3.

"And who fhall declare to my Lord?

"The Lord, He himself fhall hear me.

"He took me from my Father's sheep,

"And anointed me with the oil of his anointment.

5. My Brethren were many and great,

"But the Lord did not think well of them,

6. "I went out to encounter the Stranger, "He curs'd me by his Idols and Gods.

7.

"Three stones caft I, which pierced his Forehead "In the strength of the Lord, he lay proftrate.

8. "

Drawing out his Sword, I cut off his head, "And took away the Reproach from my Country.'

This Compofition may be supposed too puerile to be admitted, as the Pfalms of David abound with Images highly poetical and elegant, his thoughts inexpreffibly grand, lofty, elevated, and fublime.

ESSAY

ESSAY Y XXII,

ON THE

WORKS OF SOLOMON,

BOOK OF PROVERBS.

ECCLESIASTESSONGS,

PROVERB S.

OLOMON was the firft Author properly

SOLO

called a Moralift. His Book contains a rich tore of Wisdom, and Divine Knowledge, highly inftructive, of infinite use to the right conduct of the prefent Life, and to more important interefts of a future, VOL. II. E e

the ftill

It is a

Book

and there are nine words almost of the fame fig→ nification, "Law, Statutes, Precept, Com"mandments, Teftimonies, Judgments, Word, "Righteousnefs, Way," and but one fingle verfe, where one or more of them are not found, and without any tautology. There is a great deal of art in repeating the fame words fo often, with fo much variation of sense.

CXX. A Song of Excellencies, fung upon the fteps leading up to the Temple on festivals and holy days, defcriptive of the fufferings and diftrefs they had endured in Babylon, and a prayer fuited to their fituation. This Pfalm and the fourteen following are called fongs of degrees.

CXXI. A Pfalm compofed by David during Abfalom's rebellion. David fung himself the two firft verses, and the People all burft forth and chanted the remainder,

CXXII. Compofed for the Sabbath or folemn Feasts, and used by those who visited the Ark, David expreffes his devout joy at the fettlement of it.

CXXIII. One of David's firft Pfalms when the Ifraelites were without fword or fpear, wrote under oppreffion and in the deepest diftrefs.

The

The Evangelift St. Luke recommends it as a model of patience, and perfeverance in prayer.

CXXIV. A commemoration of fome fignal victory and providential escape, fupposed to be by thunder and lightning. The Pfalmifts extreme danger is beautifully figured by the greedy fwallow of a wild beaft, and by drowning.

CXXV. On the arrival of the Affyrian Monarch before Jerufalem. Hezekiah applied to the Prophet Ifaiah, and these words fo elegant fublime and poetical were dictated by the Prophet himself. The Safety of all those who truft in God..

66

CXXVI. Ezra's Hymn of encouragement on the return of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. The benefit of afflictions experienced afterwards. They who fow in tears. "fhall reap in joy. He who goeth forth and "weepeth, bearing precious feed, fhall doubt"lefs come again rejoicing, bringing his fheaves "with him.”

CXXVII. A Pfalm of Solomon's, founded on a pious maxim.

"A man's heart devifeth his way, but the "Lord directeth his fteps." Written when he was planning the building of the Temple. CXXVIII.

VOL. II.

D d

CXXVIII.

A celebrated Marriage Ode. A Song of Solomon's, harmonious and in high efteem. A gradual rife of bleffings.

CXXIX. By Ezra, on the threatnings and combinations of the neighbouring flates oppofing their rebuilding Jerufalem.

CXXX. A Pfalm of David under the rebukes of his confcience, and the dread of having offended God. A folemn and devout address for forgiveness.

CXXXI. Under the malicious reports of his afpiring to the Throne, during the life time of Saul, David wrote this folemn appeal and anfwer to his accufers.

CXXXII. A Pfalm of Solomon's on his removal of the Ark. He appointed it as a fet form of prayer in the Temple, and it is a Prophefy of Samuel's.†

CXXXIII. On the union of the houses of Ifrael and Judah, under David, and a great animosity subsisting among the Tribes at Abfalom's death, David re-published this fhort exhortation to unity and brotherly love.

+ 2 Samuel vii. v. xii.

CXXXIV. A