9.7.

foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt go upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.

14 "Because he hath set his "love upon me, therefore will "I deliver him: I will set him 66 up, because he hath known my Name.

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"He shall call upon me, 15 " and I will hear him: yea, I am "with him in trouble; I will "deliver him, and bring him to ❝honour.

the operations of thy hands.

5 O Lord, how glorious are thy works: thy thoughts are very deep!

6 An unwise man doth not well consider this and a fool doth not understand it.

7 When (r) the ungodly are green as the grass, and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish then shall they be destroyed for ever; but thou, Lord, art the Most Highest for ever

more.

8 For lo, thine enemies, O Lord, lo, thine enemies shall perish and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed.

9 But mine horn shall be exalted like the horn of an unicorn: for I am anointed with fresh oil.

10 Mine eye also shall see his lust (s) of mine enemies and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked, that arise up against me.

II The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree (t) and shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.

12 Such as be planted in the house of the Lord: shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.

13 They also shall bring forth more fruit (u) in their age and shall be fat and well-liking; 14 That they may shew how

true (x) the Lord my strength is: and that there is no unrighteousness in him.

Psalm xciv. (a)

LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth (b): thou God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.

2 Arise, thou Judge of the world and reward the proud after their deserving.

3 Lord, how long shall the ungodly how long shall the ungodly triumph?

9. I.

:

4 How long shall all wicked doers speak so disdainfully and make such proud boasting?

5 They smite down thy people, O Lord and trouble thine heritage.

6 They murder the widow and the stranger: and put the fatherless to death.

7 And yet they say, "Tush, the "Lord shall not see: neither shall "the God of Jacob regard it."

8 Take heed, ye unwise among the people: O ye fools, when will understand? ye

9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear or he that made the eye, shall he not see?

:

10 Or he that nurtureth the heathen it is he that teacheth (c) man knowledge, shall not he punish?

(a) An earnest prayer to God for de liverance from the persecutions and unjust decisions of the wicked, and a confident assurance in his protection.

(b) "To whom vengeance belongeth." In the Song of Moses, about 1450 years before our Saviour's birth, Deuter. xxxii. 35. God is represented as saying, "To me belongeth vengeance and recompence;" and St. Paul refers to it in that admirable passage, Rom. xii. 19. (ante 57.) "It is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.” Before man taketh upon himself to revenge, it is worth considering whether he is not encroaching upon that which

12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord and teachest him in thy law;

13 That thou mayest give him (d) patience in time of adversity until the pit be digged up for the ungodly.

14 For the Lord will not fail his people neither will he forsake his inheritance;

15 Until (e) righteousness turn again unto judgement all such as are true in heart shall follow it.

16 Who will rise up with me against the wicked or who will take my part against the evil doers?

17 If the Lord had not helped me it had not failed, but my soul (ƒ) had been put to silence. 18 But when I said, " My "foot hath slipped :" thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

19 In the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart : thy comforts have refreshed my soul.

20 Wilt thou have any thing to do with the stool of wicked

God hath said shall belong wholly to himself.

(c)" Teacheth," &c. i.e. (probably) v. 10. if he is at the pains to teach, shall not he punish those who will not learn, who disregard his teaching?

(d) "That thou mayest give him," v. 13, i. e. (perhaps) so as to give him, or in order to give him.

(e) Until," &c. i. e. (perhaps) until v.15. the righteous again prevail; until righteousness again possesses the seat of judgment, and gives its recompence to every a&t.

life had v.17.

but it is the Lord that made (0) the heavens.

6 Glory and worship are before him power and honour are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe unto the Lord, O kindreds of the people: ascribe ye unto the Lord worship and power.

8 Ascribe unto the Lord the honour due unto his Name: bring presents, and come into his

courts.

9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness (p) let the whole earth stand in awe of him.

10 Tell it out among the heathen, that the Lord is King: and that it is he who hath made the round world so fast that it cannot be moved; and how that he shall judge the people righteously.

II Let the heavens (q) rejoice, and let the earth be glad let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is.

12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord.

worship is admirably ridiculed in Is. xliv. 13 to 19. See post, note on Psalm CXXXV. 15.

v. 5. (0) "Made," &c. so that he must be 0,11. the true God.

v. 9.

V.11.

(p)" Beauty of holiness," i.e. perhaps a part of the place of worship to which this name was given.

(g) "The heavens," &c. How highly poetical it is to call upon the heavens and the earth, the sea and fields, &c. the inanimate parts of the creation, to partake in this joy! See note on Ps. lxv. 14. So in Ps. cxlviii. 3, &c. they are called upon to join in praising God: "Praise him,

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sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars "and light," &c. &c. and see Isaiah xliv. 23. xlix. 13.

(r) A spirited hymn upon the supe

13 For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth and with righteousness to judge the world, and the people with his truth.

Psalm xcvii. (r)

THE Lord is King, the earth may be glad thereof: yea, the multitude of the isles may be glad thereof.

2 Clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgement are the habitation (s) of his seat.

3 There shall go (t) a fire before him and burn up his enemies on every side.

4 His lightnings gave shine unto the world: the earth saw it and was afraid.

5 The hills (u) melted like wax at the presence of the Lord: at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6 The heavens have declared his righteousness and all the people have seen his glory.

7 Confounded be all they that worship carved images and that delight in vain gods worship him (x), all ye gods.