to him he payeth his vows,' among his fellow-servants in the church on earth; longing for that day to come when, loosed also from the bonds of death and the grave, he shall be admitted to sing hallelujahs with saints and angels, in the courts' of the eternal temple, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem,' the holy, heavenly, and glorious city of God Most High!

PSALM CXVII.

ARGUMENT.

[This Psalm, like the 110th, seems to be altogether prophetical of the joy that all the world should conceive, at the coming of the Messiah, to give salvation, first to the Jews, and then to all other nations, according to his faithful promise.-PATRICK.]

1. Ō praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.' 2. For his merciful kindness is great towards us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.'

It is remarkable, that of so short a Psalm one verse is quoted in the New Testament by St. Paul; the second verse is explained, though not quoted. Two questions naturally arise, on reading the Psalm; first, who are the 'nations and people, exhorted to praise Jehovah; secondly, what is that merciful kindness,' and that 'truth,' for which they are exhorted to praise him? The apostle hath given a satisfactory and decisive answer to both these questions, Rom. xv. 8, 9. &c. Now, I say, that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the TRUTH of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his MERCY; as it is written, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and laud him, all ye people.' From the apostle's reasoning, the verse of our Psalm, which he hath cited, appears to be a proof that 'the Gentiles,' or the Heathen world, should one day glorify God;' they are, therefore, the 'people,'whom the Psalmist, in the spirit of prophecy, exhorted to praise Jehovah.' It appears also, why the Gentiles were to glorify God; namely, for his mercy' and truth,' shown in confirming or accomplishing the

"promises concerning their vocation and conversion, 'made unto the fathers;' to Abraham, and his seed for ever; to all believers, whether of the circumcision, or the uncircumsion. Such, then, is the merciful kindness' of Jehovah, which is said, in the Psalm, to be 'great,' mighty, and powerful, 'toward us;' such his truth,' which is affirmed to endure for ever;' as the promises were made good to the Gentiles, when the Jews, because of unbelief, had been cast off. Let the hallelujahs of the redeemed be suitable to that 'mercy,' and co-eternal with that 'truth.'

PSALM CXVIII.

ARGUMENT.

[In this Psalm, a king of Israel appears leading his people in solemn procession to the temple, there to offer up the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, for the marvellous deliverance from his enemies, and a glorious victory gained over them. After inviting the whole nation, 1-4. to join with him on this joyful occasion, he describeth at large, 5-18. his danger, and his deliverance from it, which latter is wholly attributed to the power and goodness of Jehovah. After this, as Mr. Mudge has rightly observed, there ensues a kind of sacred dialogue. Being come to the temple, the victorious monarch speaks the 19th verse; they that open the gate, the 20th; he again, as he enters, the 21st; they with him seem to speak the next four verses, to the 25th; the priests of the temple the 26th; the first part to the king, the other to the people; the people the 27th; he the 28th; the 29th is the chorus verse, concluding as it began. The repeated application made of the 22d verse in the New Testament, and the appointment of the Psalm, by the church, to be used on Easter-day, lead us to consider he whole as a triumphant hymn, sung by King Messiah, at the head of the Israel of God, on occasion of his resurrection and exaltation.]

''Confirmata-et veritas Domini'-Promiserat enim Abrahamo Deus futurum, ut per Christum, benedictum illud Abrahami semen, benedi. cerentur omnes Gentes, Gen. xii. 3. xv. 18. interprete Apostolo, Gal. iii. 16. Quod cum præstitum videamus, jam intelligimus vere advenisse Christum, ac promissa Dei firma esse omnia. BOSSUET.

- 1. O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: because his endureth for ever.' mercy 2. Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.' 3. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.' 4. Let them now that fear the LORD, say, that his mercy endureth for ever.'

