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(s) v. 9. Hast set my feet, &c." i. e. "hast given me ample room to prepare "for defence, or escape." See the note on Ps. xviii. 19. 36. (t) v. 12. “

Iniquity," i. e. " afflictions." (u) v. 14. "Like a broken vessel," i. e. "useless and disregarded."

(z) v. 15." Blasphemy," i. e. (probably) "what they say against me."

(y) v. 17. "Time," i. e. " life, fate, des"tiny."

(z) v. 19. "For I have called, &c." A reason why I should be preserved: it is the ungodly, they who have not called upon thee, that should be confounded.

(a) v. 21. "O how plentiful, &c." An animated apostrophe, strongly marking his confidence in God.

17. My (y) time is in thy hand; deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me.

18. Shew thy servant the light of thy countenance and save me for thy mercies' sake.

19. Let me not be confounded, O Lord, for I have called (2) upon thee let the ungodly be put to confusion, and be put to silence in the grave.

20. Let the lying lips be put to silence which cruelly, disdainfully, and despitefully speak against the righteous.

21. O how plentiful (a) is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee and that thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in thee, even before the sons of men! (b)

22. Thou shalt hide them (c) privily by (d) thine own presence from the provoking of all men: thou shalt keep them secretly in thy tabernacle from the strife of (e) tongues.

23. Thanks be to the Lord : for he hath shewed me marvellous great kindness in a strong city.

24. And when I made haste (g),

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(b)" Even before the sons of men," i. e. "" even in this life." So Prov. xi. 31. "Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, much more the "wicked and the sinner."

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(c) v. 22. "Hide them, &c." So Psalm xxvii. 5. "In the time of trouble he shall "hide me in his tabernacle: yea in the "secret place of his dwelling shall he "hide me, and set me up upon a rock of "stone." And see Ps. xxxii. 8.

(d)" By thine own presence," i. e. "close unto thyself," as free from danger as that situation would make me.

(e)" The strife of tongues," i. e. "the "virulence of slander and reproach."

(g) v. 24. "Made haste," i. e. (probably) "was constrained to fly,"

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I said: "I am cast out of the
"sight of thine eyes.
25. Nevertheless, thou heardest
the voice of my prayer when I
cried unto thee.

26. O love the Lord, all ye his

saints for the Lord preserveth them that are faithful, and plenteously rewardeth the proud doer.

27. Be strong, and he shall establish your heart: all ye that put your trust in the Lord.

Lessons for the Sixth Day of the Month throughout the Year.

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(n) v. 7. "In the great water-floods, &c." e. (perhaps) "in times of vengeance and "visitation." The meaning probably is, that he who makes his prayer unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found, in health, peace, or prosperity, when he is not driven to it by any overpowering necessity, and when his prayer therefore may be deemed voluntary act, shall assuredly be heard; but he who waits till the times of God's judgments shall be disregarded; and then it is in unison with Prov. i. 24. "Be"cause I have called, and ye refused; I "have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought my counsel, and would none of

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my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear "cometh; when your fear cometh as de"solation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish

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"cometh upon you: then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they "shall seek me early, but they shall not "find me."

12. Be glad, O ye righteous, and rejoice in the Lord and be joyful, all ye that are true of heart.

Psalm xxxiii. (r)

REJOICE in the Lord, O ye righteous for it becometh well the just to be thankful.

2. Praise the Lord with harp : sing praises unto him with the lute, and instrument of ten strings.

3. Sing unto the Lord a new song sing praises lustily unto him with a good courage.

4. For the word of the Lord is true (s) and all his works are faithful.

5. He loveth righteousness and judgement: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

6. By the word (t) of the Lord were the heavens made: and all the hosts of them by the (1) breath of his mouth.

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(p) Compass, &c." i.e." give me "such repeated protection, as shall con"tinually be furnishing topics for songs of "praise !!"

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(q) v. 10. Fall upon thee," or go "astray."

(r) A spirited invitation to praise and trust in God, as a God of all goodness and power, as the maker and governor of all things, as the controller of all mankind, as the only effectual protector, and as a sure defence to those that trust in him.

(s) v. 4. "True;" "hath he said, and "shall he not do it? Numb. xxiii. 19."

