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v. 28,

V.33.

V.35.

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the deep.

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25 For at his word the stormy wind ariseth which lifteth up the waves thereof.

26 (r) They are carried up to the heaven, and down again to the deep their soul melteth away because of the trouble.

27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man: and are at their wits' end.

28 So (s) when they cry unto the Lord in their trouble he delivereth them out of their distress.

29 For he maketh the storm to cease so that the waves thereof are still.

30 Then are they glad, because they are at rest and so he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be.

31 O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness: and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!

32 That they would exalt him

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also in the congregation of the people and praise him in the seat of the elders!

33 Who turneth (t) the floods into a wilderness and drieth up the water-springs.

34 A fruitful land maketh he barren for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

35 Again, he maketh (u) the wilderness a standing water and water-springs of a dry ground.

36 And there he setteth the hungry that they may build them a city to dwell in ;

37 That they may sow their land, and plant vineyards to yield them fruits of increase.

38 He blesseth them so, that they multiply exceedingly and suffereth not their cattle to de

crease.

39 And again, when they are minished and brought low: through oppression, through any plague or trouble;

40 Though he suffer them to be evil-intreated through tyrants: and let them wander out of the way in the wilderness;

41 Yet helpeth he the poor

Numb. xx. I to II. and Ps. cv. 40. In Ps. cxiv. 8. that miracle is referred to in nearly similar language, "who turned "the hard rock into a standing water, "and the flint stone into a springing "well." In the encouragement God is giving the people, Isaiah xli. 17, 18. he uses expressions exactly conformable to this passage, "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, "and their tongue faileth for thirst, I "the Lord will hear them, I the God "of Jacob will not forsake them: I will

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open rivers in high places, and foun"tains in the midst of the valleys: I "will make the wilderness a pool of water, "and the dry land springs of water." See also Isaiah xxxv. 6.—xliii. 19.—xliv. 3.

out of misery and maketh him households like a flock of sheep.

42 The righteous will consider this, and rejoice: and the mouth of all wickedness shall be stopped.

43 Whoso is wise, will ponder these things: and they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.

Lessons for the Twenty-second Day of the Month throughout the Year.

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"mete out the valley of Suc- || "coth."

8 Gilead is mine, and Manasses is mine Ephraim also is the strength of my head.

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9 Judah is my lawgiver; Moab my wash-pot over Edom will - I cast out my shoe; upon Philistia will I triumph.

10 Who will lead me into the strong city and who will bring me into Edom?

11 Hast not thou (a) forsaken us, O God and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? 12 O help us against the enemy for vain is the help of man.

13 Through God we shall do great acts and it is he that shall tread down our enemies.

Psalm cix. (b) HOLD not thy tongue, O God of my praise for the mouth of the ungodly, yea, the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me.

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2 (c) And they have spoken

ing, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the "hand of the Philistines, and out of "the hand of all their enemies."

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(a) For "hast not thou," the reading should perhaps be "hast thou then." This agrees better with the concluding part of the verse, and with the prayer in verse 12. The Septuagint is, Οχι συ ὁ θεος ὁ ἀπωσάμενος ήμας,” which may "be rendered, "Wilt not thou, O God, though for a time thou hast forsaken us?" (b) An anxious prayer to God for tection, supposed to be written by David, complaining bitterly of the malevolence, &c. of his enemies, praying for or predicting their confusion, noticing his own distress, but concluding with a resolution to praise God, as being confident of deliverance.

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(c) Similar complaints occur, Ps. xxxv.

11, 12.

5. (d) "Set," &c. Some translators render this and the following verses as pre

against me with false tongues : they compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.

3 For the love that I had unto them, lo, they now take my contrary part but I give myself unto prayer.

4 Thus have they rewarded me evil for good and hatred for my good will;

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"Set (d) thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him: and "let Satan stand at his right "hand.

6" When sentence is given "upon him, let him be con"demned and let his prayer

"be turned into sin. 7 "Let his days be few and "let another take his office.

8"Let his children be father"less and his wife a widow.

9 "Let his children be vaga"bonds, and beg their bread: "let them seek it also out of "desolate places.

dictions, not as imprecations: "Thou "shalt set," &c. "and Satan shall stand," &c. Dr. Kennicott treats them as imprecations, but as the imprecations of David's enemies: and he translates verse 19. "This is the prayer to God of those "who are my enemies, and who speak "evil against my soul." See 2 Kennic. Dissert. 581, 582.-Kennic. Rem. 271. See also Ps. xli. 5. 8. where he notices more distinctly the imprecation of his enemies. Dr. Kennicott's supposition is strongly countenanced by the context and general scope of the Psalm. It begins. with stating that the mouth of the ungodly was opened upon him and compassed him about with words of hatred. It is then not improbable he should state what those words were: and then the prayer to God, in verse 20. &c. comes in naturally; and the petition, in verse 27.

