13. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under thy feet.'

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The fury and the venom of our spiritual enemies are often in Scripture portrayed by the natural qualities of lions and serpents.' Messiah's complete victory over those enemies seemeth here to be predicted. Through grace he maketh us more than conquerors in our conflicts with the same adversaries. The God of peace,' saith St. Paul, shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly:' Rom. xvi. 20. And it is observable that, when the seventy disciples return to Christ with joy, saying, 'Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name;' he answers in the metaphorical language of our Psalm: Behold, I give unto you power to tread on scorpions and serpents, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the SPIRITS are subject unto you,' &c. Luke x. 17. Give us, O Lord, courage to resist the 'lion's' rage, and wisdom to elude the wiles of the 'serpent.'

14. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.' 15. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honor,' or glorify, 'him.' 16. ' With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.'

In the former part of our Psalm, the Prophet had spoken in his own person; here God himself is plainly introduced as the speaker. And, O how sweet, how delightful and comfortable, are his words, addressed eminently to his beloved Son Messiah; and in him to all of us, his adopted children, and the heirs of eternal life; to all who love God, and have known his name!' To such are promised, an answer to their prayers; the presence of their heavenly Father with them; in the day of trouble, protection and deliverance; salvation, and honor, and glory, and immortality. All these promises have already been made good to our gracious Head and Representative. His prayers have been heard; his sufferings are over : he is risen and ascended; and behold, he liveth and reigneth for evermore. Swift fly the intermediate years, and rise

that long-expected morning, when He who is gone 'to prepare a place for us, shall come again, and take us to himself, that where he is we may be also!'

PSALM XCII.

ARGUMENT.

[The title of this Psalm is, ' A Psalm, or Song, for the Sabbath Day.' It teacheth, 1-5. the duty, time, and manner, of giving thanks for the works and dispensations of God. Thoughtless men are admonished, 6. to reflect on the final issue of all these works and dispensations; namely, 7-9. the utter perdition of the ungodly, and, 10-14. the exaltation of the church in Christ Jesus, 15. to the praise and glory of God most high.]

1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:' 2. To show forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night: 3. Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.'

Thanksgiving' is the duty, and ought to be the delight, of a Christian. It is his duty, as being the least return he can make to his great Benefactor: it ought to be his delight, for it is that of angels, and will be that of every grateful heart, whether in heaven or in earth. The 'mercy' of God in promising salvation, and his faithfulness' in accomplishing it, are inexhaustible subjects for 'morning and evening' praises; every instrument should be strung, and every voice tuned, to celebrate them, until day and night come to an end. But more especially should this be done on the sabbath day;' which, when so employed, affords a lively resemblance of that eternal sabbath, to be hereafter kept by the redeemed, in the kingdom of God.

4. For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work I will triumph in the works of thy hands.'

A prospect of creation in the vernal season, fallen as it is, inspires the mind with a joy which no words can express. But how doth the regenerate soul exult and triumph, at beholding that work' of God's 'hand,' whereby

he hath created all things anew in Christ Jesus! If we can be pleased with such a world as this, where sin and death have fixed their habitation; shall we not much rather admire those other heavens, and that other earth, wherein dwell righteousness and life? What are we to think of the palace, since even the prison is not without its charms!

5. O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.' 6. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.'

Glorious are the works, profound the counsels, marvellous the dispensations of God, in nature, in providence, in grace. But all are lost to the man void of spiritual discernment; who, like his fellow brutes,' is bowed down to earth, and knoweth no pleasures but those of sense. Here he hath chosen his paradise, and set up his tabernacle: not considering that his tabernacle must shortly be taken down, and he must remove hence for ever.

7. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do florish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever.' 8. But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.'

