And hath not giv'n

Us for a living prey
Unto their teeth,
And bloody cruelty.

7 Ev'n as a bird

Out of the fowler's snare

Escapes away,

So is our soul set free:
Broke are their nets,
And thus escaped we.

8 Therefore our help

Is in the Lord's great name,
Who heav'n and earth

By his great pow'r did frame.

PSALM CXXV.

THE stability of God is the stability of his saints, but the overthrow of his enemies.

1

As Zion-mount for ever rears

Her height and glory o'er the plain;
So all her sons, through endless years,
Who trust in God, with God shall reign.
THEY in the Lord that firmly trust
Shall be like Sion hill,

Which at no time can be remov'd,
But standeth ever still.

2 As round about Jerusalem

The mountains stand alway,
The Lord his folk doth compass so,
From henceforth and for aye.

3 For ill men's rod upon the lot
Of just men shall not lie;

Lest righteous men stretch forth their hands
Unto iniquity.

4 Do thou to all those that be good
Thy goodness, Lord, impart;
And do thou good to those that are
Upright within their heart.

5 But as for such as turn aside
After their crooked way,

God shall lead forth with wicked men :
On Isr'el peace shall stay.

PSALM CXXVI.

THE eternal redemption of the church of God, with her Redeemer on her Head, leading captivity captive, described and praised in heavenly strains of gratitude and joy.

1

Let earth arise, and meet the skies!
The Lord he comes again

From yonder skies, and says, Arise,
Ye dead, with me to reign.

WHEN Sion's bondage God turn'd back,

As men that dream'd were we.

2 Then fill'd with laughter was our mouth, Our tongue with melody:

"

They 'mong the heathen said, The Lord
Great things for them hath wrought.
3 The Lord hath done great things for us,
Whence joy to us is brought.

4 As streams of water in the south,
Our bondage, Lord, recall.

5 Who sow in tears, a reaping time Of joy enjoy they shall.

6 That man who, bearing precious seed,
In going forth doth mourn,

He doubtless, bringing back his sheaves,
Rejoicing shall return.

PSALM CXXVII.

"

READER, if thou art one Spirit with the Lord, does not thy very heart within thee burn and glow with holy indignation and shame, for the gross prostitution, and most unhallowed application, of this and the following divinely delicate Psalms, to the ordinary purposes of a breeding wife, with a parcel of children about her in a man's house!-How grossly have they insulted the Spouse of Christ! The Lord, her Husband, vindicate his glory!

1

E

Christ's children are his heritage.

Whom he himself creates :

And for her sons, in ev'ry age,

The church his season waits.

XCEPT the Lord do build the house,
The builders lose their pain!
Except the Lord the city keep,
The watchmen watch in vain.
2 'Tis vain for you to rise betimes,
Or late from rest to keep,

To feed on sorrow's bread; so gives
He his beloved sleep.

3 Lo, children are God's heritage,
The womb's fruit his reward.
4 The sons of youth as arrows are,
For strong men's hands prepar'd,
5 O happy is the man that hath
His quiver fill'd with those;
They unashamed in the gate
Shall speak unto their foes

3

PSALM CXXVIII.

SEE the last Psalm, general preface, and margin.*

1

The glory of our Father's house,

With which the world shall ring,

The Lord Redeemer, and his Spouse,
The Spirit bids us sing.

BL

LESS'D is each one that fears the Lord,
And walketh in his ways;

2 For of thy labour thou shalt eat,
And happy be always.

3 Thy wife shall as a fruitful vine
By thy house sides be found:
Thy children like to olive plants
About thy table round.

4 Behold, the man that fears the Lord,
Thus blessed shall he be.

5 The Lord shall out of Sion give
His blessing unto thee:

Thou shalt Jerus'lem's good behold
Whilst thou on earth dost dwell.
6 Thou shalt thy children's children see,
And peace on Israel.

PSALM CXXIX.

CHRIST also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps. 1 Pet. ii. 20, 21.

The Lord for us a pattern left,
The Shepherd for his flock:
Of ev'ry human prop bereft,
He lean'd on God his Rock.

Prose Psalms of the Bible.

1

OFT

FT did they vex me from my youth,
May Isr'el now declare;

2 Oft did they vex me from my youth,

Yet not victorious were.

3 The plowers plow'd upon my back; They long their furrows drew.

4 The righteous Lord did cut the cords Of the ungodly crew.

5 Let Sion's haters all be turn'd Back with confusion.

6 As grass on houses' tops be they, Which fades ere it be grown: 7 Whereof enough to fill his hand The mower cannot find:

Nor can the man his bosom fill,

Whose work is sheaves to bind.

8 Neither say they who do go by,
God's blessing on you rest:

We in the name of God the Lord
Do wish you to be blest.

PSALM CXXX.

NEVER Psalm has been more grossly and groundlessly abused than this: It is the famous De profundis of the Papists; it has also been laid by the notable and, in many respects, great Dr Owen, as the grand foundation-work of his deep mysterious something concerning faith and repentance, which he supposed to lie somewhere hereabouts, which yet he could never perfectly define, nor clearly discover where it was really to be found: it has been offered by the modern Pharisees as a remarkable and eminent ground for minting at what they call believing, &c. But if Christians are allowed to be complete in Christ, without the complement of monastic dreams,