The subjects of thanksgiving' here proposed are Jehovah's 'goodness' and his mercy.' He is the sole fountain of absolute and essential goodness,' the source of all excellency and perfection; and his mercy' is the channel by which he communicateth this goodness, in an overflowing stream, to his people, who are, therefore, exhorted to praise him. The Christian Church is now' the • Israel of God;' her ministers constitute the true house of Aaron,' being the spiritual progeny of our great High Priest; and the Gentiles, not the Jews, are they who know and 'fear Jehovah.' Let these all celebrate, for these all have experienced, the benefits and blessings of 'eternal mercy,' by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

5. I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.'

The true value of every deliverance is to be estimated by the nature of the 'distress' which required it. The rescue of David from his enemies, or that of Israel from captivity, might deservedly be extolled with the songs of Sion. How much more, then, is the church universal bound to lift up her voice in honor of Jehovah, who hath redeemed her from her spiritual adversaries, and freed her from the bondage of corruption, through Him who died for her sins, and rose again for her justification ;' who, in the days of his flesh, being, on her account, in 'distress' and affliction, 'called upon Jehovah, and was answered,' by an 'enlargement' from the narrow prison of the grave, to a boundless and glorious kingdom!

6. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? 7. The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.'

By frequent experience of the divine power and mercy, from time to time exerted on the behalf of Israel, that

nation was instructed to trust in Jehovah; and, whenever they did so, success and victory never failed to attend their steps. Would not the case be the same with us in all our undertakings, if our faith was right and steadfast in God, who raised up Jesus from the dead, and who hath promised to make us more than conquerors ?? 8. It is better to trust in the LORD, than to put confidence in man.' 9. It is better to trust in the LORD, than to put confidence in princes.'

Armies of men,' however numerous, and to appearance powerful, may be routed and dispersed at once.

'Prin

ces' may not be able to help us; if able, they may fail us, as not being willing to do it; if both able and willing, they may die, ere they can execute their purpose. But that hope which is placed in God, can never, by these, or any other means, be disappointed. As we so often repeat these two verses, let us act agreeably to the declaration which we then make, and, instead of courting the world, by undue compliances, for its deceitful smiles and treacherous favors, let us in all points do our duty, and leave the event to God above. To encourage us in the performance of such a resolution as this, let it be remem› bered, that because our Saviour 'witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate,' and with meekness and patience resigned himself to the death of the cross for it, therefore God exalted him to glory and honor.

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10. All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I,' or I did, 'destroy them.' 11. They compassed me about, yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will,' or I did, 'destroy them.' 12. They compassed me about like bees, they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will,' or I did, 'destroy them.'

The tenour of the Psalm being one of thanksgiving for a deliverance already experienced, seemeth to require that the verb, at the close of each of these verses, should be rendered in the past time; not 'I will destroy them,' but I did destroy them;' especially as it is said, 'they compassed me about,' and 'they are quenched.' David and Israel were encompassed by hostile nations, over whom, through God's assistance, they often tri

As

umphed; so the Son of David, in the day of his passion, was surrounded by the furious multitude of Jews and Gentiles, seeking his life; and, after the same example, his mystical body, the church, hath frequently been, on all sides, vexed and persecuted in the world. But, through the power of Jehovah, Christ overcame, and is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. The church, likewise, hath often risen superior to the efforts of her innumerable and malicious enemies, whose fury hath blazed forth against her with the sudden fierceness of fire,' when it is applied to a heap of dry 'thorns;' and hath been as soon at an end; she hath triumphed, yea, and she will finally triumph, 'in the name of the Lord her God.'

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13. Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.' 14. The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.' 15. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doth valiantly.' 16. The right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD doth valiantly.'

The church may consider herself as victorious over her great adversary, the author of all evil, who had made his grand effort to effect her destruction, by putting to death her champion and king, Messiah. But Jehovah appeared at the time appointed, to bring him, and, virtually, all that should believe in him, from the dead. "Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall; but Jehovah helped me.' Risen, therefore, with Christ, from the grave, we proceed to praise Jehovah, in the words which Moses. and Israel first used, when they had ascended from the depths of the sea, and beheld their enemies destroyed for ever; Jehovah is my strength, and my song, and is become my salvation:' Exod. xv. 2. And never doth that sacred day come round, on which the resurrection of Jesus is celebrated, but the voice of rejoicing is in the tabernacles of the righteous;' there is a noise of them that sing for joy, in the camp of the saints; the church militant resoundeth with thanksgiving, and the voice of melody; paradise is restored below, and earth beareth some resemblance of heaven, while these transporting