6 They go to and fro in the evening: they grin like a dog, and run about through the city.

7 Behold, they fpeak with their mouth, and fwords are in their lips: for who doth hear?

8 But thou, O Lord, fhalt have them in derifion: and thou fhalt laugh all the heathen to scorn.

9 My ftrength will I afcribe unto thee: for thou art the God of my refuge.

10 God fheweth me his goodness plenteoufly: and God shall let me fee my defire upon mine enemies.

II Slay them not, left my people forget it: but scatter them abroad among the people, and put them down, O Lord, our defence.

12 For the fin of their mouth, and for the words of their lips they shall be taken in their pride: and why? their preaching is of curfing and lies.

13 Confume them in thy wrath, confume them, that they may perish: and know that it is God that ruleth in Jacob, and unto the ends of the world.

14 And in the evening they will return: grin like a dog, and will go about the city.

15 They will run here and there for meat: and grudge if they be not fatisfied.

16 As for me, I will fing of thy power, and will praise thy mercy betimes in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

17 Unto thee, O my ftrength, will I fing: for thou, O God, art my refuge, and my merciful God.

O

Il Pfalm 60. Deus, repulifti nos.

GOD, thou haft east us out, and scattered us abroad: thou haft also been displeased, O turn thee unto us again

Saul: from whence we learn, that the Prayers of the faithful, and their confidence in God is never in vain.

This Pfalm feems to have been occafioned by the calamities and public distresses to which the Ifraelites

2 Thou haft moved the land and divided it: heal the fores thereof, for it shaketh.

3 Thou haft fhewed thy people heavy things: thou hast given us a drink of deadly wine.

4 Thou haft given a token for fuch as fear thee: that they may triumph because of the truth.

5 Therefore were thy beloved delivered: help me with thy right hand, and hear me.

6 God hath spoken in his holiness, I will rejoice, and divide Sichem and mete out the valley of Succoth.

7 Gilead is mine, and Manaffes is mine; Ephraim alfo is the ftrength of my head: : Judah is my law-giver.

8* Moab is my wafhpot, over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philiftia, be thou glad of me.

9 Who will lead me into the ftrong city: who will bring me

into Edom?

10 Haft not thou caft us out, O God: wilt not thou, O God, go out with our hofts?

11 O be thou our help in trouble for vain is the help of man. 12 Through God will we do great acts: for it is he that shall

tread down our enemies.

§ Pfalm 61. Exudi, Deus.

EAR my crying, O God: give ear unto my prayer.

2 From the ends of the earth will I call upon thee: when my heart is in heaviness.

3 O fet me upon the rock that is higher than I: for thou hast been my hope, and a strong tower for me against the enemy.

had been expofed, by their Wars against the Amorites, Id means, and Syrians; 2 Sam. viii. when God for a Time appeared to have deferted his People for their Sins. David therefore earnestly intreats God in their behalf; and, as f he had really obtained his petitions, reckons up the Victories they would affuredly gain over their Enemies: properly afcribing them, not to their own ftrength, but to the divine power and goodneis.

• Moab is my Wafkpot, over Edem will I caft, &c.

This is a figurative expreflion fignifying that he would reduce thefe Countries to the loweft degree of flavery and fubjection.

In this Pfalm David recommends himself and his Kingdom to God's protection, by whom, he afferts, Kingdoms are founded and established, and pious Pulers are defended; and vows eternal thanks to the Almighty for his goodness towards him,

Hear my crying, O God, &t. Behold with what earneftnefs the Pfalmift calls upon God for his help

4 I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever: and my trust shall be under the covering of thy wings.

5 For thou, O Lord, haft heard my defires: and haft given an heritage unto those that fear thy name.

6 Thou shalt grant the King a long life: that his years may endure throughout all generations.

7 He fhall dwell before God for ever: O prepare thy loving mercy and faithfulness, that they may preserve him.

8 So will I always fing praife unto thy name: that I may daily perform my vows.

Y foul truly waiteth still upon God: for of him cometh my falvation.

MY

2 He verily is my ftrength and my falvation: he is my defence fo that I fhall not greatly fall.

3 How long will ye imagine mischief against every man: ye shall be flain all the fort of you; yea, as a tottering wall shall ye be, and like a broken hedge.

4 Their device is only how to put him out, whom God will exalt: their delight is in lies, they give good words with their mouth, but curfe with their heart.

5 Nevertheless, my foul, wait thou ftill upon God: for my hope

is in him.

