4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest

[deliverance

the poor from him that is too strong for him; yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

11 False witnesses did rise up; they

laid to my charge things that I knew not.

12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own

bosom.

14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with

the psalm to that David." (Bishop Horsley, p. 72.) On the contrary, we believe there are but few which are confined to Messiah only, or to any one single topic, it being common to these lyric odes generally to admit a variety of topics; as we have already had frequent occasion to remark. In fact, it is the very nature of a typical dispensation, to advert sometimes to the

typical things themselves, and sometimes to the sublimer objects they were intended to represent. So is it in typical prophecies, as we shall have farther occasion to observe. A spiritual Christian may Christ in a thousand objects which sur round him, without excluding the moral improvement arising from their literal

seuse.

"

see

22 This thou hast seen, O LORD: loth: keep not silence: O LORD, be not far

from

me.

23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not ather say, We have swallowed him up.

26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause:

[and cruel enemies.

yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. (N)

PSALM XXXVI.

To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.

THE

HE transgression of the wicked. saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

3 The words of his mouth are ini

quity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.

4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; be setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

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

6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are

PSALM XXXV. NA Psalm of David, appealing to God to maintain his cause.-The psalmist here addresses JEHOVAH as his champion, to support his cause against his enemies; he therefore calls upon him, in military terms, to "Take hold of shield and bucker, draw out the spear," &c. But the folwing verses (from 4 to 9) both Bishop Herne and Mr. Scott render in the future instead of the imperative. "They shall le confounded and put to shame," &c. which is the more necessary when we apply the psalm to the sufferings of Messiah, as he prayed not for the destruction, but seems generally applicable, the salvation of his enemies: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke xxiii. 34.) So verses 26, 27. "They shall be ashamed; they shall be

to which

clothed with shame," &c.

Though the occasion of this psalm is not expressly mentioned, it was evidently written while smarting under the false accusations and reproaches of his enemies, particularly as Bishop Patrick and others suggest, those of Doeg. (See 1 Sam. xxii. 9, 22.)

The false witnesses that rose up against David, showed the same dispositions as those which arose against his Lord, and vented alike their malice in taunt aud ridicule. In several instances, David cer

tainly displayed remarkable forbearance towards his enemies; but it was the glory of Jesus to pray for his murderers when he antitype divine. was dying. The type was amiable, but the

the wicked-The word here rendered saith," is But the common term, but is generally applied to the word of Jehovah. For my, the LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac read his: allowing this variation of half a letter in the original, it gives the important sentiment, that the oracle of a wicked man is the

the true source of his atheism.

Ver. 2. Until his iniquity, &c.-Heb. "To find his iniquity, (which he ought) to hate." Ainsworth. Ver.3. He deviseth mischief—Marg. "Vanity." Ver. 6. The great mountains-Heb. "Mountains of God."A great deep—Lowth, “ A vast abyss."

a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.

7 How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

9 For with thee is the fountain of life in thy light shall we see light,

10 O continue thy loving-kindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.

12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise. (O)

PSALM XXXVI.

PSALM XXXVII.

A Psalm of David.

{in God,

FRET not thyself because of evil

doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the LoRD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

(0) A Psalm of David, the servant of Jehovah, complaining of the atheism, deceit, and cruelty of his enemies-Bishop Patrick supposes that this psalm was probably composed toward the beginning of Saul's jealousy against David. (1 Sam. xviii. 9.)

The first verse of the psalm is attended with considerable perplexity, which seems partly owing to some error in the copyist. Bishop Louth reads it, "The wickedness of man, according to the wickedness in his heart, saith, There is no fear of God before mine eyes. For some versions and a few manuscripts, instead of "my heart," read "his heart," which affords this sense, that "the traugression of the wicked saith, (asserteth) within his own heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes." Applying this to Saul, the wicked man supposed to be here alluded to, a late ingenious writer supposes the psalmist to reflect thus within himself:-"I have made my own observations on that cruel man, Saul, and I have imagined he is an Atheist. Í observe, although he commits many crimes, for which, did he fear God, he would always blush; yet he never blushes till his ini

quities appear hateful in the eyes of his fellow-creatures. He even affects to be a good man, and wears the mask till it cements with his face, accounting himself as good as any other man, till somebody detects his vices, and exposes him to shame, and this is the common condition of almost all bad men." This seems not an improbable sense of the passage.-(Robinson's Claude ii. 419.)