(t) v. 6. "The word, &c." See Gen. i. 3. God said, "Let there be light, and "there was light. Let there be a firma"ment in the midst of the waters, to divide "the waters from the waters; and it was "so: and God called the firmament heaven. And God said, Let the waters "under the heaven be gathered together "unto one place, and let the dry land ap

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7. He gathereth the waters of the sea together, as it were upon an heap and layeth up the deep, as in a treasure-house.

8. Let all the earth fear the Lord stand in awe of him, all ye that dwell in the world;

9. For he spake (u), and it was done he commanded, and it

stood fast.

10. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: and maketh the devices of the people to be of none effect, and casteth out the counsels of princes.

11. The counsel of the Lord shall endure for ever: and the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation.

12. Blessed are the people, whose God is the Lord Jehovah : and blessed are the folk, that he hath chosen to him to be his inheritance.

13. The Lord looked (a) down from heaven, and beheld (a) all the children of men from the habitation of his dwelling he considereth all them that dwell on the earth..

14. He fashioneth all the hearts

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of them and understandeth all their works.

15. There is no king that can be saved (y) by the multitude of an host neither is any mighty man delivered by much strength.

16. A horse is counted but a vain thing to save a man : neither shall he deliver any man by his great strength.

17. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him: and upon them that put their trust in his mercy;

18. To deliver their soul from death and to feed them in the time of dearth.

19. Our soul hath patiently tarried for the Lord: for he is our help, and our shield.

20. For our heart shall rejoice in him because we have hoped in his holy Name.

21. Let thy merciful kindness, O Lord, be upon us like (2) as we do put our trust in thee.

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(z) v. 21. “Like, &c." i. e. "in proportion to our confidence and trust."

(a) A spirited thanksgiving for deliverance, piously ascribing it to God, and comfortable assurances of God's protection and favour to those who trust in him. David is considered the author, and is supposed to have written it in remembrance of his escape from Achish, king of Gath. He had fled to Gath to avoid Saul, but being recognized there as the conqueror of Goliath, the champion of Gath, was in great danger, and effected his escape by feigning madness. See 1 Sam. xxi. 10, &c. In the Hebrew it is an alphabetical psalm. Clemens R. seems to consider it as spoken in the person of the Messiah. See Basil, 69.

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(b) v. 2. "The humble," or, afflicted," "the oppressed." So Hebr.

(c) v. 5. "They," i. e. (perhaps) indefinitely, "all who ever have looked up to "him," "whoever hath an eye unto him is

lightened, is made to rejoice, and his "face is free from shame." See Parkh. Hebr. Dict. 434.

(d) v.7." The angel, &c." A striking idea, to express peculiar protection: as if an angel was specially appointed to watch their safety. See ante, 107. Isaiah lxiii. 9.. where, in speaking of God's mercies to the house of Israel, it is said, "In all their "affliction he was afflicted, and the angel "of his saved them :" and see presence Matt. xviii. 9, 10.

(e) v. 11. "The fear of the Lord." Not the dread which power unrestrained by goodness inspires: but the awe and reverence, the humble respect and veneration which is raised when we consider his un

11, Come, ye children, and hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. (e)

12. What man is he that lusteth to live (g) and would fain see good days?

13. Keep thy tongue from evil : and thy lips, that they speak no guile.

14. Eschew evil, and do good: seek peace, and ensue it.

15. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous: and his ears are open unto their prayers.

16. The countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil: to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.

17. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them: and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit.

19. Great are the troubles of the (h) righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of all.

limited power, and his unbounded benevolence. See Ps. cxi. 10.

(g) v. 12. "Lusteth to live." Length of days is often mentioned as one of the recompences in this world for a godly life. Thus, Prov. iii. 1. "My son, forget not

my law, but let thine heart keep my "commandments: for length of days and "long life, and peace shall they add unto "thee." And verse 16. speaking of wisdom, " Length of days is in her right "hand, and in her left hand riches and

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power." And Prov. x. 27. "The fear "of the Lord prolongeth days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened." (h) v. 19. 21. "The righteous," or "the "just one," meaning the Messiah. See Middl. 392, 3. Kennicott's Hebrew Bible, Gen. Dissert. Dodson's Is. 168. s. 65. p. 29.-note. And if this be right, the quotation, John xix. 36. "A bone of him shall "not be broken," will refer to u. 20., and

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