2 Sing unto the Lord, and praise his Name: be telling of his falvation from day to day. 3 Declare his honour unto the heathen: and his wonders unto all people. 4 For the Lord is great, and cannot worthily be praised: he is more to be feared than all gods. 5 As for all the gods of the heathen, they are but idols: but it is the Lord that made the heavens. 6 Glory and worship are before him: power and honour are in his fanctuary. 7 Afcribe unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people: afcribe unto the Lord worship and power. 8 Afcribe unto the Lord the honour due unto his Name: bring prefents, and come into his courts. 9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holinefs: let the whole earth fland in awe of him. 10 Tell it out among the heathen, that the Lord is King: and that it is he who hath made the round world fo faft that it cannot be moved, and how that he shall judge the people righteously. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad: let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is. 12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it: then fhall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord. 13 For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: and with righteousness to judge the world, and the people with his truth. || Pfalm 97. Dominus regnavit. T HE Lord is King, the earth may be glad thereof: trious prophecy concerning the Kingdom of Chrift being extended through the World, and the cal ing all Nations to its fubjection. ↑ Be telling of his Salvation from Day to Day. The Word Salvation here, with refpect to the Jews, pro yea, the bably fignifies deliverance from, or victory over outward Dangers and Ene nies. This Pfalm feems to be as it were an appendix to the foregoing, and an illuftration of the words at verfe 10. The Lord is King, &c. It is an Exhortation to ce 2 +Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteoufaefs and judgment are the habitation of his feat. 3 There fhall go a fire before him: and burn up his enemies on every fide. 4 His lightnings gave fhine unto the world: the earth faw it, and was afraid. 5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord: at the prefence of the Lord of the whole earth. 6 The heavens have declared his righteousness: and all the people have seen his glory. 7 Confounded be all they that worship carved images, and that delight in vain gods: worship him, all ye gods. 8 Sion heard of it, and rejoiced: and the daughters of Juda were glad, because of thy judgments, O Lord. 9 For thou, Lord, art higher than all that are in the earth: thou art exalted far above all Gods. 10 O ye that love the Lord, fee that ye hate the thing which is evil: the Lord preferveth the fouls of his faints; he shall deliver them from the hand of the ungodly. II There is fprung up a light for the righteous: and joyful gladness for such as are true-hearted. 12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous and give thanks for a remembrance of his holiness. O EVENING PRA Y E R. || Pfalm 98. Cantate Domino. Sing unto the Lord a new fong: for he hath done marvellous things. lecrate the Juice and Mercy, the Majesty and Omnipotence of God, and the Glory of his Kingdom, and to rejoice in the advantages which accrue to his faithful Subjects from his Government. + Clouds and Darkness are round about him, &c. That is, though God's effence is unfearchable, and his ways paft finding out: yet that he acts with Mercy and Juftice in all his dealings towards the Children of Men. So that tho' we are not able at prefent to account for all the proceedings of his Providence: yet whatever is by his permition or direction is fictly right: and that however the Righteous maybe afflicted, at prefent, and the Wicked in profperity: yet both will on Day be dealt with according to Justice, and rewarded or punithed according to their Works. This is an Exhortation to praise God for the Redemption of his People, and to rejoice in the coming of his Kingdom: and contains a remarkable pro phecy concerning the conversion of the Gentiles, 2 With his own right hand, and with his holy arm: hath he gotten himself the victory. 3- The Lord declared his falvation: his righteousness hath he openly fhewed in the fight of the heathen. 4 He hath remembred his mercy and truth toward the house of Ifrael: and all the ends of the world have seen the falvation of our God. 5 Shew yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands: fing, rejoice, and give thanks. 6 Praise the Lord upon the harp: fing to the harp with a pfalm of thanksgiving. 7 With trumpets alfo and fhawms: O fhew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King. 8 Let the fea make a noise, and all that therein is: the round world, and they that dwell therein. 9 Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord: for he is come to judge the earth. 10 With righteousness shall he judge the world: and the people with equity. Τ § Pfalm 99. Dominus regnavit. HE Lord is King, be the people never fo impatient: he fitteth between the cherubims, be the earth never fo unquiet. 