sidered God's works of old, that he shall be delivered out of it, will soon stretch forth his hands," in supplication to Heaven. His soul will gasp and pant after that grace and mercy which descend from above, like the rain in its season, to bestow refreshment, beauty, and fertility, on a parched and "thirsty land." While we recite this verse, let us not be unmindful of Him, whose hands were often stretched forth in prayer for his people, and whose soul thirsted after our salvation, even then, when He felt the extremity of bodily thirst on the cross. 7. Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth, hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. These words would come with propriety from the mouth of one in danger of temporal death. They are no less proper in the mouth of him who is in danger of death eternal. Rather, they receive an additional force and energy when used in this latter sense. 8. Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. The penitent prayeth, that he may "hear the voice of God's loving kindness," speaking pardon and peace to his soul, "in the morning," speedily and early, after the long dark night of fear and sorrow, through which he is passing. This he hopes, because, disclaiming all other reliance, he placeth his confidence in God alone; "in thee do I trust." Nor is he only solicitous for the forgiveness of what is past, but for future direction in the course of duty; show thou me the way wherein I should walk." And to the end that he may follow such directions, he hath withdrawn his affections from things below, and set them on things above; "I lift up my soul unto thee." 9. Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. 10. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy Spirit is good; lead me, or, let thy good Spirit lead me, into the land of uprightness. He continueth to pray that he may be "delivered from his enemies," the world, the flesh, and the devil, from whose temptations he "fleeth," by repentance and faith to the Almighty, to hide" and protect him. He requesteth to be fully instructed in the "will" of Him, whom as his Lord and his "God," he hath determined to serve and obey. But conscious of his own inability to do the will of Jehovah, even when known, he entreateth the good Spirit of God to "lead" him out of the mazes of error and the pollutions of vice, into the pleasant "land" of truth and holiness 1. 11. Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake, bring my soul out of trouble. 12. And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant. The verbs in these two last verses, as Dr. Hammond hath noted, should be rendered in the future; "Thou shalt quicken," &c., and then the Psalm will end, as usual, with an act of faith and assurance, that all those mercies which have been asked shall be obtained; that God, for the sake of may ארץ מישור Or 1 Mr. MERRICK mentions the similar phrase of πεδιον αλήθειας, and λειμων αληθειας, among the Greeks. signify "the land that is plain and direct, even and straight," where he might pursue his intended course of piety and goodness, without fear of meeting with obstructions in the way, or danger of wandering out of it. his "name," and his "righteousness," of his glory, and his faithfulness in the performance of his promises, will not fail to be favourable and gracious to his servants, "quickening" them, even when dead in trespasses and sins, and bringing them, by degrees, "out of all their troubles;" going forth with them to the battle against their spiritual "enemies," and enabling them to vanquish the authors of their "affliction" and misery, to mortify the flesh, and to overcome the world; that so they may triumph with their Redeemer, in the day when He shall likewise quicken their mortal bodies, and put all enemies under their feet. THIRTIETH DAY.-MORNING PRAYER. PSALM CXLIV. ARGUMENT. It appears from verse 2, and verse 10, of this Psalm, that it was composed after David's accession to the throne. And it is evident, from verse 5, &c. that he had more enemies still to conquer, such as the Philistines, &c. He, therefore, 1, 2, blesseth Jehovah; and, 3, 4, expresseth his astonishment at the Divine goodness shown to such a creature as man; 5-8, he beseecheth God to perfect his work, and subdue the remaining adversaries by the might of his power. 9, 10, He breaks forth again into a strain of thanksgiving, and, 11-15, again returns to his prayers for the complete redemption, and the prosperity of Israel. If we substitute in our minds, Messiah for David, the Church for Israel, and spiritual for temporal blessings, the Psalm will present itself to us, as a noble evangelical hymn. 1. Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. What David here acknowledgeth, with regard to his victories, and that skill or might by which they were obtained, should be likewise acknowledged by all earthly kings and generals, in the day of battle and conquest. For success in our spiritual warfare, we depend on the grace of God, which alone can give us wisdom and "strength to have victory and triumph against sin, the world, and the devil." Even the Captain of our salvation fought and overcame by a power that was Divine. "Jehovah taught HIS hands to war, and HIS fingers to fight." And "blessed," on that account, be the name of Jehovah, in the Church, for evermore." 2. My goodness, Heb. my mercy', and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. The "goodness," or "mercy," of God inclineth us in time of trouble, to fly to Him as to a "fortress," or "tower," in which we find refuge; and when we have thus put ourselves under his patronage, He becometh our "deliverer" from present danger; our "shield," or protector, against any that may afterwards arise; the object of our unlimited "trust" and confidence; and, at last, the "subduer" of all opposition "under us." 3. LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him? or the son of man, that thou makest account of him? 4. Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. After a thanksgiving for the works which Jehovah had wrought, followeth a reflection on the creature "man," for whom they were wrought. Such a reflection introduced in the same manner, and almost in the same words, we meet with in Psalm viii. 4, which passage, being cited by the Apostle, Heb. ii. 6, and applied to Christ, affords 1 That is, "who art merciful to me," the abstract being put for the concrete, as in Psal. xii. 1. Prov. x. 29. Ezek. xliv. 6. Hos. viii. 9.-Dr. DURELL thinks we should read on, "my refuge," as in other parallel places. an argument, as Dr. Hammond hath justly observed, for a like application of the verses now before us, in their more eminent, prophetic, mystical sense. For, certainly, if David, upon the remembrance of what God had done for him, could break forth into this reflection, much more may we do so, for whom the Redeemer hath been manifested in the form of a servant, and in that form hath humbled Himself to the death of the cross, to gain us the victory over principalities and powers, to put all things under our feet, and to make us partakers of his everlasting kingdom. Lord, what indeed is man, TN, or, what is the son of such a miserable creature, w, that thou shouldst take this knowledge, and make this account of him? man, who is now become like vanity, or instability itself; whose days are fleeting and transient as a shadow, which glides over the earth, vanishes, and is seen no more! Such was human nature but the Son of God hath taken it upon Himself, rendered it immortal, and exalted it to heaven; whither all will follow Him hereafter, who follow Him now in the paths of righteousness and holiness. 5. Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. 6. Cast forth lightning and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them. 7. Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children: 8. Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. David, having celebrated his victories over some of his enemies, and extolled the mercy and goodness of God, to whom he ascribeth the achievement of them, now proceedeth to request a further ma |