3. For the proud are rifen up against me, and oppreffors feek after my foul, who have not fet God before them.

4. Behold, God is mine helper, the Lord is amongst those that uphold my foul.

5. Let the evil return upon mine enemies; deftroy thou them in thy truth.

6. With a free-will offering will I facrifice unto thee; I will praise thy name, O Lord, for thou art good.

7. For thou haft delivered me out of all my trouble, and mine eye hath looked upon mine enemies.

PSALM LV.

This Pfalm appears to have been written by David while in the court of Saul; be complains of the deceit and calumnies of his falfe friends, by which his life was in fuch imminent danger, that he wishes to escape from the fociety of men, and flee into the defart. He concludes with expreffing his hope, that God will deliver him from his diftrefs, and inflict on his enemies the punishment which their wicked malice deferved.

1. HEAR my prayer, O God, and hide not thyfelf from my petition.

2. Take heed unto me, and hear me, how I mourn

N

in my prayer, and am vexed with the voice enemy, and the oppreffion of the ungodly.

of the

3. For they are minded to do me mifchief, and in malice are they fet against me.

4. My heart is fore pained within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.

5. Fearfullness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.

6. And I fay, O that I had wings! then would I flee away like a dove, and be at rest.

7. Lo, I would take my flight far off, and remain in the wilderness.

8. I would haften my efcape from the ftormy wind, from the burning tempest.

9. O Lord, dry up the channel of their flander; for I have seen violence and ftrife in the city; day and night, they go about the walls thereof.

10. Iniquity and mischief are in the midst of her, fraud is within her, deceit and guile depart not from her ftreets.

11. For it was not an enemy that reproached me, then I could have borne it; neither was it mine adversary, that used his ftrength against me, then peradventure I would have hid myself from him.

12. But it was thou, a man whom I valued as myfelf; my companion and familiar friend.

13. We took fweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

14. Let death fuddenly come upon them, let them

defcend quick into the grave; for wickedness is in their dwellings, in their heart.

15. As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord fhall fave me.

16. In the evening and morning, and at noon day will I pray, and that instantly, and he shall hear my

voice.

17. He fhall deliver my foul in peace from the battle that is against me, though they come upon me in multitudes.

18. God fhall hear me, even he that abideth of old; and fhall bring them down, who experience not the changes of life, and therefore fear not God.

19. He hath put forth his hands against fuch as be at peace with him, he hath broken his covenant. 20. The words of his mouth were fofter than butter, but war was in his heart; fmoother than oil, yet were they drawn fwords.

21. Oh! caft thy burden upon the Lord, and he will fuftain thee, he will never fuffer the righteous to be moved.

22. But thou, O God, fhall bring them down into the pit of destruction.

23. Blood-thirsty and deceitful men fhall not live out half their days; but I will put my trust in thee.

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ELEVENTH MORNING.

Morning Prayer.

PSALM LVI.

This Pfalm was written by David, immediately after bis efcape from the Philiftines at Gath, Saul ftill continuing his perfecution. See 1 Sam. i. 11.

1. BE merciful unto me O God, for man panteth after ruin, daily making war he tormenteth me.

2. Mine enemies pant after my ruin all the day long, for many are they that fight against me, O thou most high.

3. What time I am afraid, I will put my truft in thee.

4. In God's word will I rejoice, in God have I put my trust, I will not fear; what can flesh do unto me?

5. They daily wreft my words, all that they imagine is to do me evil.

6. They gather themselves together, they keep themselves concealed, they mark my steps, while they lie in wait for my foul,

7. Because of their wickedness let them be cast out; in thine anger bring down the heathen, O God.

8. Thou telleft my wanderings, my tears are put into thy bottle.

9. When thou countest them, shall not mine enemies be turned back? In the day that I call, I know that God will be on my fide.

10. In God's word will I rejoice, in the Lord's will I rejoice, in God have I put my truft, I will not fear-What can man do unto me?

11. My vows to thee O God are upon me, unto thee will I render praise.

12. For thou haft delivered my foul from death; wilt thou not also keep my feet from falling, that I may walk before thee, O God, in the light of the living?

PSALM LVII.

David flying before Saul, who pursued him with an intent to put him to death, accidentally difcovers Saul afleep in a cave; David permits him to escape, only cutting off the fkirt of his garment. Just after this tranfaction was this Pfalm written, in which the author expreffes his confidence, that God who had hitherto fo wonderfully preferved him, and even thrown his chief