6 He truly is my strength and my falvation: he is my defence, fo that I fhall not fall.

7 In God is my health and my glory: the rock of my might, and in God is my truft.

and protection! confidering him as his only deliverer and iupport amidft his Afflictions: and in him alone muft we hope to find fure confolation in fuch circumftances; happy therefore are they that fincerely obey, and trust in him!

David profeffes in this Pfalm that his confidence in God afforded him folid peace and tranquility of Mind: and earnestly advises not to truft in Men, nor worldly enjoyments, but in God alone, who is the Lord of all Things, and Judge of all Men. K

8 O put your truft in him alway, ye people: pour out your hearts before him, for God is our hope.

9 As for the children of men, they are but vanity: the children of men are deceitful upon the weights, they are altogether lighter than vanity itself.

10 O truft not in wrong and robbery, give not yourselves unto vanity if riches increase, fet not your heart upon them.

:

* God spake once, and twice I have also heard the fame : that power belongeth unto God;

12 And that thou, Lord, art merciful: for thou rewardeft man according to his work.

O

|| Pfalm 63. Deus, Deus meus.

GOD, thou art my God: early will I feek thee.

every

2 My foul thirfteth for thee, my flesh also longeth after

thee: in a barren and dry land where no water is.

3 Thus have I looked for thee in holiness: that I might behold thy power and glory.

4 For thy loving kindness is better than the life itfelf: my lips fhall praise thee.

5 As long as I live will I magnify thee on this manner: and lift up my hands in thy Name.

6 + My foul shall be satisfied even as it were with marrow and fatnefs: when my mouth praiseth thee with joyful lips.

7 Have I not remembered thee in my bed: and thought upon thee when I was waking?

8 Because thou haft been my helper: therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

* God Spake once and twice I have, &c. This fignifies that God alone is poffeffed of power effentially, and therefore he only is able to fupport and preferve us. For tho' our Fellow Creatures or the Things of this World are made inftruments through him for our welfare: yet that in themselves they are vain, and Cannot profit us. How ftrongly fhould this confideration in pire us with a religious fear, and trust in the Lord!

The royal Prophet being an Exile from Jerufalem, and forced to conceal himself in the Wilderness of Ju

dah, expreffes a moft ardent defice of returning to the place of God's publick worship: but at the fame time is filled with unipeakable joy from a fenfe of God's goodness towards him, and in the exercite of Religion; tumly trulling that he hall obtain a happy rentoration.

My Soul jhall be fatisfied, Sc. Worldly pleatu.es are tranfient, temporary, and unfubitantial: but the exercifes of Religion to a truly good Man yield a delight which is latting, folid, and satisfactory: a delight, which even Affliction is not able to deprive him. of.

9 My foul hangeth upon thee: thy right hand hath upholden me. 10 Thefe alfo that feek the hurt of my foul: They fhall go under the earth.

11 Let them fall upon the edge of the fword: that they may be a portion for foxes.

12 But the King fhall rejoice in God; all they also that swear by him, fhall be commended: for the mouth of them that speak lies fhall be ftopped.

§ Pfalm 64. Exaudi, Deus.

EAR my voice, O God, in my prayer: preferve my life from the fear of the enemy.

HR

2 Hide me from the gathering together of the froward: and from the infurrection of wicked doers.

3 Who have whet their tongue like a fword: and fhoot out their arrows, even bitter words.

4 That they may privily shoot at him that is perfect: fuddenly do they hit him, and fear not.

5 They encourage themselves in mischief: and commune among themselves how they may lay fnares, and say, that no man shall fee them.

6 They imagine wickedness, and practise it: that they keep fecret among themselves every man in the deep of his heart.

7 But God fhall fuddenly shoot at them with a swift arrow: that they fhall be wounded.

+

8. Yea, their own tongue fhall make them fall: infomuch that whoso seeth them shall laugh them to fcorn.

9 And all men that fee it fhall fay, This hath God done: for they shall perceive that it is his work.

The Pfalmift here describes the Malice, the Calumnies, and mischievous defigns of his Enemies; and foretels their ruin which he fays will be manifeft to all. and be a caufe of rejoicing to the Righteous. Yea their own Tongues shall make them fall, &c. Tho' it does not pleafe God always to interpole for the punishment of the Wicked, in this World, and the

difcovery of their iniquitous defigns: yet fome very remarkable inftances of his Providence are upon record, in this refpect; in which we may, as it were, plainly behold the Finger of God. The In entors of mitchief being made the revealers of their own villanies; and brought to deftruction through their own accufations.