I Evening Prayer. NINETEENTH PORTION. CALL with my whole heart: hear me, O 146 Yea, even unto thee do I call: help [save] me, and I shall keep thy testimonies. 147 Early in the morning do I cry unto thee, for in thy word is my trust. 148 Mine eyes prevent the night-watches, that I might be occupied in thy words. 149 Hear my voice, O Lord, according unto thy loving-kindness: quicken me, according as thou art wont. 150 They draw nigh, that of malice persecute me, and are far from thy law. 151 Be thou nigh at hand, O Lord, for all thy commandments are true. 152 As concerning thy testimonies, I have known long since, that thou hast grounded 1 [founded] them for ever. law. TWENTIETH PORTION. 1 Sam. 1. 15. Tit. 2. 11, &c. John 14. 26. Tit. 3. 4, &c. Luke 6. 12. Mark 1. 35. Acts 9. 31. Job 21. 14, 15. Isai. 55. 6, 7. John 16. 32. Isai. 51. 6. Pet. 1. 24, 25. CONSIDER mine adversity [affliction], Ex. 3. 7. The life of man, without the knowledge of God, is no better than a living death. 1 Tim. v. 6. Rev. iii. 1. 148 Prevent. See on Psalm xxxviii. 17. -The night-watches. See on Psalm xc. 4. The Psalmist rose to meditate upon God's word before the night was entirely over. Or, he may mean, that he needed not any call, but was stirring of himself, even previous to the last watch being announced Psalm cxxx. 6. 150 Malice-persecute. Ver. 157. See on Psalm xxxviii. 17. 151 For all thy commandments, &c. Doubtless the faithful always find the revealed word to be true, to their "great and endless comfort." But, since, in this member of the verse, the reason is assigned why God is entreated to hasten to the assistance of the Psalmist, the "commandments" seem here to signify merely the promises of deliverance, which are annexed to that word. 152 That thou hast, &c. Experience and meditation have long taught me, that all men may safely confide in thy testimonies, inasmuch as they are irreversible and everlasting, like the attributes of their great author. 153 Consider. See on Psalm xxxviii. 17. P Isai. 43. 25, 26. John 11. 41, 42. Matt. 3. 7, &c. Phil. 4. 19. Matt. 24. 9, 13. 154 Avenge thou my cause, and deliver me: quicken me, according to thy word. 155 Health [Salvation] is far from the ungodly, for they regard not thy statutes. 156 Great is thy mercy, O Lord: quicken me, as thou art wont. 157 Many there are, that trouble me, and Acts, 20. 23, 24. persecute me; yet do I not swerve from thy testimonies. Prov. 1. 22. 23. Gen. 18. 19. 2 Chron. 23. 3. Matt. 5. 18, 19. 1 Sam. 24. 17. Luke 23. 14, 15. Ps. 16. 6. 158 It grieveth me, when I see the transgressors, because they keep not thy law. 159 Consider, O Lord, how I love thy commandments: O quicken me, according to thy loving-kindness. 160 Thy word is true from everlasting: all the judgments of thy righteousness endure for evermore. TWENTY-FIRST PORTION. PRINCES have persecuted me without a cause; but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. 162 I am as glad of thy word, as one that findeth great spoils. 154 Deliver me. The original word, which is one of very frequent occurrence in the Mosaic law, has respect to the office of the Bloodavenger or goel of any person among the Israelites, to whom, as the nearest of kin, it belonged to purchase back the inheritance, and to ransom the person, of his impoverished or enslaved relative; who also was his patron and defender against injustice and oppression, but, particularly, the avenger of his blood, if he had been slain. Lev. xxv. 25, &c. Num. xxxv. 19. 160 All the judgments, &c. All thy righteous decrees, of whatever kind they may be, will never be either changed or abrogated. 161 But my heart, &c. The author may, perhaps, wish to assert, that he did not seek to retaliate or revenge himself upon his persecutors, since God had expressly forbidden it. Lev. xix. 18. Psalm xciv. 1. But it appears better to understand him as likewise affirming, that his dread of doing any thing contrary to revelation, when under persecution, was greater than the personal fear, with which their violence inspired him. See on ver. 46. 162 As one that findeth, &c. Because the obtaining of spoil is the natural consequence of victory, the allusion in this verse is thought to be to those many advantages, which would have accrued to him by the complete overthrow and destruction of his implacable adversaries. The consciousness of having endeavored, under every disadvantage, to obey the divine injunctions constituted the source of his greatest comfort. 163 As for lies, I hate and abhor them; but | 1 John 2. 22. thy law do I love. 164 Seven times a day do I praise thee, Dan. 6. 10. because of thy righteous judgments. 165 Great is the peace, that they have, who love thy law; and they are not offended at it [they shall have no stumbling block]. 166 Lord, I have looked for thy saving health [thy salvation], and done after thy commandments. 167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and loved them exceedingly. 168 I have kept thy commandments and testimonies; for all my ways are before thee. L TWENTY-SECOND PORTION. ET my complaint [cry] come before thee, O Lord: give me understanding, according to thy word. 170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me, according to thy word. 171 My lips shall speak of [utter] thy praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes; 172 Yea, my tongue shall sing of thy word, for all thy commandments are righteous. 173 Let thine hand help me, for I have chosen thy commandments. 174 I have longed for thy saving health [thy salvation] O Lord; and in thy law is my delight. 175 Ŏ let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and thy judgments shall help me. 163 Lies. See on ver. 29. 164 Seven times. See on Psalm Lxxix. 13. 2 Prov. 3. 17. Rom. 5. 5. John 14. 15. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Gen. 17. 1. John 15. 5. 2 Chron. 1. 10. Dan. 2. 21, 22. Ephes. 2. 12, 13. Luke 19. 39, 40. 2 Cor. 9. 15. Jam. 3. 17. Isai. 41. 