Though they curse, yet bless thou," agrees with the notion that he had been specifying the curses they used,

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20 But deal thou with me, O Lord God, according unto thy Name: for sweet is thy mercy.

21 O deliver me; for I am helpless and poor : heart

and my

is wounded within me.

22 I go hence like the shadow that departeth and am driven away as the grasshopper. 23 My knees are weak through fasting my flesh is dried up for want of fatness.

24 I became also a reproach unto them they, that looked upon me, shaked their heads.

25 Help me, O Lord my God: Osave me according to thy mercy.

26 And they shall know, how that this is thy hand and that thou, Lord, hast done it.

27 Though they curse, yet bless thou: and let them be confounded that rise up against me; but let thy servant rejoice.

28 Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame : and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a cloke.

29 As for me, I will give great thanks unto the Lord with my mouth and praise him among the multitude.

30 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor to save his soul from unrighteous judges.

MORNING PRAYER.

Psalm cx. (f)

THE LORD said unto my

siah, written by David. It is clearly so considered by our Saviour, in his conversation with the Pharisees, Matt. xxii. 41 to 45.-Mark xii. 35 to 37-and Luke

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Lord (g): "Sit thou on my right hand, until (b) I make thine "enemies thy footstool."

2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion be thou ruler, even in the midst (i) among thine enemies (k).

3 In the day of thy power shall the people offer thee free-willofferings with an holy worship: the dew (1) of thy birth is of the womb of the morning.

4 The Lord sware, and will

xx. 41 to 44.
"think ye

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son

"Jesus asked them, What of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of David. "He saith unto them, How then doth "David in spirit" (i. e. probably, when inspired) "call him Lord, saying, " The "Lord said unto my lord, Sit thou on " my right hand, till I make thine "enemies thy footstool?" If David "then call him Lord, how is he his ?" So St. Peter, in his address on the day the apostles received the gift of the Holy Ghost, viz. on Whit-Sunday, evidently treats it as written by David, and as applying to the Messiah: "David " is not ascended into the heavens, but " he saith himself, "The Lord said unto "my lord, Sit thou on my right hand, "until I make thy foes thy footstool. Again, in the passage, Heb. i. 13. "To "which of the angels said he at any time, "thou art my Son, this day have I be

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"rity and power; for he must reign till
"he hath put all enemies under his feet."
After which he adds, verse 29. "And
"when all things shall be subdued unto
" him, then shall the Son also himself be
"subject unto him that put all things
"under him, that God may be all in all."

(i) The midst," &c. It raises the
idea of his power, that in the very center v.2.
of his enemies, where they would be most
strong, he should be ruler. See Psalm
xlv. 6.

(k) How exactly does this correspond with the prophecy, Ps. ii. 8, 9. "Desire v. 2.5. "of me, and I shall give thee the heathen "for thine inheritance, and the utmost

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parts of the earth for thy possession. "Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of " iron, and break them in pieces like a pot"ter's vessel." See note on Ps. ii. 9.

()" The dew," &c. i. e. (perhaps) as the morning produces drops of dew without number, so shall thy birth produce numberless converts.

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(m) "Of the brook," &c. i. e. perhaps, experience great distress; be as v.7. much straitened as those who had nothing to drink but the water by the way-side. Hamm. 322, 323. Patrick. According to the prophecy, Isaiah liii. 7. "He

gotten thee?" It is evident the author must have considered it as written of the Messiah. And the expression in verse 4. "Thou art a priest for ever, after the "order of Melchizedek," is repeatedly in the Hebrews considered as applying to the Messiah. See Heb. v. 6. 10. vi. 20. -vii. 21. Could it have been so treated before 66 persons, to whom the Psalms were so familiar, had not this been the then received opinion? This is one of the Psalms for Christmas Day.

(g) "My Lord," i. e. the promised Messiah.

(b)" Until," &c. St. Paul refers to this passage, 1 Cor. xv. 25. "Then "cometh the end; when he" (i.e. Christ) "shall have delivered up the kingdom to "God, even the Father; when he shall "have put down all rule, and all autho

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was oppressed, and he was afflicted," &c. Or, as the whole Psalm is speaking of his power, glory, &c. may it not mean, that even in the way he should find a brook to drink of, which in those hot countries might be uncommon, and would be a great refreshment? and then this will also be a figurative expression of his success. Many passages speak of water as a signal blessing. See Ps. lxxxiv. 6.— Note on Ps. i. 3.

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