Thy "Almost adoration " paid

The "Mother blest"-the "blessed maid,"
The undefiled and pure-

Thou hast gone forth intent to gaze

Where Romish suns, and planets blaze
And felt the secret lure.*

True she was blest, all lands agree
To own her blest, ordained to be
The instrument to bring,

(When dawned the long-predicted time)
Here on the scene of woe, and crime,
The healer, and the King.

Through the low path of mortal birth,
God was made manifest on earth:

Jehovah Jesus now

Owns not the bond of earthly ties,†
Meets not the gaze of earthly eyes,‡
Where saints, and seraphs bow.

With lowly hearts-with human woes,
A brother's sympathy he knows,
And owns that sacred cord ;

Such Mary's claim-of sinful race

And gloried only in His grace

The Mother of our Lord.§

*Job xxxi. 26. 27.

†Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 2 Cor. v. 16.

THOUGHTS ON THE PSALMS.

No. IV.

THE Fiftieth Psalm is often supposed to contain a prediction of a final judgment on all mankind: but, if we attend to its structure, we may perhaps find reason to doubt the truth of that opinion. The calling or summoning of "The earth, from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof," is indeed general, but if we look at the seventh and following verses, we shall see that the judgment itself is confined to the Jews;- for Israel, and Israel alone is expressly addressed. Even if we could omit the name, the character of the address would plainly point to that people; for the endless sacrifices and burnt-offerings, are characteristic of the Mosaic ritual only. The whole passage is very similar to that beautiful expostulation contained in Isaiah i; particularly from verse 11-15. These reproofs obviously are applicable to the Jewish nation alone; and the whole Psalm probably refers to them, in some future transaction of judgment, as yet unexplained, when God shall shine forth "out of Zion" in "perfection of beauty."

Various passages occur in the subsequent Psalms, which refer to the building of Jerusalem, the exaltation of God over all the earth, and the destruction of the opposers.

The latter part of the LX Psalm, is probably a prophecy of the valour hereafter to be exhibited by the Jews, at their restoration to Palestine; and also of the division of the country once more among their tribes; including the subjection of Edom, Moab, &c.

In the next Psalm, we find prayer and prophecy connected with Messiah's reign, for the 6 and 7 verses cannot reasonably be applied to any human sovereign; and in the LXIII. 9, 10, 11., we find His triumphs again foretold, as well as the dispersion of His foes, the latter subject being continued in the following Psalm.

The LXV. is a song of triumph,-apparently intended to be sung in Zion, when "all flesh shall come" unto God, and describing, in beautiful and poetic language, the fruitfulness and prosperity of the earth, in days far different to those of the present dispensation. The LXVI Psalm seems a continuation of the same song:-Horsley entitles it, "A king of Judah returns public thanks for a providential deliverance of the nation, and of his own person; and expects the people to join in the thanksgiving. The king, the Messiah; the deliverance,-—the final one of the Jewish nation; "-and if this beautiful poem be read in that view, we may discover fresh beauties in it, and many striking allusions, which might otherwise escape notice.

The LXVII Psalm is one so often "said or sung in Churches," that I cannot help fearing it is more frequently repeated than understood. It is one of the most Millennial poems in the whole hundred and fifty; and every verse merits peculiar consideration. It opens with a prayer that God would "be merci

ful" to the speakers, and "bless" them; and there is that, in the tone of the petition, which implies them to be especially under his displeasure, at the time they speak thus. The Jewish nation, although the chosen people of God, has frequently been under His wrath; but never so much as during the long dispersion of these latter days. The prayer for restored favour here is grounded on the plea that if granted, God's ways will "be known upon earth," and His 66 saving health among all nations." Compare this with what St. Paul says, Romans xi. 12—15. "Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulness?" "For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?" In exact accordance is the prayer here offered, which I believe to be that of the Jewish nation; for, when God shall cause His face to shine on them, then shall the world know His ways and His salvation. "Let all the people praise thee." And they are also exhorted (or predicted) to be glad and rejoice, because of his righteous judgment, and His governing or leading "the nations upon earth." The returning fertility of our now blighted earth is also connected with this period, when "all the people" shall praise God; "Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, shall bless us." Surely these words would determine the Psalm to be spoken by the Jews, if no other part of it bore relation to them. And at the close, the universal fear of God is made dependant on the blessing of His own people; "God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him." There is not any

Psalm more full of Israel's future happiness and the Millennial glory than this short song of thanksgiving, so often repeated as a part of our National Service. May none who read these lines ever further hear it in the public assembly, or read it in private, without thoughts and prayers turning to that blessed period.

In the following Psalm we have further scattered allusions to the same oft-foretold period. We find, in verse 29. that "kings shall bring presents" to Jehovah, for His temple at Jerúsalem, when the warlike are scattered, when "princes come out of Egypt." and Ethiopia stretches out "her hands to God."

But the splendour and bliss of the Millennium are far more fully predicted in Psalm LXXII, which all commentators, both Jewish and Gentile, refer to the reign of Messiah. It is entitled for or to Solomon, (who was perhaps as eminent a type of Christ triumphant as David was of Christ suffering,) but the statements it contains are far beyond the glories of Solomon. I need not detain my readers with comments on this magnificent poem. Its prophecies of the universal and eternal dominion, blessedness and glory, of the Righteous King are so clear, that nothing needs be said to explain their meaning. Perhaps the whole Psalter does not contain anything more beautiful or more poetic than this prophetic ode; and the conclusion is peculiarly grand. Horsley says, speaking of the last verse, "This I take to be the close of this particular Psalm, not a division of the book, as if these first seventy-two Psalms were all the Psalms of David's composition. The sense is, that David, the son of Jesse, had nothing to pray for, or to wish, beyond the great things described in this Psalm. Nothing can be more animated than