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PSALM CXVIII.

THIS is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner: neither is there salvation in any other; < for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved; Acts iv. 11. and Mat. xxi. 42.-See this Psalm, ver. 22. with all the marginal references.

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Thus in his day Messiah sang;
To whom the church, re-echoing, rang
Responsive to his glorious praise,
Down to the present gospel-days:
And, to his second coming, they,
Who shall be born, prolong the lay.
Then we shall shine in light divine,
Like suns, which never shall decline.

PRAISE the Lord, for he is good;
His mercy lasteth ever.

2 Let those of Israel now say,

His mercy faileth never.

3. Now let the house of Aaron say, His mercy lasteth ever.

4 Let those that fear the Lord now say,
His mercy faileth never.

5 I in distress call'd on the Lord;
The Lord did answer me:
He in a large place did me set,
From trouble made me free.

6 The mighty Lord is on my side,
I will not be afraid;

For any thing that man can do
I shall not be dismay'd.

* Prose Psalms of the Bible.

7 The Lord doth take my part with them
That help to succour me:
Therefore on those that do me hate
I my desire shall see.

8 Better it is to trust in God

Than trust in man's defence;

9 Better to trust in God than make Princes our confidence.

10 The nations, joining all in one,
Did compass me about:

But in the Lord's most holy name
I shall them all root out.
11 They compass'd me about; I say,
They compass'd me about:

But in the Lord's most holy name
I shall them all root out.

12 Like bees they compass'd me about;
Like unto thorns that flame
They quenched are: for them shall I
Destroy in God's own name.
13 Thou sore hast thrust, that I might fall,
But my Lord helped me.

14 God my salvation is become, My strength and song is he.

15 In dwellings of the righteous
Is heard the melody

Of joy and health: the Lord's right hand
Doth ever valiantly.

16 The right hand of the mighty Lord
Exalted is on high;

The right hand of the mighty Lord
Doth ever valiantly.

17 I shall not die, but live, and shall
The works of God discover.

18 The Lord hath me chastised sore, But not to death giv'n over.

19 O set ye open unto me

The gates of righteousness;
Then will I enter into them,

And I the Lord will bless.

20 This is the gate of God, by it The just shall enter in."

21 Thee will I praise, for thou me heard'st, And hast my safety been.

22 That stone is made head corner-stone, Which builders did despise :

23 This is the doing of the Lord, And wondrous in our eyes.

24 This is the day God made, in it We'll joy triumphantly.

25 Save now, I pray thee, Lord: I pray, Send now prosperity.

26 Blessed is he in God's great name
That cometh us to save:

We, from the house which to the Lord
Pertains, you blessed have.

27 God is the Lord, who unto us
Hath made light to arise:-

Bind ye unto the altar's horns
With cords the sacrifice.

28 Thou art my God, I'll thee exalt;
My God I will thee praise.
29 Give thanks to God, for he is good ;
His mercy lasts always.

PSALM CXIX. *

THAT this glorious Psalm is all spoken in one person, is evident from the bare reading of it; and that

In the two last lines of the 24th verse of this Psalm, the speaker is made to say,

"And they in all my doubts and fears,

"Are counsellors to me,"

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the SON OF GOD, made of the woman, made under the law,' is the speaker, appears equally plain from the whole strain and complexion thereof. To pass by the evidences supporting this assertion, contained in every one of the other verses of the Psalm besides, consider impartially ver. 115. Depart from me, ye 'evil-doers-and ver. 139. My zeal hath consum'ed me'-(the Hebrew, according to the margin, reads, hath cut me off)-compared with the New Testament application of these remarkable passages in Matt. vii. 23. John ii. 17.-See also Psal. i. with all its parallels and the marginal references.-N. B. As to the interpretation given in the following paraphrase, particularly of ver. 9. 67. and 167 of this Psalm, the universe of God is hereby challenged to overturn the same, if it can be overturned, while the analogy of faith is allowed to stand.

The exercises, hopes, and fears,
Expostulations, pray rs, and tears,
Confessions, thanksgivings, and praise,
In various views, and various phrase,
Of JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD
Bending beneath the heavy load,

And the same expression is introduced also in the xlixth Psalm; but no where else. In this latter Psalm he is also made to say, "Amidst those days that evil be,

"Why should I, fearing, doubt ?"

But in both these instances the term doubt is not to be found in the original, or in the prose Psalm; and it has unhappily been viewed, that this phraseology was descriptive of the experience of the speaker, relative to his state before God, which is quite foreign to any part of it, or indeed to any of the other Psalms. The Son of God, who is evidently the speaker in both these Psalms, had no doubts or fears upon that ground. To suppose it would be blasphemy. And it would be equally aside from the truth, that any of his followers, who are all given to possess the same spirit of faith, should, at any time, be under that spirit of bondage. For God is witness, he hath given them the reverse; as saith the prophet, "Ye shall be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near thee." Rom. viii. 9. "Now, if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his."

*Prose Psalms of the Bible.

See Note, page 94.

Which God, his Father, laid on him,
Under the law for human crime!

BL

ALEPH. The 1st Part.
LESSED are they that undefil'd,
And straight are in the way;
Who in the Lord's most holy law
Do walk, and do not stray.
2 Blessed are they who to observe
His statutes are inclin'd;

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And who do seek the living God
With their whole heart and mind.

3 Such in his ways do walk, and they
Do no iniquity.

4 Thou hast commanded us to keep
Thy precepts carefully.

50 that thy statutes to observe
Thou would'st my ways direct!
6 Then shall I not be sham'd, when I
Thy precepts all respect.

7 Then with integrity of heart

Thee will I praise and bless,
When I the judgments all have learn'd
Of thy pure righteousness.

8 That I will keep thy statutes all
Firmly resolv'd have I:

O do not then, most gracious God,
Forsake me utterly.

BETH. The 2d Part.

9 By what means shall a young man learn
His way to purify?
If he according to thy word
Thereto attentive be.

10 Unfeignedly thee have I sought
With all my soul and heart:
O let me not from the right path
Of thy commands depart.

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