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ON THE

BOOK OF PSALMS.

FIFTEENTH DAY. MORNING PRAYER.

PSALM LXXV.

ARGUMENT.

The prophet, 1. gives thanks, with the church, to God for the manifeftation of his NAME, and the wonders of falvation wrought thereby. 2. He declares his refolution of executing judgment and justice in his kingdom, which 3. had been in diforder and confufion; 4-6. he rebukes the wicked; 6, 7. reminds them of the power, providence, counfels, and judgments of God; 9, 10. he concludes with repeating his resolution to praise God; to break the power of wickednefs; and to establish righteoufnefs.

VER.

ER. 1. Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near, thy wondrous works declare.

The church offers up her repeated praises to God for deliverance; fhe acknowledges the prefence of his VOL. II,

A

NAME

NAME in the midft of her, which had been evidenced by the "wonderful works" wrought for her falvation. Upon whatever occafion these words were originally indited, the Chriftian church now celebrates in them that great deliverance, which, by so many miracles of mercy and power, hath been accomplished for her, through Meffiah, who is in Scripture frequently ftyled, "the NAME of Jehovah." See Ifai. xxx. 27.

2. When I shall receive the congregation, I will judge uprightly.

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The firft verfe was fpoken by many perfons; "unto thee, O God, do we give thanks;" here the fpeaker is one, and that one is plainly a ruler, who promises, that when he fhall have "received the congregation," or, as fome render it, "when he fhall have gotten an appointed, or fit time, or season," that is, when he thall be eftablished in power and authority, at a fit time and place, he will " judge "uprightly," and introduce a thorough reformation into a kingdom, which, as we shall find by the following verfe, ftood greatly in need of it. From these circumstances it fhould feem most probable, that David is fpeaking of his advancement to the throne of Ifrael, and the intended rectitude of his administration, when he fhould be fettled thereon. What David did in Ifrael, was done in the church univerfal, by him who fate upon the throne of David, when he received," for his inheritance, the great "congregation" of the Gentiles, and the earth was full of the "righteoufnefs" of Jehovah.

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3. The

3: The earth, or, the land, and all the inhabitants thereof are, or, were diffolved: I bear up the pillars of it.

Civil distractions, and the continual irruptions of foreign enemies, had thrown the Ifraelitifh affairs into confufion, and "diffolved" the frame of govern. ment; until, by the re-establishment of royal aus thority, countenance and fupport were again given to all the subordinate magiftrates; who are, in their respective stations, the "pillars" of a community. Such was the universal corruption and diffolution of manners both among Jews and Gentiles, when Meffias, entering upon his regal office, reformed the world, raised the glorious fabric of the church, and made his apoftles and their fucceffors the "pillars" of his fpiritual kingdom. Let men fupport religion; and God will fupport them.

4. I faid unto the fools, deal not foolishly; and to the wicked, lift not up the horn: 5. Lift not up your horn on high; Speak not with a stiff neck.

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"Where the word of a king is, there is power. The prophet addresses himself to the oppofers of his government, and the disturbers of Ifrael: he urges the "folly" of exalting themselves against their prince and exhorts them, for their own fakes, to humility and obedience. Is not this the very meffage which the ministers of Christ have received from their king, and are commanded to deliver to the world?

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6. For promotion cometh neither from the caft, nor from the weft, nor from the fouth: 7. But God

is the judge; he putteth down one, and fetteth up another.

The oppofition, mentioned in the preceding verse, was called "folly." In thefe verfes it is proved to be fuch; as being an oppofition, in effect, to the counfels of heaven; for, not by worldly power or craft, but by the defignation and providence of God himself, the fupreme judge of princes, and difpofer of kingdoms, was the house of Saul "put down,” and the house of David "fet up." And are not, then, the enemies of the Son of God in arms against the Father; who, according to the promises going before concerning him, hath highly exalted him; hath committed all power and judgment to him; and hath put all things under his feet? Yea, and the hour is coming, when he fhall, put down all rule, and all authority, and power, and the Lord Jefus alone shall be exalted in that day. What will then be the portion of his impenitent adversaries, the next verse will inform us.

8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red: it is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the fame; but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth fhall wring them out, and drink them.

As the choiceft of heavenly bleffings are frequently in Scripture reprefented by the falutary effects of wine, a cup of which the Master of the family is supposed to hold in his hand, ready to distribute due portions of it to thofe around him; fo from the noxious and intoxicating qualities of that liquor, when drank strong, and in too large a quantity, is

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