgressions,
Them purge away shalt thou.

4 Bless'd is the man whom thou dost chuse,
And mak'st approach to thee,
That he within thy courts, O Lord,
May still a dweller be:

We surely shall be satisfy'd

With thy abundant grace,

And with the goodness of thy house,
Ev'n of thy holy place.

5 O God of our salvation,

Thou, in thy righteousness,
By fearful works unto our pray'rs
Thine answer dost express:
Therefore the ends of all the earth,
And those afar that be
Upon the sea, their confidence,
O Lord, will place in thee.

6 Who, being girt with pow'r, sets fast
By his great strength, the hills.

7 Who noise of seas, noise of their waves, And people's tumult, stills.

8 Those in the utmost parts that dwell
Are at thy signs afraid :

Th' outgoings of the morn and ev`n
By thee are joyful made.

9 The earth thou visit'st, wat`ring it ;
Thou mak'st it rich to grow

With God's full flood; thou corn prepar`st, When thou provid'st it so,