5. For there are fet the thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

6. O pray for the peace of Jerufalem; they fhall profper that love thee.

7. Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces.

8. For my brethren and companions fakes, I will now fay, peace be within thee.

9. Because of the house of the Lord, I will seek thy good.

PSALM CXXIII.

The Ifraelites complain of the infults and contempt of their adverfaries, no doubt the Samaritans, to which they had been long expofed, and against which they implore the divine affiftance.

1. UNTO thee I lift up mine eyes, O thou that dwelleft in the heavens.

2. Behold, as the eyes of fervants are on the hand of their mafters, as the eyes of a maiden on the hand of her mistress: fo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.

3. Have mercy upon us O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

4. Our foul is exceedingly filled with the fcorn of the infolent, and the despitefulness of the proud.

PSALM CXXIV.

The Pfalmift returns God thanks for the wonderful deliverance of the Ifraelites from a powerful and dangerous enemy. The particular occafion of the Pfalm in David's time cannot be afcertained; but after the return, it may well be supposed to allude to their unexpected deliverance from the Samaritans. Ezra iv. 5, &c.

1. IF it had not been the Lord who was on our fide, now may Ifrael fay;

2. If it had not been the Lord who was on our fide, when men rose up against us;

3. Surely they had fwallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us.

4. Surely the waters had overwhelmed us, the ftream had gone over our foul.

5. Surely the proud waters had gone even over our foul.

6. Bleffed be the Lord who hath not given us a prey unto their teeth.

7. Our foul is escaped as a bird out of the fnare

of the fowler; the fnare is broke, and we are delivered.

8. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

PSALM CXXV.

The righteous being under the fure protection of God, fhall not long be subjected to the tyranny and oppreffion of the wicked. This might have been a confolation to the Jews either during their captivity, or while they were exposed to the injuries of the Samaritans after the return.

1. THEY that truft in the Lord fhall be as mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but ftandeth fast for ever.

2. As the mountains are round about Jerufalem, fo the Lord is round about his people, from henceforth, even for ever.

3. Therefore the fceptre of wickedness shall not reft upon the lot of the righteous; left the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

4. Send profperity, O Lord, unto the good, and unto those that are upright in their hearts.

5. As for fuch as turn afide unto their crooked

ways, the Lord fhall make them walk with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Ifrael.

TWENTY-SEVENTH EVENING.

Evening Prayer.

PSALM CXXVI.

This Pfalm was compofed at the beginning of the return from the captivity; for it appears from Nehemiah and Ezra that the Jews returned in different bodies at different times.

1. WHEN the Lord brought back the captivity of Sion, we were like unto them that dream.

the

2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with fongs: then said they among heathen, “The Lord hath done great things for them."

3. Yea the Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice.

4. O Lord, our captivity is brought back, as the ftreams in the fouth.

5. They that fow in

tears, fhall reap

in joy.

6. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing the little veffel of feed, fhall doubtlefs return with joy, bringing his fheaves with him.

PSALM CXXVII.

No fuccefs in the various affairs of life can be hoped for without the favour and protection of God. Dathius obferves, that though Solomon is faid to have been the author of this Pfalm, yet it is extremely well adapted to the times immediately after the return, when the Jews were each given up to their domeftic cares, but were not altogether profperous, upon account of their neglect in the rebuilding of the temple, as appears from Haggai and Malachi.

1. EXCEPT the Lord build the house, their labour is but loft that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

2. It is in vain for you to rife up early, to fit up late, and eat the bread of cares: whereas he giveth sleep to his beloved.

3. Lo, children are the heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb his reward.

4. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, fo are the children of youth.

5. Happy is the man that has his quiver full of