2 The Lord is great in Sion: and high above all people. 3 They fhall give thanks unto thy Name: which is great, wonderful, and holy. 4 The kings power loveth judgment thou haft prepared equity: thou haft executed judgment and righteoufnefs in Jacob. 5 O magnify the Lord our God: and fall down before his footftool, for he is holy. And all the ends of the World bave feen the Salvation, &c. This feems to have been fully completed when the glad tidings of Salvation by Jefus Chrift were published to the Gentiles, and they were turned from darkness to light, and from Idols to ferve the living God. § This Pfalm feems primarily to be referr'd to the establishment of David, upon his Throne; but prophetically to the Kingdom of the Meffiab: and is partly defigned as a confolation under affliction; and party as an Exhortation to celebrate the divine benefits. 6 Mofes and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among such as call upon his Name: thefe called upon the Lord, and he heard them. 7 He fpake unto them out of the cloudy pillar: for they kept his teftimonics, and the law that he gave them. 8 Thou heardeft them, O Lord our God: thou forgaveft them, O God, and punishedst their own inventions. 9 O magnify the Lord our God, and worship him upon his holy hill: for the Lord our God is holy. O § Pfalm 100. Jubilate Deo. BE joyful in the Lord, all ye lands: ferve the Lord with gladnefs, and come before his prefence with a fong.. 2 Be ye fure that the Lord he is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves: we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. 3 O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name. 4 For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting: and his truth endureth from generation to generation. Y +Pfalm 101. Mifericordiam & judicium. Μ' song shall be of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I fing. 2 O let me have understanding: in the way of godlinefs. 3 When wilt thou come unto me: I will walk in my houfe with a perfect heart. 4 I will take no wicked thing in hand; I hate the fins of unfaithfulness: there fhall no fuch cleave unto me.,, Mofes and Aaron among his Priefts, and Samuel, &c. The Pfalmift makes use of these inftances as well by way of encouragement to hope for deliverance under affliction as of Exhortation, that we might imitate their pious examples, and call upon God as a means to obtain Mercy, and find help in time of need. Mankind in general are here called upon publickly to acknowledge God as their Creator and preferver; and to celebrate his Mercy and Truth. This was ufually fung by the Jews at the time of their facrificing their Peace Offering. + David here declares his refolution of well govern". ing his People and, (in order to that) of making a proper choice of his Minifters, by difcouraging and punishing the Wicked, and advancing to favour Men of real goodness and merit. 5 A froward heart fhall depart from me: I will not know a wicked perfon. 6 Whofo privily flandereth his neighbour: him will I destroy. 7 Whofo hath also a proud look, and high stomach: I will not fuffer him. 8 Mine eyes look upon fuch as are faithful in the land: that they may dwell with me. 9 * Whoso leadeth a godly life: he shall be my fervant. 10 There fhall no deceitful perfon dwell in my houfe: he that telleth lies, fhall not tarry in my fight. ΙΟ 11 I shall foon deftroy all the ungodly that are in the land. that I may root out all wicked doers from the city of the Lord. MORNING PRAYE R. H EAR my prayer, O Lord: and let my crying come unto thee. 2 Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble: incline thine ears unto me when I call; O hear me and that right foon. 3 For.my days are confumed away like fmoke: and my bones are burnt up as it were a fire-brand. 4 My heart is fmitten down, and withered like grass: fo that I forget to cat my bread. 5 For the voice of my groaning: my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh. 6 I am become like a pelican in the wilderness; and like an owl that is in the defert. 7 I have watched, and am even as it were a fparrow: that fitteth alone upon the houfe-top. W bojo leadeth a godly life fhall be my Servant. How ever defirable this might be to all Mafters, yet it was perhaps more in David's power, than that of mol People to effect this. But would Mafters pay a proper attention to the principles and conduct of their Servants, and be careful to inftruct them in their duty, not only by precepts, but also by their own good examples; they would probably find abundantly lefs rea fon to complain in this refpect-would be adding to their own Happinefs, as well as that of Society in general-and difcharging a Duty, for the neglect of which they muft one Day be affuredly accountable. This is the fifth of thofe which are called peniten tial Pfalms; and feems to have been wrote during the Babylonish Captivity. In which the Jews whilft they reprefent the defolation of Jerufalem, and their deplor |