shall find ourselves possessed of most of the ingredients, which enter into the composition of temporal felicity. Such felicity God promised to his people Israel, and bestowed on them, while they kept his statutes, and observed his laws. And therefore there is no reason for supposing, as the fathers, with many others, have done, that these wishes for "

66

sons,

daughters, corn, sheep, oxen, &c." are uttered by the "strange children," the aliens and idolaters, mentioned in the 11th verse. The good things of this world may fall to the lot of the righteous, who are distinguished from the wicked by the use which they make of them, when given; and by their meek resignation of them, when taken away. Whatever be the will of God concerning our having or wanting these outward comforts, we know that we have, as the faithful servants of God in every age had before us, greater and more precious promises, a better and an enduring substance, pleasures that fade not, and riches that fly not away, reserved for us in a heavenly country, and a city which hath foundations.

15. Happy is that people that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.

The Psalmist concludes with pronouncing the happiness of the Israelites, when in the state of prosperity above described, and their far greater happiness in "having Jehovah for their God," who, by settling them in peaceful possession of the land of Canaan, and the Jerusalem below, gave them a pledge and foretaste of that love, which stood engaged by covenant to bring them and us to his everlasting rest, in the Jerusalem above.

PSALM CXLV.

ARGUMENT.

Hitherto, in this divine book, we have been presented with checkered scenes of danger and deliverance, distress and mercy. The voice of complaint hath sometimes been succeeded by that of thanksgiving; and praise, at other times, hath terminated in prayer. But now, as if the days of mourning in Zion were ended, we hear no more of Messiah, as a man of sorrows; or of the church, as despised and afflicted, after the same example in the world. Henceforth we seem not to be upon earth, but in heaven, mingling with celestial spirits around the throne, and singing, as in the following Psalm, 1, 2. the praises of our God and King; extolling, 3. his greatness, 4. his might, 5. his glory, 6, 7. his justice, 8, 9. his mercy; 10–13. the majesty of his kingdom, and, 14-21. all his adorable perfections, and wondrous works. This is an alphabetical Psalm. The verse, which should begin with the letter Nun, is wanting. But, as Dr. Hammond hath observed, it is not uncommon for one letter, or more, to be left out in an alphabetical Psalm, as in Ps. xxv. where being twice repeated, p is certainly omitted. We shall therefore content ourselves, with what we find in

the original Hebrew, and in the Chaldee, without inserting the verse which is now read in the LXX, and other translations. Bishop Patrick mentions a saying of the ancient Hebrews, taken notice of by Valentine Schindler, that " He could not fail "to be a child of the world to come, who would say this Psalm three times every day." Perhaps they who, while they chant it in full choir, enter thoroughly into the spirit of it, do experience as lively a foretaste of the next world, as can be experienced in this.

1. I will extol thee, my God, O King; and will bless thy name for ever and ever. 2. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

The same divine person, who was, in a peculiar manner, the "God" and "King" of Israel, now standeth in those relations to the Gentile Christian church, and by her is "extolled" in the words of this Psalm, originally composed and used for that purpose among the Israelites. Christ is our "God," who hath saved us according to his covenant and promise; he is our " King," who hath set up the universal and everlasting kingdom, foretold by Daniel and the other prophets; who hath "all power in heaven " and earth;" and who "must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet and swallowed up death in victory." In the mean time it is the daily employment of us,

his redeemed subjects and

servants, to chant forth the praises of his saving and

glorious "name," with which the church, on earth, and in heaven, will resound " for ever and ever."

3. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. 4. One generation shall praise thy works unto another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

The "greatness" of Jehovah, whether we consider it as relating to his essence or his works, is never to be fully comprehended by his saints, whose delight it is to contemplate "the breadth, and length, "and depth, and height," Ephes. iii. 18., the extent and duration of his being and his kingdom, the profundity of his counsels, and the sublimity of his power and glory. These are the inexhaustible subjects of divine meditation, transmitted from age to age. And as the greatness of God our Saviour hath no bounds, so his praises should have no end, nor should the voice of thanksgiving ever cease in the church. As" one generation" drops it, "another” should take it up, and prolong the delightful strain, till the sun and the moon shall withdraw their light, and the stars fall extinguished from their orbs.

5. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. 6. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. 7. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

Those works of God, which demand to be celebrated by the tongues of men, are here divided into three kinds. First, such as declare his glory and excite our admiration whenever we behold them. Of

this sort are the shining frame of the heavens, and all the bodies which move therein; the earth, with its furniture without, and its contents within; the magnificent and stupendous ocean, which flows around it; the different tribes of animals inhabiting both the one and the other; and, above all, the construction of man, the lord of this lower world. Under the second class of God's works are ranged all those which the Psalmist styleth his "terrible acts," or the exertions of his power against his enemies; such as, the destruction of the old world by water; of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire; Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea; of the Canaanitish nations by the sword; and the victory gained over sin and death by the resurrection of Christ. In the third rank stand those works which have proceeded from the "goodness" of God, and his "righteousness" in the performance of his promises. And among these we may reckon all the different species of provision, which have been made by providence for the bodies of men in the world, and by grace for their souls in the church. On any of these subjects meditation cannot be long employed, without breaking forth into wonder, gratitude, and praise.

8. The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Mercy hath misery for its object, and is that attribute towards which the eyes of a fallen world must naturally be turned. The Psalmist hath, accordingly, introduced her last, with great pomp and splendor, seated in her triumphal chariot, and in