Ref.

153. Confider mine affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget thy law.

154. Plead thou my cause and deliver me, quicken me according to thy word.

155. Salvation is far from the wicked, for they feek not thy ftatutes.

156. Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord; quicken me according to thy judgments.

157. Many are my perfecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not fwerve from thy teftimonies.

158. I beheld the tranfgreffors and was grieved, because they kept not thy word.

159. Confider how I love thy commandments, quicken me, O Lord, according to thy loving kindnefs.

160. The beginning of thy word was truth, and all thy righteous judgments endure for ever.

Schin.

161. Princes perfecute me without a caufe, but my heart ftandeth in awe of thy word.

162. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.

163. Falfhood I hate and abhor, but thy law do

I love.

164. Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgments.

165. Great peace have they who keep thy law, and there is nothing which causeth them to stumble. 166. Lord, I have looked for thy falvation, and thy commandments I have performed.

167. My foul hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.

168. I have kept thy commandments and thy teftimonies, for all my ways are before thee.

Tau.

169. Let my cry come before thee, O Lord, give me understanding according to thy word.

170. Let my fupplication come before thee, deliver me according to thy word.

171. My lips fhall utter thy praife, for thou haft taught me thy ftatutes.

172. My tongue shall speak of thy word, for all thy commandments are righteousness.

173. Let thine hand help me, for I have chosen thy commandments.

174. I have longed for thy falvation, O Lord, and thy law is my delight.

175. O let my foul live, and it shall praise thee, and let thy judgments help me.

176. I go aftray like a loft fheep; feek thy fervant, for I do not forget thy commandments.

TWENTYSEVENTH MORNING,

Morning Prayer.

PSALM CXX.

It is the opinion of most critics that this and the fourteen following Pfalms, which are entitled Pfalms of afcent, relate to the return or afcent of the Jews from Babylon to Jerufalem after the captivity. And it is fuppofed that this Pfalm contains their complaint of the calumnies of the Samaritans, by which they endeavoured to injure them in the opinion of the Perfian Kings, Ezra iv. 5. and which are represented in the 24th verfe as being at length overcome.

1. WHEN I was in trouble I called upon the Lord, and he heard me.

2. The Lord has delivered my foul from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue.

3. What reward fhall be given unto thee, or what shall be referved for thee, thou falfe tongue?

4. Sharp arrows of the mighty with burning coals of juniper.

5. Wo is me that I have fojourned fo long, and dwelt in the tents of Kedar.

6. My foul hath long dwelt with thofe that are

enemies to peace.

7.

I was for peace, they made ready for war.

but when I fpake thereof,

PSALM CXXI.

The Jews, returning from their exile, are here reprefented as turning their eyes, with longing defire, to- · wards their native country.

1. I WILL lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help.

2. My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

3. He will not fuffer thy feet to be moved, he that keepeth thee will not flumber.

4. Behold, he that keepeth Ifrael, will neither flumber nor fleep.

5. The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy fhade upon thy right hand.

6. The fun fhall not fmite thee by day, nor the moon by night,

7. The Lord fhall preferve thee from all evil yea it is even he that shall keep thy foul.

8. The Lord fhall preserve thy going out and thy coming in, from this time forth and for evermore. »

PSALM CXXII.

This Pfalm by its title appears to have been originally written by David; in which he introduces the people congratulating each other on their going up to the temple; but it might eafily have been adapted to the circumftances of the Jews, after their return from Babylon, by thofe who prefided in the regulation of their religious ceremonies at that time, among whom Ezra was the principal. The fame obfervation may be made on the 124th, 127th, 131st, 132d, and 133d, which bear the names of David and Solomon in their titles.

go

1. I WAS glad when they faid unto me, let us into the house of the Lord.

2. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerufalem.

3. Jerufalem is built as a city in which is the affembling together of the people.

4. Thither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, by the ordinance of Ifrael, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.