ILLUSTRATED AND EXPLAINED. Pfalm cxiii. Laudate, pueri. 541 Raise the Lord, ye servants : : O praise the Name of the 2 Blessed be the Name of the Lord: from this time forth for evermore. 3 The Lords Name is praised; from the rifing up of the fun, unto the going down of the fame. 4 The Lord is high above all heathen: and his glory above the heavens. -5 Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath his dwelling so high: and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth? 6 He taketh up the simple out of the dust: and lifteth the poor out of the mire, 7 That he may set him with the princes: even with the princes of his people. : 8 He maketh the barren woman to keep house: and to be a joyful mother of children. PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS, Pfalm exii.) This psalm teaches us, what are the distinguishing characters of true piety, and how great the happiness of those is who are pofieffed with it. 1. The character which the pfalmist gives of good men is, that they fear the Lord; that they take great delight in his commandments; that they are just and fincere; that they conduct all their affairs with uprightness; that they are kind and full of compasion, and love to give alms to the poor. 2. The prophet teaches us next, that those who live thus are perfectly happy; that God blesses them in their perfons, in their pofterity, and in their poffeffions; that they enjoy peace of conscience; that they fear no evil, always trufting in the Lord; and that their righteousness and their memory shall remain for ever. These are very important instructions, which should powerfully encourage us to the Audy and practice of piety, Pfalm cxiii.] This plalm should excite us to praise the name of the Lord, and continue to publish his glory, which appears every where with so much lustre; and to celebrate that adorable providence with which he governs all things here below, and by which he exalteth and humbieth men as he pleases. These considerations are powerful motives to engage ns to fear God, to depend entirely upon him, and to put our whole truft in his mercy. PRAC542 THE COMMON PRAYER, &c. Pfalm cxiv. In exitu Ifrael. HEN Israel came out of Egypt: and the house of W Jacob from among the strange people, 2 Judah was his fanctuary: and Israel his dominion. 3 The sea faw that, and fled: Jordan was driven back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams: and the little hills like young sheep. 5 What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddeft: and thou Jordan, that thou waft driven back? 6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams: and ye little hills like young sheep? 7 Tremble, thou earth, at the prefence of the Lord: at the prefence of the God of Jacob; 8 Who turned the hard rock into a standing water: and the flint-stone into a fpringing-well. Pfalm cxv. Non nobis, Domine. : TOT unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy N thy truths fake. 2 Wherefore shall the heathen say: Where is now their God? 3 As for our God, he is in heaven: he hath done whatfoever pleased him. 4 Their idols are filver and gold: even the work of mens hands. .: 5 They have mouths, and speak not: eyes have they, and fee not. 6 They have ears, and hear not: noses have they, and fmell not. 7 They have hands, and handle not; feet have they, and walk not: neither speak they through their throat. PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS, Pfalm cxiv.] The principal reflection suggested by this pfalm is, that since the wonders mentioned in this pfalm are not fo confiderable as those which God has wrought for us in the work of our redemption, we hare more reason than the Jews to exalt the power and goodness of our God, and to bless him for ever. PRAC ! ILLUSTRATED AND EXPLAINED. 543 8 They that make them are like unto them: and fo are all fuch as put their trust in them. 9 But thou, house of Ifrael, trust thou in the Lord: he is their fuccour and defence. 10 Ye house of Aaron, put your trust in the Lord: he is their helper and defender. II Ye that fear the Lord, put your truft in the Lord: he is their helper and defender. 12 The Lord hath been mindful of us, and he shall bless us: even he shall bless the house of Ifrael, he shall bless the house of Aaron. 13 He shall bless them that fear the Lord: both small and great. 14 The Lord shall increase you more and more: you and your children. 15 Ye are the bleffed of the Lord: who made heaven and earth. 16 All the whole heavens are the Lords: the earth hath he given to the children of men. 17 The dead praise not thee, O Lord: neither all they that go down into filence. 