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5 Off'rings present of righteousness, and in the Lord trust ye.

6 O who will shew us any good?
is that which many say:

But of thy countenance the light,
Lord, lift on us alway.

7 Upon my heart, bestow'd by thee,
more gladness I have found

Than they, e'en then, when corn and wine.
did most with them abound.

8 I will both lay me down in peace,
and quiet sleep will take;
Because thou only me to dwell
in safety, Lord, dost make.

PARALLEL PASSAGES.

Ver. 3-Titus ii. 14.

Ver. 8-Rom. viii. 35.

PSALM V.

DAVID, in the midst of his grievous afflictions, lifts up his prayer to God, and predicts the overthrow of the wicked, and the establishment of the way of the just, from the fact, (verses 1, 2, 3,) that God is the hearer of prayer; secondly, (verses 4, 5, 6,) that he hates all iniquity; thirdly, (verses 7, 8,) that through grace he himself would devote his best services to God; and fourthly, (verses 9, 10,) that their sins cried for vengeance; and lastly, from God's promises to bless and favour all who are in Christ Jesus, interested in his sacrifice, and clothed in his righteousness.

Let us dread sin as the greatest evil, as most hateful to God, and most ruinous to ourselves, and sing this Psalm with fervent prayers that we may be washed in the blood of Jesus, and encompassed with the favour of God as with a shield. Fools," in verse 5, means carnal and wicked men. In verse 10, the future tense is preferable to the imperative.

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[ABRIDGE.]

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1 GIVE ear unto my words, O Lord, my meditation weigh.

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2 Hear my loud cry, my King, my God, for I to thee will pray.

3 Lord, thou shalt early hear my voice; I early will direct

My prayer to thee, and, looking up,
an answer will expect.

4 For thou art not a God that doth
in wickedness delight:

5

6

Neither shall evil dwell with thee,

nor fools stand in thy sight:
All that ill doers are thou hat'st.
Cutt'st off that liars be:

The bloody and deceitful man
abhorred is by thee.

7 But I into thy house will come
in thine abundant grace :
And I will worship in thy fear,
towards thy holy place.

8 Because of those mine enemies,
Lord, in thy righteousness

Do thou me lead: do thou thy way
make straight before my face.

9 For in their mouth there is no truth, their inward part is ill;

Their throat's an open sepulchre,
their tongue doth flatter still.

10 O God, destroy them; let them be
by their own counsel quell'd:
Them, for their many sins, cast out,
for they 'gainst thee rebell'd.

11 But let all joy that trust in thee, and still make shouting noise :

For them thou sav'st: let all that love thy name, in thee rejoice.

12 For, Lord, unto the righteous man thou wilt thy blessing yield; With favour thou wilt compass him about, as with a shield.

PARALLEL PASSAGES.

Ver. 4-Hab. i. 13. .

Ver. 12-Isaiah lxv. 13, 14.

PSALM VI.

DAVID, believing that his sinfulness, original and actual, had drawn down the displeasure of God, and feeling the effects of present chastisement, and the fears of death everlasting, implores (verses 1, 2, 3) forgiveness, and the withdrawal of God's heavy hand. In verses 4-7, he longs for the renewal of God's loving kindness, and pleads for mercy, while he describes the intensity of his sorrows and the resolutions he has formed to separate himself from sin and sinners. God answers while he calls, and leads David to anticipate the overthrow of all his enemies.

Has a sense of our sin ever caused us to sorrow as deeply as David? and has our sorrow proved itself a godly sorrow, by our separation from the world and its wicked ones? Let us beseech our Redeemer, who is exalted, to give repentance, to enable us to appropriate the language of David in this penitential Psalm.

[JOB, FORDINGBRIDGE.]

1 LORD, in thy wrath rebuke me not,
Nor in thy hot rage chasten me.
2 Lord, pity me, for I am weak:
Heal me, for my bones vexed be.
3 My soul is also vexed sore;

But, Lord, how long stay wilt thou make? 4 Return, O Lord, my soul set free: O save me for thy mercy's sake.

5 Because those that deceased are,
Of thee shall no remembrance have:
And who is he that will to thee
Give praises, lying in the grave?
6 I with my groaning weary am,
I also, all the night, my bed

Have caused for to swim; and I

With tears my couch have watered.

7 Mine eye, consum'd with grief, grows old, Because of all mine enemies.

8 Hence from me, wicked workers all, For God hath heard my weeping cries. 9 God hath my supplication heard, My pray'r received graciously. 10 Sham'd, and sore vex'd be all my foes, Sham'd, and back-turned suddenly.

ANOTHER OF THE SAME.

[DUNDEE, OLD WINDSOR, COLESHILL.]

1 IN thy great indignation,

O Lord, rebuke me not:
Nor on me lay thy chast'ning hand
in thy displeasure hot.

2 Lord, I am weak, therefore on me
have mercy, and me spare:
Heal me, O Lord, because thou know'st
My bones much vexed are.

3 My soul is vexed sore: but, Lord,
how long stay wilt thou make?

4 Return, Lord, free my soul, and save me for thy mercy's sake.

5 Because of thee in death there shall no more remembrance be:

Of those that in the grave do lie,

who shall give thanks to thee?

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6 I with my groaning weary am; and all the night my bed

I caused for to swim; with tears. my couch I watered.

7 By reason of my vexing grief,
mine eye consumed is;

It waxeth old because of all
that be mine enemies.

8 But now depart from me, all ye
that work iniquity:

For why? the Lord hath heard my voice
when I did mourn and cry.

9 Unto my supplication

the Lord did hearing give; When I to him my prayer make,

the Lord will it receive.

10 Let all be sham'd and troubled sore
that en❜mies are to me;
Let them turn back, and suddenly
ashamed let them be.

PARALLEL PASSAGES.

Ver. 1-Jer. x. 24.

Ver. 5-Is. xxxviii. 18.

Ver. 8-Ps. cxlv. 18.

PSALM VII.

DAVID, being falsely accused by Cush, one of the kinsmen of Saul, (2 Sam. xvi. 7,) has recourse to his God for defence and deliverance. In verses 3-5, he vindicates his innocence of those crimes which were laid to his charge. In verses 6-9, he entreats the Lord to make known the real character of his enemies, not merely for his sake, but for the sake of His church. In the remainder of the Psalm, he predicts the overthrow and ruin of his foes, and the glory that will thence redound to his God.

If we are in Christ Jesus, neither the accuser of the brethren, nor the law which Christ has fulfilled in our stead, shall be able to lay any thing to the charge of God's elect. Let us, however, strive at further attainments in that evangelical righteousness which the Holy Spirit alone can foster, and thus "let our light shine before men, that they, seeing our good works, may glorify our Father which is in heaven."

Sing this Psalm with earnest desires to be delivered from sin, and the world, and the flesh-our persecuting foes; and with confidence that our prayers will be heard.

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