صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

and when I awake up after thy likeness, I fhall be satisfied with it. EVENING PRAYER.

I

|| Pfalm 18. Diligam te, Domine.

Will love thee, O Lord, my ftrength; the Lord is my ftony rock, and my defence: my Saviour, my God, and my might, in whom I will truft, my buckler, the horn alfo of my falvation, and my refuge.

2 I will call upon the Lord, which is worthy to be praised: fo fhall I be fafe from mine enemies.

3 The forrows of death compaffed me: and the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid.

4 The pains of hell came about me: the fnares of death overtook me.

5 In my trouble I will call upon the Lord: and complain unto my God.

6 So fhall he hear my voice out of his holy temple: and my complaint fhall come before him, it shall enter even into his ears.

7 The earth trembled and quaked: the very foundations also of the hills fhook, and were removed, because he was wroth.

8 There went a fmoke out in his prefence: and a confuming fire out of his mouth, so that coals were kindled at it.

9 He bowed the heavens alfo, and came down and it was dark under his feet.

10 He rode upon the Cherubins, and did fly: he came flying upon the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his secret place: his pavilion round about him with dark water, and thick clouds to cover him.

Let us therefore fo learn to imitate God in all Holiness here, that we may be like him hereafter in eternal Felicity.

This is a Hymn of Thanksgiving for David' deliverance from Saul, and from all his Enemies: which as it is truly fublime in its language; fo the fentiments it contains are just and admirable. In which he describes the great Dangers he had been

expofed to, his wonderful deliverances, and the Vic tories he had gained by the divine aftance; extolling the power, justice, and goodnefs, which God had fhewn in his prefervation.

The Earth trembled and quaked, &c. &c. This truly fublime and rhetorical defcription of God's interpofition in David's behalf, feems ftrongly to allude to the representation of God's appearance upon Mount C

12 At the brightnefs of his prefence his clouds removed: hailftones, and coals of fire.

13 The Lord alfo thundered out of heaven,, and the highest gave his thunder: hail-ftones, and coals of fire,

14

[ocr errors]

He fent out his arrows, and scattered them, the caft forth lightnings, and deftroyed them.

15 The fprings of waters were feen, and the foundations of the round world were discovered at thy chiding, O Lord: at the blafting of the breath of thy difpleasure.

16 He shall fend down from on high to fetch me: and shall take me out of many waters.

17 He fhall deliver me from my strongest enemy, and from them which hate me: for they are too mighty for me.

18 They prevented me in the day of my trouble: but the Lord was my upholder.

19 He brought me forth alfo into a place of liberty: he brought me forth, even because he had a favour unto me.

20 The Lord fhall reward me after my righteous dealing: according to the cleannefs of my hands fhall he recompenfe me.

21 Because I have kept the ways of the Lord: and have not forfaken my God, as the wicked doth.

22 For I have an eye unto all his laws: and will not cast out his commandments from me.

23 I was also uncorrupt before him: and efchewed mine own wickednefs.

24 Therefore fhall the Lord reward me after my righteous dealing: and according unto the cleanness of my hands in his eye-fight. 25 With the holy thou fhalt be holy and with a perfect man thou shalt be perfect.

:

26 With the clean thou fhalt be clean and with the froward thou fhalt learn frowardness.

Sinai at the delivery of the Law: and under the fgusative expreffions of Clouds, Hail, Thunders, Lightnings and Earthquakes is reprefented God's difpleafare

against David's Enemies, his readinefs to deliver bim and the dreadful exercife of his power in taking ven geance upon them. That we may in like manner en

27 For thou fhalt fave the people that are in adverfity: and fhalt bring down the high looks of the proud.

[ocr errors]

28 Thou alfo fhalt light my candle: the Lord my God fhall make my darkness to be light.

29 For in thee I fhall discomfit an host of men: and with the help of my God I fhall leap over the wall.

30 The way of God is an undefiled way: the word of the Lord alfo is tried in the fire; he is the defender of all them that put' their trust in him.

31 For who is God, but the Lord: or who hath any ftrength, except our God?

32 It is God that girdeth me with strength of war: and maketh my way perfect.

L 33 He maketh my feet like harts feet: and fetteth, me up on high.

34 He teacheth mine hands to fight: and mine arms fhall break even a bow of steel.

35 Thou haft given me the defence of thy falvation: thy right hand also shall hold me up, and thy loving correction shall make me great.

36 Thou fhalt make room enough under me for to go: that my footsteps shall not flide.

37 I will follow upon mine enemies, and overtake them: neither will I turn again till I have deftroyed them.

38 I will smite them, that they shall not be able to ftand; but fall under my feet.

39 Thou haft girded me with strength unto the battel: thou fhalt throw down mine enemies under me.

40 Thou haft made mine enemies alfo to turn their backs upon me: and I shall destroy them that hate me.

gage God's affiftance and protection let us be caref. the Lord, and having an Eye unto all his Laws. Verfes follow David's example, viz. by keeping the ways of

21. 22.

41 They fhall cry, but there fhall be none to help them: yea, even unto the Lord fhall they cry, but he fhall not hear them.

42 I will beat them as fmall as the duft before the wind: I will caft them out as the clay in the streets.

43. Thou fhalt deliver me from the ftrivings of the people: and thou shalt make me the head of the heathen.

L

44 A people whom I have not known: fhall ferve me.. 45 As foon as they hear of me, they fhall obey me: but the ftrange children fhall diffemble with me.

46 The ftrange children fhall fail: and be afraid out of their prifons.

47 The Lord liveth, and bleffed be my ftrong helper: and praised be the God of my falvation.

48 Even the God that feeth that I be avenged: and fubdueth the people unto me.

49. It is he that delivereth me from my cruel enemies, and fetteth me up above mine adverfaries: thou fhalt rid me from the wicked man.

50. For this cause will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles: and fing praifes unto thy Name.

51 Great profperity giveth he unto his King: and fheweth loying kindnefs unto David his anointed, and unto his feed for evermore.

T

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

HE heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handy-work.

2 One day telleth another: and one night certifieth another. 3 There is neither speech, nor language: but their voices are heard among them.

The Pfalmift here celebrates the glory of God dif played in his Works of Nature and Grace--intreats him to pardon his Sins, to keep him from offending

him, and to fanctify his Thoughts, his Words, and his whole behaviour.

4 Their found is gone out into all lands: and their words into the ends of the world.

5 In them hath he fet a tabernacle for the fun: which cometh forth as a bride-groom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his courfe.

6 It goeth forth from the uttermoft part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

7 The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the foul: the teftimony of the Lord is fure, and giveth wifdom unto the fimple.

8 The ftatutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

O More to be defired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: fweeter alfo than hony, and the hony-comb.

11 Moreover by them is thy fervant taught: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

12 Who can tell how oft he offendeth: O cleanse thou me from my fecret faults.

13 *Keep thy fervant alfo from prefumptuous fins, left they get the dominion over me: fo fhall I be undefiled, and innocent from the great offence.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart: be always acceptable in thy fight,

15 O Lord: my ftrength and my redeemer.

Pfalm 20. Exaudi at te Dominus.

HE Lord hear thee in the day of trouble: the Name of

T1 the God of Jacob defend thee.

Keep thy Servant aijo from presumptuous Sins. That is, fech Sins. as Men commit knowingly and wil lingly, notwithstanding the reproofs of Confcience, and the admonition of their Friends Great need is there of a guard in this refpect. For however the best

of Men may fometimes be overtaken through inadver tency, furprize, or the violence of Temptation: yet, thofe who have begun to act against Conviction, will foon be in great danger of becoming flaves to Sin through cutom

« السابقةمتابعة »