to cease.

5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?

6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee. 7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look

down from heaven.

12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of

his steps.

PSALM LXXXVI.

1 David strengtheneth his prayer by the con

peace. Travell. It is also appointed for the fast service on the thirtieth of January.

Ver. 4. Turn us, &c.] This word is frequently used in Scripture: the metaphor seems to be taken from a shepherd who drives back the wandering sheep; and it is applied both to relief from temporal affliction, and return to the paths of duty.

8. I will hear &c.] I will wait with patience for God's answer to my prayers. Bp. Wilson.

to folly.] To wickedness.

10. Mercy and truth &c.] How admirable is this celebrated personification of the Divine attributes! How just, elegant, and splendid does it appear, if applied only according to the literal sense, to the restoration of the Jewish nation from the Babylonish captivity; but if interpreted as relating to that more sacred mystical sense, which is not obscurely shadowed under the ostensible image, it is certainly uncommonly noble and elevated, mysterious and sublime. Bp. Lowth.

in God's goodness.

science of his religion, 5 by the goodness 11 He desireth the and power of God.

continuance of former grace. 14 Complaining of the proud he craveth some token of God's goodness.

|| Or, A Prayer,

¶ A Prayer of David. BW down thine ear, O LORD, being a hear me: for I can poor and David.

OW

needy.

Psalm of

2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy ser- Or, one vant that trusteth in thee.

3 Be merciful unto me, O LORD: for I cry unto thee || daily.

for unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up 4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant : my soul.

a

whom thou favourest.

| Or, all the day.

5 For thou, LORD, art good, and a Joel 2. 13. ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon

thee.

6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer

me.

b

8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O LORD; neither b Deut. 3. 24. are there any works like unto thy works.

9 All nations whom thou hast made

shall come and worship before thee,
O LORD; and shall glorify thy name,
10 For thou art great, and doest
wondrous things: thou art Gode
alone.

11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

12 I will praise thee, O LORD my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

11. Truth shall spring &c.] See note from Bp. Lowth on Isai. xlv. 8.

13. Righteousness shall go &c.] That is, reformation of morals shall precede the establishment of Christ's religion.

We learn in this Psalm, that, as God makes men, and sometimes His own people and Church, feel the effects of His wrath for the punishment of their sins; and that the end which He proposes by it is to recover them from their errours; so when He sees them humbled to becoming feelings of piety, He is ever ready to receive them again into His favour, and to bestow on them His choicest gifts, both temporal and spiritual. Ostervald.

Psalm LXXXVI. ver. 2. — holy ] The word here translated "holy," properly signifies, "good, merciful, pious, devoted to the service of God, &c." Bp. Horne.

8. Among the gods] That is, among those who are worshipped in the world as gods. Bp. Patrick.

A prayer containing

fore thee:

2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;

3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.

4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:

5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off || from thy hand.

6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy

waves. Selah.

- Leannoth,] This word means "interchangeably." Dr. Wells. Or, according to others, "to create dejections," to raise a pensive gloom or melancholy in the mind. Mudge.

-the Ezrahite.] That is, a descendant of Zerah the son of Judah. Dr. Wells.

Ver. 5. Free among the dead,] That is, set at liberty, or dismissed from the world, and separated from all communication with its affairs, as dead bodies are. Bp. Horne.

This alludes to the separation of lepers, who were as much removed from all society as if they were really dead. Fenton.

·whom thou rememberest &c.] That is, "whom Thou rememberest no more as living objects of Providence upon earth;" in this sense, they are "cut off from God's hand," which held and supported them in life. Bp. Horne.

6. Thou hast laid me &c.] Thou hast thrust me down into a deep and dark dungeon, which I can compare to nothing but a grave. Bp. Patrick.

12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.

14 LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from

me?

from my youth up: while I suffer thy 15 I am afflicted and ready to die

terrors I am distracted.

16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

daily like water; they compassed me or all the 17 They came round about me about together.

18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

day.

Shall the dead arise out of among men and celebrate

10. shall the dead &c.] their graves, and live here Thy praises? Bp. Hall. 12.-in the land of forgetfulness?] In the grave, where all things are forgotten? Bp. Wilson. 13.-prevent thee.] Come before Thee. Bp. Wilson, Old Translation.

16.-thy terrors have cut me off] Have overwhelmed me. Bp. Patrick.

As the comforts which true religion affords are the only sure support against the evils and calamities of the world, to which every condition of life is more or less exposed; so the terrours of religion, being very grievous in themselves, exclusive of these comforts, add weight to all our miseries, and are a burden too heavy for a man to sustain. But surely there is something monstrous in such terrours! They come not from religion by natural birth: for it is much easier to believe that all we see is chance and fortune, and religion itself a vain thing, than to believe that an all-wise and all-powerful Being has formed us to be miserable. And yet, in fact, this is often the case; we see many rendered unhappy by such fears and jealousies and of all the fears incident to man these are the most fearful, and give us the quickest sense of misery; they are what the Psalmist has here described them to be, "distraction." Bp. Sherlock.