It is not improbable, that these verses should be connected with that preceding, thus- A brutish man know eth not; neither doth a fool understand this;' namely, that 'When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do florish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever;' they are only nourishing themselves like senseless cattle in plentiful pastures, for the approaching day of slaughter. He who is ignorant of the final issue of things, who attendeth not to his eternal interest, he is, in Scripture language, the brutish man,' and the fool' who knoweth not the works, neither understandeth the designs of Heaven. When the grass' hath attained to its most florishing estate, and all the flowers of the field are in perfect beauty, then the mower entereth with his scythe. What a beautiful and instructive emblem is here held forth to us! what a forcible admonition to trust only in him, who, without variableness or shadow of turning,' is 'most high for evermore!'

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9. For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, lo, thine enemies

shall perish all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.' 10. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be,' or I am, anointed with fresh oil.'

The workers of iniquity' are the enemies of Jehovah,' and will be scattered' by the breath of his displeasure, as grass, after it is cut down, dried up, and withered, is driven away by the whirlwinds of heaven. But my horn,' saith the Psalmist (it is likely in the person of Messiah), my horn,' that is, the strength and power of my kingdom, 'shalt thou exalt like the horn of the unicorn,' like the power of the strongest creatures, to which that of states and empires is often compared; 'I shall be,' or, 'I am, anointed with fresh oil;' I am appointed and consecrated king by the holy unction. Christians have an unction from the Holy One,' by which they are enabled to subdue their spiritual enemies; they reign over their passions and affections; they are exalted in the Redeemer: they are made unto their God kings and priests.' 1 John ii. 20. Rev. v. 10.

11. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.'

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The words, my desire,' are twice inserted by our translators. But would it not be better, if we were to supply the ellipsis in this manner, Mine eye shall behold the fall of mine enemies; and mine ear shall hear the destruction of the wicked that rise up against me?' The sense of the verse is plain. It is intended to express an assurance of faith, an humble confidence in the promises of God, that our efforts shall at length be crowned with victory over every thing which resisteth and opposeth itself; and that the day is coming, when we shall view all the enemies of our salvation dead at our feet.

12. The righteous shall florish like the palm-tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.'

The momentary prosperity of the wicked was compared above to the transient verdure of grass.' The durable felicity of the righteous is here likened to the lasting

'Heb. ', an eastern animal of the stag' or 'deer' kind, remarkable for its height, strength, and fierceness.

strength and beauty of 'palms' and 'cedars.' But chiefly is the comparison applicable to that Just One, the King of Righteousness, and Tree of Life; eminent and upright; ever verdant and fragrant; under the greatest pressure and weight of sufferings, still ascending toward heaven; affording both fruit and protection; incorruptible and immortal. I sat down,' saith the church, 'under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.' Song ii. 3.

13. Those that be planted in the house of the LORd, shall florish in the courts of our God.'

Believers are styled by Isaiah, Trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah:' ch. lxi. 3. They are planted by the living waters of comfort, in the house of God;' where, under the means of grace, they florish' in hope of glory; fenced and inclosed by the discipline and orders of the church, and by the consequent favor and protection of Heaven; their verdure is conspicuous, and ever constant, whether in the summer of prosperity, or the winter of adversity: their actions and principles are ever upright and fair; yea, their very leaf exhales a delightful perfume, by a holy example and conversation; their affections and desires are ever ascending towards the noblest and most sublime objects, the things that are above, the glorious things of heaven.''

14. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age: they shall be fat and florishing.'

Happy the man whose goodness is always progressive, and whose virtues increase with his years; who loseth not, in multiplicity of worldly cares or pleasures, the holy fervors of his first love, but goeth on burning and shining more and more, to the end of his days. The church, like her representative Sarah, is now well stricken in years; but we hope that, like her, she will still bring forth fruit in her old age;' we look for many more 'children of promise' to be born unto Christ, born from among the Jews and Gentiles.

15. To show that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.'

The fruit brought forth in the church redounds to the glory of God, by whom the trees, in this his new paradise,

Essay on the Proper Lessons, by Mr. Wogan, vol. ii. p. 49.