5 Off'rings present of righteousness, and in the Lord trust ye. 6 O who will shew us any good? But of thy countenance the light, 7 Upon my heart, bestow'd by thee, Than they, e'en then, when corn and wine. 8 I will both lay me down in peace, PARALLEL PASSAGES. Ver. 3-Titus ii. 14. Ver. 8-Rom. viii. 35. PSALM V. DAVID, in the midst of his grievous afflictions, lifts up his prayer to God, and predicts the overthrow of the wicked, and the establishment of the way of the just, from the fact, (verses 1, 2, 3,) that God is the hearer of prayer; secondly, (verses 4, 5, 6,) that he hates all iniquity; thirdly, (verses 7, 8,) that through grace he himself would devote his best services to God; and fourthly, (verses 9, 10,) that their sins cried for vengeance; and lastly, from God's promises to bless and favour all who are in Christ Jesus, interested in his sacrifice, and clothed in his righteousness. Let us dread sin as the greatest evil, as most hateful to God, and most ruinous to ourselves, and sing this Psalm with fervent prayers that we may be washed in the blood of Jesus, and encompassed with the favour of God as with a shield. Fools," in verse 5, means carnal and wicked men. In verse 10, the future tense is preferable to the imperative. 66 [ABRIDGE.] 1 GIVE ear unto my words, O Lord, my meditation weigh. 66 2 Hear my loud cry, my King, my God, for I to thee will pray. 3 Lord, thou shalt early hear my voice; I early will direct My prayer to thee, and, looking up, 4 For thou art not a God that doth 5 6 Neither shall evil dwell with thee, nor fools stand in thy sight: The bloody and deceitful man 7 But I into thy house will come 8 Because of those mine enemies, Do thou me lead: do thou thy way 9 For in their mouth there is no truth, their inward part is ill; Their throat's an open sepulchre, 10 O God, destroy them; let them be 11 But let all joy that trust in thee, and still make shouting noise : For them thou sav'st: let all that love thy name, in thee rejoice. 12 For, Lord, unto the righteous man thou wilt thy blessing yield; With favour thou wilt compass him about, as with a shield. PARALLEL PASSAGES. Ver. 4-Hab. i. 13. . Ver. 12-Isaiah lxv. 13, 14. PSALM VI. DAVID, believing that his sinfulness, original and actual, had drawn down the displeasure of God, and feeling the effects of present chastisement, and the fears of death everlasting, implores (verses 1, 2, 3) forgiveness, and the withdrawal of God's heavy hand. In verses 4-7, he longs for the renewal of God's loving kindness, and pleads for mercy, while he describes the intensity of his sorrows and the resolutions he has formed to separate himself from sin and sinners. God answers while he calls, and leads David to anticipate the overthrow of all his enemies. Has a sense of our sin ever caused us to sorrow as deeply as David? and has our sorrow proved itself a godly sorrow, by our separation from the world and its wicked ones? Let us beseech our Redeemer, who is exalted, to give repentance, to enable us to appropriate the language of David in this penitential Psalm. [JOB, FORDINGBRIDGE.] 1 LORD, in thy wrath rebuke me not, But, Lord, how long stay wilt thou make? 4 Return, O Lord, my soul set free: O save me for thy mercy's sake. 5 Because those that deceased are, Have caused for to swim; and I With tears my couch have watered. 7 Mine eye, consum'd with grief, grows old, Because of all mine enemies. 8 Hence from me, wicked workers all, For God hath heard my weeping cries. 9 God hath my supplication heard, My pray'r received graciously. 10 Sham'd, and sore vex'd be all my foes, Sham'd, and back-turned suddenly. ANOTHER OF THE SAME. [DUNDEE, OLD WINDSOR, COLESHILL.] 1 IN thy great indignation, O Lord, rebuke me not: 2 Lord, I am weak, therefore on me 3 My soul is vexed sore: but, Lord, 4 Return, Lord, free my soul, and save me for thy mercy's sake. 5 Because of thee in death there shall no more remembrance be: Of those that in the grave do lie, who shall give thanks to thee? 6 I with my groaning weary am; and all the night my bed I caused for to swim; with tears. my couch I watered. 7 By reason of my vexing grief, It waxeth old because of all 8 But now depart from me, all ye For why? the Lord hath heard my voice 9 Unto my supplication the Lord did hearing give; When I to him my prayer make, the Lord will it receive. 10 Let all be sham'd and troubled sore PARALLEL PASSAGES. Ver. 1-Jer. x. 24. Ver. 5-Is. xxxviii. 18. Ver. 8-Ps. cxlv. 18. PSALM VII. DAVID, being falsely accused by Cush, one of the kinsmen of Saul, (2 Sam. xvi. 7,) has recourse to his God for defence and deliverance. In verses 3-5, he vindicates his innocence of those crimes which were laid to his charge. In verses 6-9, he entreats the Lord to make known the real character of his enemies, not merely for his sake, but for the sake of His church. In the remainder of the Psalm, he predicts the overthrow and ruin of his foes, and the glory that will thence redound to his God. If we are in Christ Jesus, neither the accuser of the brethren, nor the law which Christ has fulfilled in our stead, shall be able to lay any thing to the charge of God's elect. Let us, however, strive at further attainments in that evangelical righteousness which the Holy Spirit alone can foster, and thus "let our light shine before men, that they, seeing our good works, may glorify our Father which is in heaven." Sing this Psalm with earnest desires to be delivered from sin, and the world, and the flesh-our persecuting foes; and with confidence that our prayers will be heard. |