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41 They fhall cry, but there fhall be none to help them : yea, even unto the Lord fhall they cry, but he shall not hear them.

42 I will beat them as fmall as the duft before the wind: I will caft them out as the clay in the streets.

43 Thou shalt deliver me from the ftrivings of the people: and thou shalt make me the head of the heathen.

44 A people whom I have not known: fhall ferve me. 45 As foon as they hear of me, they fhall obey me: but the ftrange children fhall diffemble with me.

46 The ftrange children fhall fail: and be afraid out of their prifons.

47 The Lord liveth, and bleffed be my ftrong helper: and praised be the God of my falvation.

48 Even the God that feeth that I be avenged and fubdueth the people unto me.

49 It is he that delivereth me from my cruel enemies, and fetteth me up above mine adverfaries: thou shalt rid me from the wicked man.

50 For this caufe will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles: and fing praifes unto thy Name.

51 Great profperity giveth he unto his King: and sheweth loving-kindnefs unto David his Anointed, and unto his feed for evermore.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

Pfal, xviii.] 1. From the first words of this fong we learn, that the divine favours and deliverances should infpire us with the moft tender and fincere affection, and lead us to praife God continually. 2. David's account of the extreme dangers he had been exposed to, and the wonderful power of God difplayed in his deliverance, fhews, that whatever extremities we fall into, we should never defpair of God's affiftance, if we fear him; that his power is greater than man's; and that he never wants means to deliver thofe who hope in him. 3. When David fays, that God had rewarded him according to his righteoufnefs, it cannot mean, that he thought himself innocent before God; but he thus fpeaks, first, to fignify that God had maintained the juftice of his caufe against Saul, and all these who had perfecuted him unjustly, or would not own him for king; and fecondly, to fhew that God had approved of his never forfaking the pure religion, and the worship of the true God. 4. We obferve in this pfalm, the unhappy state of the wicked; fince, as David fays, when they are in diftrefs, there is none to deliver them, and when

the

MORNING PRAYER.

Pfalm xix. Cali enarrant.

HE heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament fheweth his handy-work.

TH

2 One day telleth another: and one night certifieth another.

3 There is neither fpeech, nor language: but their voices are heard among them.

4 Their found is gone out into all lands: and their words into the ends of the world.

5 In them hath he fet a tabernacle for the fun : which cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course.

6 It goeth forth from the uttermoft part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

7 The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the foul the teftimony of the Lord is fure, and giveth wif dom unto the fimple.

8 The ftatutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether, 10 More to be defired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: fweeter alfo than hony, and the hony-comb.

11 Moreover, by them is thy fervant taught; and in keeping of them there is great reward.

12 Who can tell how oft he offendeth: O cleanse thou me from my fecret faults.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

they cry to the Lord, he will not hear them. The confideration of fo melancholy a condition, ought to be a powerful motive to deter us from fin. Lafly, David's zeal, expreffed in the last verses of this pfalm, proves, that it is not fufficient to praife God in private for his mercies, but that we ought to proclaim his praifes and loving kindness to the atmost of our power, that his holy name may be glorified by us, and by all

men.

PRAC

13 Keep thy fervant alfo from prefumptuous fins, left they get the dominion over me: fo fhall I be undefiled, and innocent from the great offence.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be alway acceptable in thy fight,

15 O Lord: my strength, and my Redeemer,

THE

Pfalm xx. Exaudiat te Dominus.

HE Lord hear thee in the day of trouble: the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee.

2 Send thee help from the fanctuary: and ftrengthen thee out of Sion.

3 Remember all thy offerings: and accept thy burnt> facrifice,

4 Grant thee thy hearts defire: and fulfil all thy mind. 5 We will rejoice in thy falvation, and triumph in the Name of the Lord our God; the Lord perform all thy pe titions.

6 Now know I, that the Lord helpeth his Anointed, and will hear him from his holy heaven: even with the wholefome ftrength of his right hand.

7 Some put their truft in chariots, and fome in horfes : but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God.

PRACTICAL OBSERVATION S.

