網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

26

8 As concerning thy teftimonies, I have known long fince that thou haft grounded them for ever.

[ocr errors]

Vide bumilitatem.

Confider mine adverfity, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.

2 Avenge thou my caufe, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.

3 Health is far from the ungodly for they regard not thy ftatutes.

4 Great is thy mercy, O Lord: quicken me as thou art

wont.

5 Many there are that trouble me, and perfecute me: yet do I not fwerve from thy teftimonies.

6 It grieveth me when I fee the tranfgreffors: becaufe they keep not thy law.

7 Confider, O Lord, how I love thy commandments : O quicken me according to thy loving-kindness.

8 Thy word is true from everlasting: all the judgments of thy righteoufaefs endure for evermore.

P

Principes perfecuti funt.

Rinces have perfecuted me without a caufe: but my heart ftandeth in awe of thy word.

2 I am as glad of thy word: as one that findeth great fpoils. 3 As for lies, I hate and abhor them: but thy law do ! love.

4 Seven times a day do I praife thee: because of thy righteous judgments.

5 Great is the peace that they have who love thy law: and they are not offended at it.

6 Lord, I have looked for thy faving health and done after thy commandments.

7 My foul hath kept thy teftimonies and loved them exceedingly.

8 I have kept thy commandments and teftimonies: for all my ways are before thee.

Appropinquet deprecatio.

ET my complaint come before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word.

2 Let my fupplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.

3 My

2715

3 My lips fhall fpeak of thy praife: when thou haft taught me thy ftatutes.

4 Yea, my tongue fhall fing of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteous.

5 Let thine hand help me: for I have chofen thy commandments.

6 I have longed for thy faving health, O Lord: and in thy law is my delight.

7 O let my foul live and it fhall praise thee: and thy judgments fhall help me.

8 I have gone aftray like a fheep that is loft: Ọ feck thy fervant, for I do not forget thy commandments.

27

MORNING

PRAYER.

Pfalm cxx, Ad Dominum.

THEN I was in trouble, I called upon the Lord: and he heard me.

W

2 Deliver my foul, O Lord, from lying lips: and from a deceitful tongue.

3 What reward fhall be given or done unto thee, thou falle tongue: even mighty and fharp arrows, with hot burning coals.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

Pfalm cxix.] 1. In this pfalm are fet forth, the excellence of the law of God, and its most wonderful effects. David teaches us, that this divine law is the most perfect; that it is a heavenly light which enlightens us; that it gives us understanding; that it purifies and rejoices the heart; that it fupports us in afflictions; that it gives us unfpeakable peace of confcience; and that it is infinitely better than all the treasures and riches in this world. 2. In this pfalm we learn to distinguish good men, They are fincere and upright in their ways; they do that which is right; they walk in the law of the Lord, and meditate on it day and night; they love God and his word with all their heart; they abstain from evil, and from the company of the wicked; they join themfelves to the righte ous; they are ftruck with terror at the fight of God's judgments; they truft in him, and are calm and patient under afflictions. 3. Laftly, This pfalm is full of many excellent prayers, which fhould be continually in our mouths and in our hearts, begging God to enlighten our minds, to teach us his law, to incline our hearts to obey him; that he would take eare of us, and guide us always by his providence and his holy Spirit.

27

4 Wo is me, that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech : and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar.

5 My foul hath long dwelt among them: that are enemies unto peace.

6 I labour for peace, but when I speak unto them thereof: they make them ready to battle.

I

Pfalm cxxi. Levavi oculos.

Will lift up mine eyes unto the hills: from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh even from the Lord: who hath made heaven and earth.

3 He will not fuffer thy foot to be moved: and he that kcepeth thee will not fleep.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Ifrael: fhall neither flumber nor fleep.

5 The Lord himself is thy keeper: the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand;

:

6 So that the fun shall not burn thee by day neither the moon by night.

7 The Lord fhall preferve thee from all evil: yea, it is even he that shall keep thy foul.

8 The Lord fhall preferve thy going out and thy coming in: from this time forth for evermore.

I

Pfalm cxxii. Lætatus fum.

Was glad when they said unto me: We will go into the house of the Lord.

2 Our feet shall stand in thy gates: O Jerufalem.

3 Jerufalem is built as a city: that is at unity in itself. 4 For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord to testify unto Ifrael, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.

5 For there is the feat of judgment: even the feat of the houfe of David.

6 O pray for the peace of Jerufalem: they fhall prosper that love thee.

7 Peace be within thy walls; and plenteousness within thy palaces.

8 For my brethren and companions fakes: I will wish

thee profperity.

9 Yea, becaufe of the houfe of the Lord our God: I will feek to do thee good.

Pfalm cxxiii. Ad te levavi oculos.

NTO thee lift I up mine eyes: O thou that dwelleft

UNT

in the heavens.

2 Behold, even as the eyes of fervants look unto the hand of their mafters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her miftrefs: even fo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.

3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us : for we are utterly defpifed.

4 Our foul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy and with the defpitefulness of the proud.

Pfalm cxxiv. Nifi quia Dominus.

F the Lord himfelf had not been on our fide, now may Ifrael fay if the Lord himfelf had not been on our fide, when men rose up against us;

2 They had fwallowed us up quick when they were fo wrathfully difpleafed at us.

3 Yea, the waters had drowned us: and the ftream had gone over our Soul.

4 The deep waters of the proud : had gone even over our foul.

5 But praised be the Lord: who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.

6 Our foul is escaped even as a bird out of the fnare of the fowler: the fnare is broken, and we are delivered.

7 Our help ftandeth in the Name of the Lord: who hath made heaven and earth.

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Pfalm cxxiv.] This pfalm is ftill better fuited to the Chriftian than to the Jewish church. What is here faid, engages us to reflect upon the different conditions the church of Chrift has been in; and to confider, that notwithstanding the attempts which Satan and the world have made again ft it, ever fince its birth, it still subfifts. From whence we may conclude,

that

THE

27

Pfalm cxxv. Qui confidunt.

HEY that put their truft in the Lord, fhall be even as the mount Sion: which may not be removed, but ftandeth faft for ever.

2 The hills ftand about Jerufalem: even so standeth the Lord round about his people, from this time forth for ever

more.

3 For the rod of the ungodly cometh not into the lot of the righteous: left the righteous put their hand unto wickedness.

4 Do well, O Lord: unto thofe that are good and true of heart.

5 As for fuch as turn back unto their own wickedness : the Lord fhall lead them forth with the evil-doers, but upon peace fhall be Ifrael.

WH

EVENING PRAYER.

Pfalm cxxvi. In convertendo.

HEN the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion: then were we like unto them that dream.

2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter: and our tongue with joy.

3 Then faid they among the heathen: The Lord hath done great things for them.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

that God will always be its ftrength and fupport, and will never permit it to be destroyed. Thus it is with all true believers, fince it is impoffible God fhould forfake them, or cease to love them and take care of them.

Pfalm cxxv.] This pfalm reprefents to us in a few words the happy condition of those who fear God and put their trust in him. The pfalmift teaches us, that nothing can move them; that God is always ready for their defence; that if he foffers them to be afflicted, he has regard to their weakness; and that he foftens and fhortens their troubles. He likewife affures us, that God always does good to the righteous, and to thofe that are upright in heart; whereas those who wander out of the right way, fall at last into deftruction. This meditation furnishes believers with powerful motives to be ever calm and ferene, to put their whole confidence in God, and to be more strictly attached to their duty.

PRÁC

« 上一頁繼續 »