5

His eyes

do

see, his eye-lids try

men's sons. The just he proves : But his soul hates the wicked man,

and him that vi'lence loves.

6 Snares, fire and brimstone, furious storms,
on sinners he shall rain:
This, as the portion of their cup,
doth unto them pertain.

7 Because the Lord most righteous doth
in righteousness delight,
And with a pleasant countenance
Beholdeth the upright.

PARALLEL PASSAGES.

Ver. 3-2 Tim. ii. 19.

Ver. 6-Gen. xix. 24.

PSALM XII.

DAVID looks around him in the light of heaven, and, seeing the abounding wickedness of the land, especially of men in power, he betakes himself to prayer, as a pattern to the people of God in like circumstances. In verses 3, 4, he declares God's purposes of wrath concerning all impenitent sinners, and his purposes of favour to the godly that are oppressed. He proves the truth of these predictions by referring to the unchangeable character of the word of God, which is "yea and amen.' May we be among those "who sigh and cry for the abominations that are done in the land." In the midst of the turbulence and confederacies of infidel and godless men, let us be composed by the assertions of God's word concerning their folly and their fleetness. While prayer unburdens the heart of fears, it fills it with hopes and joys. How impious is the sentiment of the wicked in verse 4. God made, preserves, and redeemed us, and, therefore, we are not our own, but bought with a price."

[MARTYRDOM.]

66

1 HELP, Lord, because the godly man doth daily fade away;

And from among the sons of men

the faithful do decay.

2 Unto his neighbour ev'ry one

doth utter vanity;

They with à double heart do speak,
and lips of flattery.

3 God shall cut off all flatt'ring lips,
tongues that speak proudly, thus:

4 We'll with our tongues prevail; our lips
are ours who's Lord o'er us?
5 For poor opprest, and for the sighs
of needy, rise will I,

Saith God, and him in safety set
from such as him defy.

6 The words of God are words most pure;
they be like silver tried

In earthen furnace, seven times
that hath been purified.

7 Lord, thou shalt them preserve, and keep,
for ever from this race.

8 On each side walk the wicked, when vile men are high in place.

PARALLEL PASSAGES.

Ver. 4-Job xxi. 14, 15.

Ver. 6-Ps. cxix. 140.

PSALM XIII.

THIS Psalm contains, in verses 1, 2, a complaint of the believer's suffering under a sense of the desertion of God. God thus endears his presence to his people by making them occasionally feel his absence. In verses 3, 4, he prays for the return of the light of God's countenance and an answer to his petition. How delightful to find prayer the channel of comfort in all circumstances. In 5, 6, he feels the revival of his graces in answer to his prayer, and breaks forth into songs of confidence and joy Seek, and ye shall find."

66

[WINDSOR.]

1 How long wilt thou forget me, Lord?

shall it for ever be?

O how long shall it be that thou

wilt hide thy face from me?

2 How long take counsel in my soul,
still sad in heart shall I ?
How long exalted over me
shall be mine enemy?

3 O Lord my God, consider well,
and answer to me make:

Mine eyes enlighten, lest the sleep
of death me overtake :

4 Lest that mine enemy should say,
Against him I prevail'd;
And those that trouble me, rejoice
when I am mov'd and fail'd.

5 But I have all my confidence.
thy mercy set upon;

My heart within me shall rejoice
in thy salvation.

6 I will unto the Lord my God
sing praises cheerfully,

Because he hath his bounty shewn
to me abundantly.

PARALLEL PASSAGES.

Ver. 1-Ps. lxxxviii. 14.

Ver. 3-Jerem. li. 39.

PSALM XIV.

THE believer looks on the character and conduct of the professing church, and finds it too extensively corrupt. In the world, he sees" that all flesh has corrupted its way," and is prepared from the whole review to conclude with the Apostle in the Romans, that "by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified," and to seek relief in that great salvation which is out of Zion. In verses 4, 5, 6, he declares the fear that fills the minds of the wicked when they come to know that God is with the "race of the just." "If God be for us, who can be against us?" David then looks forward, in verse 7, to the advent of the Messiah as the comfort of his people. "The fool says in his heart," i. e. "wishes."

Let us welcome the Lord Jesus unto our hearts, that they may be freed from sin and sorrow, and rejoice with Jacob and with Israel. "Israel and Jacob" are names of the people of God, and "Zion" is the name of the church, either glorified or militant.

[ ABRIDGE.]

1 THAT there is not a God, the fool, doth in his heart conclude:

They are corrupt, their works are vile,
not one of them doth good.
2 Upon men's sons, the Lord from heav'n
did cast his eyes abroad,
To see if any understood,
and did seek after God.

3 They altogether filthy are,
they all aside are gone;
And there is none that doeth good,
yea, sure there is not one.

4 These workers of iniquity,
do they not know at all,

That they my people eat as bread,
and on God do not call?

5 There fear'd they much, for God is with
the whole race of the just.

6 You shame the counsel of the poor, because God is his trust.

7 Let Israel's help from Zion come; when back the Lord shall bring His captives, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall sing.

PARALLEL PASSAGES.

Ver. 3-Eph. ii. 3.

Ver. 7-Rom. xi. 26.

PSALM XV.

THE Psalmist, as the voice of the whole church, convinced of sin and desert of death, puts the question-Who shall take possession for us of that holy place from which Adam and his offspring are exiles? The reply is,-That man whose heart is essentially pure, and whose life is an exact expression of it. Christ alone answers to this perfect portrait. Let us rejoice that he is, for us,

entered into the holy of holies, to appear before God on our behalf. Knowing, moreover, that his features should be manifest in his church, let us pray for greater growth in grace and spiritualmindedness. In sitting down at the table of the Lord, let us examine ourselves by this Psalm.

[ST. ANN'S.]

1 WITHIN thy tabernacle, Lord,
who shall abide with thee?
And in thy high and holy hill
who shall a dweller be?
2 The man that walketh uprightly,
and worketh righteousness,
And, as he thinketh in his heart,
so doth he truth express.

3 Who doth not slander with his tongue,
nor to his friend doth hurt;

Nor yet against his neighbour doth
take up an ill report.

4 In whose eyes vile men are despis'd;
but those that God do fear
He honoureth, and changeth not,
though to his hurt he swear.

5 His coin puts not to usury,
nor take reward will he
Against the guiltless. Who doth thus,
shall never moved be..

PARALLEL PASSAGES.

Ver. 1-Ps. xxiv.

Ver. 5-2 Pet. i. 10.

PSALM XVI,

ACTs ii. 25, and Acts xiii., prove that the person who utters this Psalm is the Lord Jesus: indeed, the last two verses can be applied strictly to none else. But as we are united to Christ and members of his body, and fall asleep in the sure hope of a blessed resurrection, we may appropriate much of it to ourselves. In verses 1 to 4 there is, first, faith in God, as my God," and, se