When I within my mother's womb
Inclosed was by thee.

14 Thee will I praise; for fearfully
And strangely made I am;

Thy works are marvillous, and right well
My soul doth know the same.

15 My substance was not hid from thee,
When as in secret I

Was made; and in earth's lowest parts
Was wrought most curiously.

16 Thine eyes my substance did behold,
Yet being unperfect;

And in the volume of thy book
My members all were writ;

Which after in continuance
Were fashion'd ev'ry one,
When as they yet all shapeless were,
And of them there was none.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts,
O gracious God, to me!

And in their sum how passing great
And numberless they be!

18 If I should count them, than the sand
They more in number be:

What time soever I awake,

I ever am with thee.

19 Thou, Lord wilt sure the wicked slay: Hence from me bloody men.

20 Thy foes against thee loudly speak, And take thy name in vain.

21 Do not I hate all those, O Lord,
That hatred bear to thee?

With those that up against thee rise
Can I but grieved be?

22 With perfect hatred them I hate,
My foes I them do hold.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart,
Try me, my thoughts unfold:

24 And see if any wicked way
There be at all in me;
And in thine everlasting way
To me a leader be.

PSALM CXL.

ANTICHRIST, that wicked, (the man of sin), reIvealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.' 2 Thess. ii. 8, &c. See Psalm vii. &c.

By Christ the Lord destroy'd shall be :
To Christ alone be all the praise!

He comes to save and set us free.

1LORD, from the ill and froward man

Give me deliverance,

And do thou safe preserve me from
The man of violence.

2 Who in their heart mischievous things
Are meditating ever;
And they for war assembled are
Continually together.

3 Much like unto a serpent's tongue
Their tongues they sharp do make;
And underneath their lips their lies
The poison of a snake.

4 Lord, keep me from the wicked's hands,

From violent men me save;

Who utterly to overthrow
My goings purpos'd have.

5 The proud for me a snare have hid
And cords; yea, they a net
Have by the way-side for me spread;
They grins for me have set.

6 I said unto the Lord, Thou art
My God: unto the cry

Of all my supplications,

br Lord, do thine ear apply.

70 God the Lord, who art the strength Of my salvation:

A covring in the day of war
My head thou hast put on.
8 Unto the wicked man, O Lord,
His wishes do not grant;
Nor further thou his ill device,

Lest they themselves should vaunt.

9 As for the head and chief of those
About that compass me,
Ev'n by the mischief of their lips
Let thou them cover'd be.

10 Let burning coals upon them fall,
Them throw in fiery flame,

And in deep pits, that they no more...
May rise out of the same, 179

11 Let not an evil speaker beI
On earth established:

Mischief shall hunt the vi'lent man,
Till he be ruined. be

12 I know God will the afflicted's cause,
Maintain, and poor men's right.

13 Surely the just shall praise thy name, Th' upright dwell in thy sight,

2 N

b. PSALM CXLI.

THIS Psalm may be considered as the sequel of the last, with this difference only, that, as in the former the High-Priest of our profession, JESUS, intercedes against his and our enemies; so here he more immediately makes intercession for his friends, interposing himself, with his own blood, in the breach between them and all danger.-Reader, thy soul is at stake! Consider the Apostle and High-Priest of the Christian profession, JEsUs: his blood is thy life, or thy death'!

The Angel of the covenant,

Who brings the mercy that we want,
for all his chosen seed,

tes the serpent on the head.

1LORD, I unto thee do cry, Do thou make haste to me, an ear, unto my voice,

And give

When I cry unto thee.

2 As incense let my prayer be

Directed in thine eyes;

And the uplifting of my hands
As th' ev'ning sacrifice.

3 Set, Lord, a watch before my mouth,
Keep of my lips the door.

4 My heart incline thou not unto
The ills I should abhor.

To practise wicked works with men
That work iniquity;

And with their delicates my taste
Let me not satisfy.

5 Let him that righteous is me smite,
It shall a kindness be;

Let him reprove, I shall it count
A precious oil to me:

Such smiting shall not break my head;
For yet the time shall fall,
When I in their calamities

To God pray for them shall.

6 When as their judges down shall be
In stony places cast,

Then shall they hear my words; for they
Shall sweet be to their taste.

7 About the grave's devouring mouth
Our bones are scatter'd round,
As wood which men do cut and cleave
Lie scatter'd on the ground.

8 But unto thee, O God the Lord,
Mine eyes uplifted be:
My soul do not leave destitute;
My trust is set on thee.

9 Lord, keep me safely from the snares
Which they for me prepare;
And from the subtile grins of them
That wicked workers are.

10 Let workers of iniquity

Into their own nets fall,

Whilst I do, by thine help, escape
The danger of them all.

PSALM CXLII.

THE sufferings of Christ, and the following glory,'-1 Pet. i. 11, &c. Whatever ascertains the meaning of Psalms xvi. xxxi. xxxiv. xlvi. lxiii. lxix. &c. the same precisely ascertains the meaning of this and the following one, which are first and second parts to one another.