Psalm LXXXIX. Ethan, speaking in the person of his prince, describes his reliance on the faithfulness of God to fulfil His covenant with David, and on the power of God to perform wonders for the deliverance of His people. He then represents, that, notwithstanding His

trary events, 46 he expostulateth, prayeth, and blesseth God.

Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

WILL sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness † to all generations.

2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very hea

4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne + to all and genera- generations. Selah.

+ Heb. to generation

tion.

Or, Egypt.

5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?

7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

8 O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?

9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

10 Thou hast broken || Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast Heb. with scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.

the arm of thy strength.

b Gen. 1. 1. Ps. 24. 1. & 50.12.

11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.

covenant with David, and His power to deliver His people, the kingdom of Judah was at that time in great desolation, being despoiled of its glory, and delivered into the hands of the Babylonians; and implores the Lord to put an end to its captivity and calamities. Green.

The glorious things here spoken of David, and of his posterity, are prophetical of the Messiah; and can with strict propriety be applied only to Him: on this account the Church has appointed this Psalm to be used on Christmas-day. Travell.

Ver. 2. — Mercy shall be built up &c.] That is, God's mercy, and His regard to the truth of His promises, are as fixed and unchangeable as the very heavens themselves. Travell, Bp. Patrick.

3. I have made a covenant &c.] This covenant God made with David by the Prophet Nathan, 2 Sam. vii. 12, &c. The covenant relates to David's " seed," and to the "establishment of his throne," in that seed; literally, in Solomon, for a time; spiritually, in Christ, for ever. Bp. Horne,

favour to the kingdom of David.

12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.

arm with

13 Thou hast ta mighty arm: + Heb. an strong is thy hand, and high is thy might. right hand.

establish

14 Justice and judgment are the || habitation of thy throne: mercy Or and truth shall go before thy face. ment. 15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O c Numb. 10. LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

17 For thou art the glory of their strength and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

18 For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.

19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

my

20 d I have found David servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:

21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.

22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.

23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.

24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

:

6.

6.- the sons of the mighty] The mighty angels. Bp. Wilson.

8.- or to thy faithfulness &c.] Or whose faithfulness is equal to Thine? Green.

10.-Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces,] Thou hast overthrown the proud Egyptian in the Red sea. Bp. Hall.

12.-Tabor and Hermon] These mountains, the first lying on the west, and the second on the east of Judea, are here put for the eastern and western parts of the world. Green.

15. Blessed is the people &c.] Blessed are the people, whose ears are inured to the cheerful sound of the sacred trumpets of God in their solemn feasts and sacrifices. Bp. Hall.

19. Then thou spakest &c.] Thou spakest by way of vision of Thy holy Prophet Samuel, and saidst, I have ordained to give help and victory unto My people, by My strong and mighty champion, David. Bp. Hall.

22.-shall not exact upon him;] Shall not subdue him. Rosenmüller.

God's favour to the kingdom of David.

↑ Heb. profane my statutes.

25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. 26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.

29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;

31 If they break my statutes, and + keep not my commandments;

32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness ↑ Heb. I will will I not utterly take from him, nor faithfulness to fail.

not make void

from him.

+ Heb. to lie.

+ Heb. If I lie.

e 2 Sam. 7. 16.

Luke 1. 33. John 12. 34.

my

suffer 34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. 36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.

39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.

25. I will set his hand &c.] I will extend his conquests and dominion from the Mediterranean sea to the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Dr. Wells.

27. Also I will make &c.] I will raise him to the highest dignity among those whom I shall call My sons; and I will exalt him above all other kings in the world, so that he may be a most eminent type of My Son Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Travell, Bp. Patrick.

36. His seed shall endure &c.] His family shall never be extinct, but shall hold the royal dignity as long as the sun shineth. Bp. Patrick.

39. Thou hast made void &c.] Thou seemest not to regard the covenant made with Thy faithful servant David, but hast permitted the authority of his successor to be profaned, and his crown trodden under foot. Bp. Patrick, Travell.

40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.

41 All that pass by the way spoil him he is a reproach to his neighbours.

42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.

43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.

brightness.

44 Thou hast made his † glory to t Heb. cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.

45 The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.

46 How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

49 LORD, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou 'swarest f 2 Sam. 7. unto David in thy truth.

50 Remember, LORD, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;

51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.

52 Blessed be the LORD for everAmen, and Amen.

more.

15.

50. Remember, Lord, the reproach &c.] The Jews, when this Psalm was penned, were in a low estate: the very heathen reproached them for vainly expecting their mighty Deliverer, the Messiah, whom they said God had promised to David, and out of his loins. Bp. Wilson.

51.-reproached the footsteps &c.] That is, have pursued the steps of Thine anointed with revilings. Mudge, Merrick. Or, according to the Chaldee, mocked at the tardy advent of Thy Messiah. Bp. Horne.

Christ stood sure; the Jewish nation was preserved, through all changes and revolutions, "till the Seed came to whom the promise was made;" nor was Jerusalem de