1. THE wicked meditates on iniquity in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.

2. He pleaseth himself in his own fight, while he devifeth his abominable fin.

3. The words of his mouth are wickednefs and deceit; he hath left off to behave himself wifely, and to do good.

4. He imagineth mischief upon his bed; he fetteth himself in a way that is not good, he rejecteth not any evil.

5. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

6. Thy righteousness is like the lofty mountains, thy judgments are like the great deep; O Lord, thou preferveft man and beast.

7. Great is thy loving kindness, O God, to the fons of men! under the fhadow of thy wings they fhall find fhelter.

8. They fhall be fatisfied with the plenteousness of thy house; and thou fhalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

9.

For with thee is the well of life; in thy light fhall we fee light.

10. O continue thy loving kindness unto them that know thee, and thy righteoufnefs to the upright in heart.

II. Let not the foot of pride tread upon me, and let not the hand of the wicked caft me down.

12. There are the workers of iniquity fallen; they are caft down, and shall not be able to rise.

SEVENTH EVENING.

Evening Prayer.

PSALM XXXVII.

The happiness of the wicked is temporary only and uncertain, and therefore not to be envied: whereas the good, though perhaps unfortunate for a time, will be at length permanently rewarded. This Pfalm was probably written when Solomon was proclaimed king, and received his father's inftructions and exhortations; 1. Kings i. 2. 1 Chron. xxii. 27. for David was then far advanced in years, fee v. 25. nor were there then wanting evil perfons, as Adonijah, Joab, and Simei, who were difpofed to disturb Solomon in his

ment.

govern

1. Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2. For they fhall foon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

3. Truft in the Lord, and do good; fo fhalt thou dwell in the land, and fhalt be fed with its riches.

4. Delight thyself alfo in the Lord, and he fhall give thee the desire of thine heart.

5. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pafs.

6. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light; and thy juftice as the noon day.

7. Hold thee to the Lord, and abide patiently for him; grieve not thyself at him whose way doth profper, against the man who bringeth evil counfels to pafs.

8. Leave off from wrath, and let go difpleafure; fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.

9. For wicked doers fhall be rooted out; but they that patiently abide the Lord, fhall inherit the land.

10. For yet a little while, and the ungodly fhall be clean gone; yea thou fhalt diligently feek for his habitation, but it fhall be no more.

11. But the meek fhall poffefs the land, and fhall be refreshed in the multitude of peace.

12. The ungodly plotteth against the juft, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

13. The Lord fhall laugh him to fcorn; for he feeth that his day is coming.

14. The ungodly have drawn out the fword, and have bent their bow; to caft down the poor and

needy, and to flay fuch as are of upright converfation.

15. Their fword fhall go through their own heart, and their bow fhall be broken.

16. A little that the righteous hath, is better great riches of the ungodly.

than

17. For the arms of the ungodly shall be broken, but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.

18. The Lord knoweth the days of the godly, and their inheritance fhall endure for ever.

19. They fhall not be confounded in the perilous time; and in the days of dearth they shall have enough.

20. But the ungodly fhall perifh, and the enemies of the Lord fhall confume as fat of lambs; yea, even as smoke fhall they consume away.

21. The ungodly borroweth, and payeth not again; but the righteous fheweth mercy, and giveth. 22. They that bless him shall inherit the land, and they that curse him shall be rooted out.

23. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he taketh pleasure in his way.

24. Though he fall, he fhall not be utterly caft down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. 25. I have been young, and now am old, yet faw I never the righteous forfaken, nor his feed begging their bread.

26 He is ever merciful and lendeth, and his feed is bleffed.

I

27. Flee from evil, and do the thing that is good, and thou fhalt continue for evermore.

28. For the Lord loveth the thing that is right, and forfaketh not his that are gadly.

29. Tranfgreffors fhall be destroyed for ever; and the feed of the ungodly fhall be rooted out.

30. The righteous fhall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

31. The mouth of the righteous fpeaketh wifdom, and his tongue uttereth judgment.

32. The law of his God is in his heart, none of his fteps fhall flide.

33. The ungodly watcheth the righteous, and feeketh occafion to flay him.

34. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

35. Hope thou in the Lord, and keep his way, and he fhall promote thee to poffefs the land; when the ungodly are cut off, thou fhalt fee it.

36. I have feen the ungodly in great power, and fpreading himself like a green bay tree.

37. I paffed by, and lo he was gone; yea, I fought him but he could not be found.

38. Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right; for there fhall be a pofterity for the man of peace.

39. But tranfgreffors shall be destroyed together, the pofterity of the ungodly fhall be rooted out.