12, 13. Heb. 4. 16. Neh. 1. 11. Ezek. 16. 6, &c. 1 Pet. 1. 3, 4. 165 Great is the peace, &c. Reference is now made to the tranquillity of mind and conscience, which those persons enjoy, who esteem none of the heavenly commands rigorous or hard, but who love to conform to the scriptures in every thing. For "they are not offended at it," that is, they proceed resolutely and successfully in the path of God's law, without interruption or stumbling. John vi. 66. See on Psalm xxxviii. 17, for the meaning of the phrase "to be offended." 168 For all my ways, &c. The divine knowledge of human actions is adduced by the Psalmist, either as the cause of his strict obedience (Heb. iv. 13); or, as being able to testify to the truth of his assertion, that he really had kept the whole law of God. 175 Thy judgments. That just sentence in his favor, by which Isai. 53. 6. 176 I have gone astray, like a sheep that is Ezek. 34. 11, &c. lost: O seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments. THE TWENTY SEVENTH DAY. Morning Prayer. PSALM CXX. "A SONG of degrees," or ascents, is the ancient title severally prefixed, both to this Psalm and to the fourteen which follow it. What that title signifies can only be matter of conjecture; but, amongst other modes of explanation, it has been supposed to relate to some variety in the tone, with which they were sung, as if it increased in height, as the singers proceeded in the execution of their duty; or, to the going up of the children of Israel to Jerusalem, either at the three yearly festivals, or when they returned from the Babylonish captivity, for on each of these occasions they may have been used. But, notwithstanding this obscurity, certain it is, that a peculiar cause existed at the time for thus joining the fifteen Psalms together, though they have not all one common author, nor did all derive their origin from the same circumstances. The present Psalm came, most likely, from David, whilst the victim of Doeg's calumnies. 1 Sam. xxii. The writer, whoever he was, both bewails the falsehood and violence, to which his enemies exposed him, and describes those enemies themselves in terms strongly expressive of the keenness of his sufferings. Neh. 9. 6, &c. Jon. 2. 2, &c. Mat. 26. 59, &c. WH THEN I was in trouble, I called upon the 2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. God would restrain and punish his enemies. Unless, indeed, God's fatherly correction of his people be meant (Psalm xviii. 35), together with the counsels and declarations of his word. 176 I have gone astray, &c. The Almighty is entreated to search, like a vigilant shepherd, after the lost sheep, and to reunite him in safety to that flock, from which he had not wilfully strayed. The allusion seems to be to the Psalmist's proneness to sin, in consequence of the inborn corruption of his nature, though the persons, who ascribe the present composition to David, imagine him to speak of his wanderings as an unprotected exile, when harassed by the persecutions of Saul. Psalm Lvi. 8. 1 When I was, &c. His former experience of the divine mercy in answer to his prayers, is here made by the Psalmist, in conformity with his usual custom, the foundation of the present petition. 2 My soul. See on Psalm vii. 2. 3 What reward shall be given or done unto Rom. 6. 21. thee, thou false tongue? even mighty and sharp Rev. 21.8. arrows, with hot burning coals. 4 Wo is me, that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech, and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar. Jer. 49. 28, 29. Ezek. 2. 6. Matt. 10. 16, 36. 5 My soul hath long dwelt among them, that are enemies unto peace. 6 I labor for peace; but, when I speak unto Matt. 5. 9. them thereof, they make them ready to battle. | Heb. 12. 14. PSALM CXXI. THE Psalmist here expresses his confident persuasion, that God, the creator and governor of all things, will vouchsafe to become his powerful protector, and to guard him from every impending danger. The first two verses are generally imagined to have been spoken by David, or by some other king, before going forth to battle; and the remainder of the Psalm to constitute the high priest's answer of encouragement given from the sanctuary. WILL lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from | Isai. 2. 3. whence cometh my help. I 3 What reward, &c. These words, apparently, contain only a threatening of that sudden and fearful retribution, which the calumniator might well expect from God, as the consequence of his iniquity. But their purport may be this: what profit and advantage dost thou expect to reap from thy practice of lying and slandering? Instead of worldly gain, thou wilt rather bring upon thyself the divine indignation and wrath, for the heavenly vengeance will as certainly destroy thee, as if thy body were pierced with sharp arrows, shot by a powerful hand, or consumed in a fire made of hot burning charcoal.- -Thou false tongue. The offence being, in the present instance, committed by the tongue, punishment is especially awarded to that member. 4 Mesech. This son of Japheth (Gen. x. 2.) is conceived to have peopled the part of Asia, which lies to the east and south-east of the Black sea.Kedar. The descendants of Ishmael, whose son Kedar was (Gen. xxv. 13), inhabited Arabia. Still the writer is not to be thought to assert, that he actually dwelt among these people, but only, that he lived with persons, who were almost as averse to peace, as barbarous, and as uncivilized. Gen. xvi. 12. 1 The hills. The mountains, which encircled Jerusalem; but particularly Sion or Moriah, on the former of which David had pitched a tent to contain the ark, whilst on the latter Solomon had built the temple of the Lord. Psalm LXXXVii. 1. Whether the verse is to be explained literally or not, is of but little moment, since it equally contains a declaration, that the author regarded the divine aid, as the sole means of his safety. See on Psalm v. 7. |