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O Lord of hofts, my King and my God.

S

Rev. xvi. 7. as the most

Learted Mr. Mede hath obferved: So Ignatius

defcribes the Catholic Chriftians, Ep. ad Ephef. by faying, They are within the Altar, that is, the Quire or Chancel, as we now fpeak. So the meaning of this Clapfe is, that Birds built not in the Roof of that part of the Temple where the Altar of Incense ftood, viz. just before the Veil, Exod. xxx. vi. but in the Trees which grew in the innermoft Court, where the Altar of BurntOffering flood, 2 Kings xvi. 14. See Pfal. xcii. 11, 12.

4 Bleffed are they [that dwell in thy house]: they will be alway praifing thee.

5 [Bleffed is the man whofe ftrength is in thee: in whofe heart are thy ways.] ***

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4 The Priefts and

others, whofe chief employ is in thy Tem

ple.]

5 By Ways here we muft understand Roads for Travelling, raised or paved by Man's Labour; for the Hebrew word Mefilloth fignifies. Our Tranflators turn the word [thy ways] or the ways leading to thy Houfe; and fo moft Divines understand it. See Pfal.cxxxviii. 5.

[Happy is the Man who relies on thy Promife of protecting him and his Eftate, Exod. xxxiii. 24. while he is going to pay his Devotion to thee at Jerufalem, and fo leaves all his worldly Cares at home, and goes with the greatest Pleasure and Satisfaction to thy Houfe; or if he be debarr'd of that Privilege, and forced to ftay at home, yet his Mind runs of the way that leads to the Temple, thither his Defires and Inclinations carry him.]

6 [Who going through the vale of mifery, ufe it for a well: and the pools are filled with water.]

6 [They who go to thy Houfe with Heart

and Good-will, are not at all difcouraged at that Valley in the way hard to be paffed by

thither, which is fo incommodious, and other Travellers: 'Tis to them a place of Refreshment, where they quench their Thirft, and bathe their Bodies; for there they never want the convenience of plenty of Water, than which nothing is more welcome to Travellers in hot Countries.] See Well in the Vocabulary.

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7 [They will go, ftrength to ftrength and unto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion.]

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7 From Strength to Strength, as from Evil

to Evil, 7er. ix.3. from Faith to Faith, Ro.i.17. from Glory to Glory,

2 Cor. iii. 18. imports a growth and increafe in Evil, Faith, Glory; fo by parity of reafon, to go from ftrength to strength, imports growing ftronger, as they proceed in their Journey.

[Thefe

[These Holy Pilgrims fhall go on their Journey with a strength and vigour, which, in ftead of abating, fhall grow more fresh the nearer they come to their Journeys-end, till every one of them at laft, to the Joy of his Heart, prefents himself before God in the Temple on Mount Zion.]

9 [Of our good King, that he may be able to drive away the Enemy, who keeps us from the place of Publick

8 O Lord God of hofts, hear my prayer: hearken, O God of Jacob.

9 Behold, O God our defender and look upon the face [of thine anointed.

Worship, and protect us in thy Service.]

10 For one day in thy courts: is better than a thousand.

II I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God: than to dwell in the tents of ungodlinefs.

12 For the Lord God is a light and defence: the Lord

12 [Honour.] See will give grace and [worfhip,]

the Vocabulary.

and no good thing fhall he withhold from them that live a godly life.

13 O Lord God of hofts: bleffed is the man that putteth his truft in thee.

Some think that this Pfalm was compofed, on occafion of Abfalom's Rebellion being quieted: others on the difappointment of Senacherib: And tis altogether as probable, that 'twas made and used on the return of the People from the Babylonish Captivity, who were still molested with many Enemies.

Benedixifti, Domine. Pfal. LXXXV.

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Ord, thou art become gracious unto thy land; thou haft turned away the captivity of Jacob.

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5 Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever and wilt thou ftretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?

4t To our former

ftate.

6 [Revive, or perà

6 Wilt thou not turn again and [quicken] us: that thy peor fectly recover.] ple may rejoyce in thee?

7 Shew us thy mercy, O Lord: and grant us thy falva

tion.

8 [I will hearken what the Lord God will fay concerning me: for he fhall speak peace unto his people, and to his faints,that they turn not againt.]

8 [I will wait patiently on the Lord, for an answer to these my

Prayers, little doubting
ly reconciled to his Peo-

but that he will be ful

ple, who are devoted to his Worship; that they may be out of all danger, and temptation of falling to the Worthip of Idols again, which has brought all this Calamity upon them.]

8 To Folly. See Gen. Not. 1.

9 For his falvation is nigh them that fear him: that [glory] may dwell in our land.

10 [Mercy and truth are met
righteoufnefs and

together
peace have kiffed each other.]

9 The favourable Prefence of God.]

10 [For methinks I fee Goodness and Honefty, Juftice and Concord, which are the

principal Glory and Safety of any Kingdom, meeting together, and like ancient Friends, which have been long abfent, embracing each other.]

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II [And as Truth

1

II [Truth fhall flourish out

and Juftice fhall grow of the earth: and righteoufnefs and flourish amongst us,

like Flowers and Herbs

hath looked down from heaven.] in the Spring, after a tedious Winter: So God fhall pour his Bleffings and Mercy upon us from Heaven.]

12, 13. That Righ- 12 Yea, the Lord fhall fhew teousness often fignifies loving-kindness: and our land fhall give her increase.

Mercy, fee P. xxiv. 5. 13 Mercy fhall be his guide, and he will follow the way which that directs, in all his

Proceedings and Divine

13 [Righteoufnefs fhall go before him: and he shall direct his going in the way.]

Adminiftrations.] It is to be remembred, that this Pfalm has an afpect to the Meffias.

The Seventeenth Day. Morning Prayer. A Prayer of David, when perfecuted either by Saul or Abfalom. The Jews fay, that Hezekiah also used it when his Kingdom was invaded by Senacherib. See I Kings xix. 16.

Inclina, Domine. Pfal. LXXXVI.

? [Devoted to thy Service, and peculiarly favour'd by thee.]

4 [For I do moft humbly and earnestly refign my Soul into thy Cuftody.]

Ow down thine ear, O

B Lord, and hear me : for I

am poor and in mifery.

2 Preferve thou my foul, for Iam [holy]; my God, fave thy fervant that putteth his truft in

thee.

3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I will call daily upon thee.

fervant: [for unto thee, O 4 Comfort the foul of thy Lord, do I lift up my foul.]

5. For thou, Lord, art good and gracious and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

6 Give ear, Lord, unto my prayer and ponder the voice of my humble defires,

7 In the time of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou heareft me.

8 Among the [gods] there is none like unto thee, O Lord: there is not one that can do as thou doest.

9 All nations whom thou haft made, fhall come and worfhip thee, O Lord; and fhall glorifie thy Name.

10 For thou art great, and doeft wondrous things: thou art God alone.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy: truth: O knit my heart unto thee, that I may fear thy Name.

12 I will thank thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and will praise thy Name for

evermore.

13 For great is thy mercy toward me; and thou haft delivered my foul from the nethermoft hell.

14 O God, the proud are rifen against me: and the congregations of naughty men have fought after my foul, and have not fet thee before their eyes.

15 But thou, O Lord God, art full of compaffion and mercy: long-fuffering, plenteous in goodness and truth.

8 [Angels, Kings, or Heathen Idols.]

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