Evening Prayer.

APfalm of Afaph, wherein are recounted all the extraordinary and wonderful Works which God did for his Paple, from his bringing them out of Egypt, down to the times of David; therefore Bishop Patrick concludes, that it was compofed by that Afaph, which is often mention'd as one of the principal Singers in the Days of David. One defign which the Compofer feems to have bad in his Eye, was to inftruct the Vulgar Jews in the nature of their Feafts.

Attendite, popule. Pfal. LXXVIII.

[Leffon,] fo fig

nifies the Hebrew word Torah, the Latin Lex,

the Saxon Lab, Laza,

from which the English

Har

my [law,] O my people: incline your ears

unto the words of

unto the words of my mouth. Law: The words, I fay, properly fignify Leffon, if you refpect the Etymology of them: And I fuppofe that fignification beft fits this place, both in the Hebrew and English. 2*Parable in Scrip

ture fignifies any wife
inftructive Saying,
[Riddles, or things
fo Itrange and extraor
dinary, that to People
who have not heard
them before, they may
feem incredible.1

2 I will open my mouth in a*parable: Iwill declare [hard fentences] of old;

3 Which we have heard and known: and fuch as our fathers have told us;

4

That we fhould not hide them from there of the

:

generations to come but to Thew the honour of the Lord, his mighty and wonderful works that he hath done.

5 He made a covenant with Jacob, and gave Ifrael a law : which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children;

6 That their pofterity might know it: and the children which were yet unborn;

10 Like as the children of Ephraim: who being [harneffed]

have this

Hiftory

and carrying bows, turned 1 Chron. vii. 20, &c. themselves back in the day of battel.

11 They kept not the covenant of God: and would not, walk in his law;

12 But forgat what he had done and the wonderful works that he had fhewed for them.

13* Zoan was one of the chief Cities in Ein the Country lying gypt, Exod. xxx. 13, 14. near this City (it fhould

13 Marvellous things did he in the fight of our forefathers, in the land of Egypt: even in the field of * Zoan.... feem from this place), many or moft of thefe Divine Miracles were performed by the hand of Mofes.

14 He divided the fea, and Exod. xiv. 22.

14

let them go through; he made

the waters to stand on an heap.

Is In the day-time alfo he Exod. xiii. 21è led them with a cloud: and all

the night through with a light of fire.

Exod. xvii. 6.
Numb. xx. 8, &c.

Cor. x. 4

Exod. xvi:

Numb. xi. 4,

Exod. xvii.

Numb. xi. I!

See ver. 28.

Mem. In these reci

tals of the Hiftory of the Redemption from

16 He clave the hard rocks in the wilderness: and gave them drink thereof, as it had been out of the great depth.

17 He brought waters out of the ftony rock: fo that it gufhed out like the rivers.

18 Yet for all this they finned more against him: and provoked the most Highest in the wilderness.

19 They tempted God in their hearts and required meat for their luft.

20 They fpake against God alfo, faying: Shall God prepare a table in the wilderness?

21 He fmote the ftony rock indeed, that the water gushed out, and the ftreams flowed withal; but can he give bread alfo, or provide flesh for his people?

22 When the Lord heard this, he was wroth: fo the fire was kindled in Jacob, and there came up heavy difpleasure against Ifrael;

23 Because they believed not in God and put not their truft in his help.

24 So he commanded the clouds above: and opened the doors of heaven.

Egypt, and the Travel of the People through the Wilderness, the order of time is not always precifely obferved by the Pfalmifts. See Pfal. cv. 28, 29. cvi. 17, 19, 30, 32. Thus here the raining of Manna is rehcarfed after the fmiting the Rock, which yet was before it in exact order of time, &c. See ver. 47, 48. of this Pfalm.

1

25 (He rained down Manna alfo upon them for to eat t; and -gave them food from hea

ven.

26 So man did eat [Angels food]: for he fent them meat enough.)

27 He caufed the caft-wind to blow under heaven and through his power he brought in the fouth-weft-wind.

28 He rained flesh upon them as thick as duft: and feathered fowls, like as the fand of the fea.

29 He let it fall among their tents even round about their habitation.

30. So they did eat, and were well filled, for he gave them their own defire: they were not disappointed of their luft.

31 But while the meat was yet in their mouths, the heavy wrath of God came upon them,

and flew the wealthieft of them: Numb. x. 33.
yea, and finote down the cho-

fen men that were in Ifrael.
32 But for all this they fin-
and believed

ned yet more

not his wondrous works.

33 Therefore their days did Numb. xiv. 33. he confume in vanity:

their years in trouble.

and

34. When he flew them, they Numb. xiv. 39. 40.

fought him and turned them early, and enquired after God..

35 And they remembred that

M

God