Pfal. xix.] King David here mentions the two principal means by which God has made himself known to us; which are, the works of nature. and his word. Let us therefore make a good ufe of both thefe means; meditating upon the former, which affords us fuch proofs of his power and wisdom; but particularly let us apply ourselves to the reading and meditating on his word, David's high encomiums on God's word inform us, that it is a fure, evident, and unerring rule of faith and practice; that it is of infinitely more value than the most excellent things of this world; that it was given to enlighten and fanétify us, to rejoice and comfort the heart; that the fear of the Lord procures perfect happiness to those who are poffeffed with it; and that there is great reward in the keeping of his holy commandments. To thefe reflections let us add cur humble and hearty prayers to God, with David, that he would imprint these truths in our hearts; that he would pardon all our fins; that he would preferve us above all from the fins of prefumption; and that he would fo fanctify our thoughts, words, and actions, that they may be always acceptable in his fight.

PRAC.

8 They are brought down, and fallen: but we are risen, and ftand upright.

9 Save, Lord, and hear us, O King of heaven: when we call upon thee.

T

Pfalm. xxi. Domini, in virtute tua.

HE King fhall rejoice in thy ftrength, O Lord : exceeding glad fhall he be of thy falvation.

2 Thou haft given him his heart's defire: and haft not denied him the request of his lips.

For thou shalt prevent him with the bleffings of goodnefs and fhalt fet a crown of pure gold upon his head. 4 He asked life of thee, and thou gavest him a long life: even for ever and ever.

5 His honour is great in thy falvation; glory and great worship fhalt thou lay upon him.

6 For thou fhalt give him everlafting felicity: and make him glad with the joy of thy countenance.

7 And why? because the King putteth his trust in the Lord and in the mercy of the moft Highest he shall not mifcarry.

8 All thine enemies fhall feel thy hand: thy right hand

fhall find out them that hate thee.

9 Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven in time of thy wrath the Lord fhall deftroy them in his difpleasure, and

the fire fhall confume them.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

Pfal. xx.] It appears from this pfalm, that the people are in duty bound to pray for kings and princes, whom God has fet over them. That this is the duty of Christians, as it was of the Jews, appears from St Paul's exhortation, "That prayers and fupplications be made for kings, and all that are in authority." The Ifraelites befeech God in this pfalm to hear the defires of their king, and to grant him the victory over his enemies. Chriftians, in like manner, fhould beg of God to fupport and defend their princes in juft and neceffary wars, and all their lawful undertakings; but the chief subject of their prayers fhould be, that they may lead a quiet, peaceable, and godly life under those who have the rule over them. Laftly, We here find, that the glory and fecurity of kings and ftates depend on the divine favour and protection, to which they owe all their victories and fuccefs; and therefore, that kings and their fubjects ought to labour above all things to render God propitious.

PRAC-.

10 Their fruit fhalt thou root out of the earth and their feed from among the children of men.

11 For they intended mifchief against thee: and imagined fuch a device as they are not able to perform.

12 Therefore fhalt thou put them to flight and the ftrings of thy bow fhalt thou make ready against the face of them.

13 Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own ftrength: fo will we fing and praise thy power.

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Y God, my God, look upon me, why haft thou for faken me and art so far from my health, and from the words of my complaint?

2 O my God, I cry in the day-time, but thou hearest not and in the night-feafon alfo I take no reft.

3 And thou continueft holy: O thou worship of Ifrael. 4 Our fathers hoped in thee: they trufted in thee, and thou didst deliver them.

5 They called upon thee, and were holpen: they put their truft in thee, and were not confounded.

6 But as for me, I am a worm, and no man: a very fcorn of men, and the out-caft of the people.

7 All they that see me, laugh me to fcorn: they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, faying,

8 He trufted in God, that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, if he will have him.

9 But thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb. thou waft my hope when I hanged yet upon my mothers 10 I have

breafts.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

Pfal. xxi.] In this pfalm we obferve, 1. That as it is the peoples duty to pray for their kings, fo ought they to rejoice when God beffes them and their lawful defigns, and heartily thank him. 2. That God loves, and in a very extraordinary manner defends, just and pious kings, who call upon him and truft in him. 3. That he brings low and detrovs unrighteous princes, and efpecially fuch as oppofe the establishment of his kingdom and the defigns of his providence.

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