In the latter part of the psalm, David celebrates the mercy and kindness of the Lord, and prays for its extension and continuance. God is considered as the fountain of life, and light, and blessedness. "God, like the sun, (says Bishop Horne) cannot be seen but by the light which himself emits :" and he is no less the universal source of life and blessedness.

“O thou whose power o'er moving worlds presides,
Whose voice created, and whose wisdom guides,
On darkling man in pure effulgence shine,
And cheer the clouded mind with light divine!
"Tis thine alone to calm the pious breast
With silent confidence and holy rest;
From thee, great God! we spring-to thee we
bend;

Path, Motive, Guide, Original, and End."
Dr. Johnson.

7 Rest in the LORD, and wait pa. tiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his of way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

he

8 Cease from anger,and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

Il But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his

teeth.

13 The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

14 The wicked have drawn out the Sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.:

17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as

the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

[providence.

21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD Upholdeth him with his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.

31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

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

34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

36 Yet he passed away, and lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

. He is ever every day."

Ver. 35. A green bay tree-Marg. "A green tree that groweth in his own (or native) soil.""

This psalm is alphabetical, but not strictly so throughout; whether the deviations are owing to the laxness of the Hebrew laws of versification, as some have thought, or to the negligence of transcribers, as is now the more general opinion, we presume not to determine.

37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him. (P)

PSALM XXXVIII.

A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.

O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sin.

PSALM XXXVII.

[of God's mercy.

4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my foolishness.

6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

8 I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

9 LORD, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.

11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.

12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things,

(P) A Psalm of David, exhorting to patience, meekness, and submission to the divine providence." From the beginning to the end of this psalm (Bishop Horne remarks,) the Holy Spirit, by the hand of the prophet, administereth advice and consolation to the church and people of the Lord, oppressed and afflicted in this world by prosperous and triumphant wickedness. Faith and patience are therefore recommended, upon the double consideration of that sure reward which awaiteth the righteous, and that certain punishment which shall be inflicted on the wicked. These two events are set before us under many lively and affecting images. As the psalm is rather a collection of divine aphorisms on the same subject, than a continued and connected discourse, it admitteth of nothing farther in the way of argument:" but the maxims or observations here introduced, are most interesting and important. It is a folly for Christians to fret and fume at evils which they cannot prevent. It is much better patiently to submit to circumstances, and make the Lord himself the object of their confidence and delight. For, after all, as our Lord himself assures us, it is "the meek" who inherit the

earth;" and though others may boast greater claims, they only enjoy it. A sensible writer observes, "They have no turbulent, repining, vexatious thoughts that they deserve better; nor are vexed when they see others possessed of more honour, or more riches, than their wise God has allotted for their share."

An observation in the latter part of the psalm may demand particular notice, as it has occasioned some practical difficulty. As a general maxim, it may certainly be admitted. "So far is charity from impo verishing (says Bishop Horne,) that what is given away, like vapours emitted by the earth, returns in showers of blessings into the bosom of the person that gave it; and his offspring is not the worse, but infinitely the better for it." (Prov. xi. 25.) This maxim is not, however, to be so strictly interpreted, as to maintain that, in no case, has a pious man been reduced to beg gary: our Lord himself, though not a beggar, lived upon the hospitality of his disciples, during the whole of his public ministry. He had no patrimony, no home, no purse; and when called upon for tribute, was compelled to work a miracle to pay it. Generally speaking, however, benevolence far more frequently enriches than impo verishes.