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34. Afcribe ye ftrength unto God, his excellency is over Ifrael, and his ftrength is in the clouds.

35. O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Ifrael is he that giveth ftrength and power to his people: Bleffed be God.

THIRTEENTH EVENING.

Evening Prayer.

PSALM LXIX.

Doctor Kennicott is of opinion, that this Pfalm was written during the captivity, which appears evident from verfe 33. And from v. 30 and 31, he fays it is plain, that the temple worship had ceased, and was not yet restored. The Pfalmift, a captive Jew, laments the fufferings which he endured from the Chaldeans, as well as fome of his own countrymen on account of his zeal for religion; but he expreffes bis firm reliance on God, not only for his own perfonal deliverance, but likewife for that of his country.

1. SAVE me, O God, for the waters are come in, even to my foul.

2. I fink in deep mire, where there is no ftanding; I come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me,

3. I am weary with my crying, my throat is dried, mine eyes fail with looking for my God.

4. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head, mine enemies that opprefs me wrongfully are strong; what I have not taken, I muft without delay reftore.

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5. O God thou knoweft what my folly is, and fins are not hid from thee.

6. Let not them that truft in thee, O Lord God of hofts be afhamed for my caufe; let not those that feek thee be confounded through me, O God of Ifrael.

7. Because for thy fake have I fuffered reproof, fhame hath covered my face.

8. I am become a ftranger unto my brethren; even an alien to my mother's children.

9. For the zeal of thine house hath confumed me, and the rebukes of them that rebuke thee, are fallen upon me.

10. When I humbled my foul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

II. I made fack-cloth alfo my garment, and I became a proverb to them.

12. They that fit in the gate, fpeak against me, and I am the fong of the drunkards.

13. But let my prayer be unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy falvation.

14. Take me out of the mire, that I fink not; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

15. Let not the water flood overflow me, neither let the deep fwallow me up, and let not the pit fhut its mouth upon me.

16. Hear me, O Lord, for thy loving kindness is good; turn unto me, according to the multitude of thy mercies.

17. And hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble; O hear me speedily.

18. Draw nigh unto my foul, and fave it; deliver me because of mine enemies.

19. Thou knoweft my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour; mine adverfaries are all before thee.

20. Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heavinefs; I looked for fome to have pity on me, but there are none; for comforters, but I find them not.

21. They give me also gall for my meat, and in my thirst they give me vinegar to drink.

22. Let their table become a fnare before them, and a trap for their recompence.

23. Let their eyes be darkened that they fee not, and make their loins continually to shake.

24. Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful displeasure take hold of them. 25. Let their habitation be defolate, and let none dwell in their tents.

26. For they perfecute him whom thou haft fmitten, and they fpeak to the grief of thofe whom thou haft wounded.

27. Add iniquity to their iniquity, and let them not enter into thy mercy.

28. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

29. But I am humbled and forrowful, let thy falvation, O God, fet me up on high.

30. Then will I praise the name of God with a fong, and magnify him with thanksgiving.

31. And this fhall please the Lord better than a fteer that hath horns and hoofs.

32. Behold this ye humble, and rejoice ye that feek God, and your heart fhall live.

33. For the Lord heareth the afflicted, and defpifeth not his prifoners.

34. Let the heaven and the earth praise him, the feas, and every thing that moveth therein.

35. For God will fave Sion, and rebuild the cities of Judah, that his people may dwell there, and have it in poffeffion.

36. The posterity also of his servants fhall inherit it; and they that love his name fhall dwell there.

PSALM LXX.

The Pfalmift prays for divine affiftance, and that his enemies may be fhamefully frustrated in their defigns against him. This Pfalm is the fame with the latter end of the fortieth.

1. MAKE haste, O God, to deliver me; O Lord, make hafte to help me.

2. Let them be afhamed and confounded that feek after my foul, let them be driven backward and put to rebuke that wish me evil.

3. Let them be turned back for a reward of their fhame that fay, Aha! Aha!

4. But let all those that seek thee, be joyful and glad in thee; and let fuch as love thy falvation, fay alway, "magnified be God."

5. But I am poor and in affliction, make hafte unto me, O God, thou art my helper and deliverer, make no long tarrying, O Lord.

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