18 But we will praise the Lord: from this time forth. for evermore. Praise the Lord. PRACTICAL OBSERVATION Pfalm cxv.) This pfalm teaches us three things: 1. That when God does good to men, he is led to do it, not by any merit in them, but by his own pure mercy; which ought to be the foundation of our trust, when we direct our prayers to him. 2. What is here faid of the folly and stupidity of idolaters, who worship dead idols and the works of mens hands, tended to diffuade the Ifraelites from the worship of false gods, and the more effectually to prevent their forsaking the worship of the true God. This too should engage us to bless the Lord for delivering us from idolatry, by making himself known to us; and should teach us to serve him with purity, zeal, and fidelity. 3. We here fee how happy thofe are who worship God, and fear him; fince the pfalmist assures us, that God is the help and buckler of all those that trust in him; that they are blessed of the Lord, who has made the heavens and the earth; and that his favours are extended to them and their posterity. These glorious promises should prevail on us more effectually to fear God, and to expect all our happiness - from his blessing alone. MORN544 I THE COMMON PRAYER, &c. MORNING PRAYER. Pfalm cxvi. Dilexi, quoniam. Am well pleased: that the Lord hath heard the voice of my prayer. 2 That he hath inclined his ear unto me: therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. 3 The snares of death compassed me round about: and the pains of hell gat hold upon me. 4 I shall find trouble and heaviness, and I will call upon the Name of the Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my foul. 5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous: yea, our God is merciful. 6 The Lord preserveth the simple: I was in mifery, and ye helped me. 7 Turn again then unto thy rest, O my foul: for the Lord hath rewarded thee. 8 And why? thou hast delivered my foul from death : mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. g I will walk before the Lord; in the land of the living. 10 I believed, and therefore will I speak, but I was fore troubled: I faid in my haste, All men are liars. 11 What reward shall I give unto the Lord: for all the benefits that he hath done unto me ? 12 I will receive the cup of falvation: and call upon the Name of the Lord. 13 I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people: right dear in the fight of the Lord is the death of his faints. 14 Behold, O Lord, how that I am thy fervant: I am thy, fervant, and the son of thine handmaid, thou hast broken my bonds in funder. PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. Pfalm cxvi.] In this palm the devotion and zeal of king David appear with most extraordinary lustre. We should particularly here obferve, with what fentiments of joy and gratitude he celebrates the wonderful de liverances which God had vouchsafed him in the great dangers he had been exposed to; with what zeal he praises him, and vows to love and obey ILLUSTRATED AND EXPLAINED: 545 15 I will offer to thee the facrifice of thanksgiving: and will call upon the Name of the Lord. 16 I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the fight of all his people: in the courts of the Lords house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerufalem. Praise the Lord. 0 Pfalm cxvii, Laudate Dominum. Praise the Lord, all ye heathen: praise him, all ye nations. 2 For his merciful kindness is ever more and more towards us: and the truth of the Lord endureth forever. Praise the Lord. Pfal cxvii. Confitemini Domino. Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious: be cause his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Let Ifrael now confefs, that he is gracious: and that his mercy endureth for ever. 3 Let the house of Aaron now confess: that his mercy endureth for ever. 4 Yea, let them now that fear the Lord, confess: that his mercy endureth for ever. 5 I called upon the Lord in trouble: and the Lord heard me at large. PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. him. From this pious prince we learn, that when God has bestowed any particular blessing on us, and especially when he has delivered us from any great danger, it is our duty to love him, to bless his holy name, to perform our vows, and praise him in the prefence of all his people; and above all, to walk before him all the days of our life; and to teftify our gratitude to him, not only by our words, but by our actions. This is what we are - in an especial manner to do for the spiritual favours he bestows upon us, when he pardons our fins, and delivers us from condemnation and death, and receives us into the number of his children and servants. The fight and sense of such inestimable blessings should fill all those who partake of them with joy and confolation, and make them fay with the pfalmist: "Turn again then unto thy rest, O my foul, for the Lord hath rewarded thee. What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me? I will receive the cup of falvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the prefence of all his people. Praise the Lord." 3 Y 6 The |