Devouring fire; and coals by it
were turned into flame.

9 He also bowed down the heav'ns,
and thence he did descend:

And thickest clouds of darkness did
under his feet attend.

10 And he upon a cherub rode,
and thereon he did fly:

Yea, on the swift wings of the wind
his flight was from on high.

11 He darkness made his secret place:
about him for his tent

Dark waters were, and thickest clouds of th' airy firmament.

12 And at the brightness of that light which was before his eye,

His thick clouds pass'd away, hailstones and coals of fire did fly.

13 The Lord God also in the heav'ns did thunder in his ire;

And there the Highest gave his voice, hailstones, and coals of fire.

14 Yea, he his arrows sent abroad,
and them he scattered:

His lightnings also he shot out,
and them discomfited.

15 The waters' channels then were seen,
the world's foundations vast

At thy rebuke discover'd were,
and at thy nostrils' blast.

16 And from above the Lord sent down,
and took me from below;
From many waters he me drew,
which would me overflow.

17 He me reliev'd from my strong foes, and such as did me hate;

Because he saw that they for me

too strong were, and too great.

18 They me prevented in the day
of my calamity:

But, even then, the Lord himself
a stay was unto me.

19 He to a place, where liberty

and room was, hath me brought; Because he took delight in me, he my deliv'rance wrought. 20 According to my righteousness, he did me recompense, He me repaid according to my hands' pure innocence.

21 For I God's ways kept, from my God did not turn wickedly.

22 His judgments were before me; I his laws put not from me.

23 Sincere before him was my heart,
with him upright was I;

And watchfully I kept myself
from mine iniquity.

24 After my righteousness the Lord
hath recompensed me,

After the cleanness of my hands
appearing in his eye.

25 Thou gracious to the gracious art,
to upright men upright.

26 Pure to the pure, froward thou kyth'st unto the froward wight.

27 For thou wilt the afflicted save, in grief that low do lie:

But wilt bring down the countenance
of them whose looks are high.

28 The Lord will light my candle so,
that it shall shine full bright:
The Lord my God will also make
my darkness to be light.

29 By thee through troops of men I break, and them discomfit all: And, by my God assisting me, I overleap a wall.

30 As for God, perfect is his way:
the Lord his word is tried:

He is a buckler to all those
who do in him confide.

31 Who but the Lord is God? but he
who is a rock and stay?

32 'Tis God that girdeth me with strength, and perfect makes my way.

33 He made my feet swift as the hind's, set me on my high places.

34 Mine hands to war he taught, mine arms brake bows of steel in pieces.

35 The shield of thy salvation

thou didst on me bestow;

Thy right hand held me up, and great
thy kindness made me grow.

36 And in my way, my steps thou hast
enlarged under me;

That I go safely, and my feet.
are kept from sliding free.

37 Mine en'mies I pursued have,
and did them overtake;

Nor did I turn again, till I

an end of them did make.

38 I wounded them: they could not rise; they at my feet did fall.

39 Thou girdedst me with strength for war; my foes thou brought'st down all.

40 And thou hast giv'n to me the necks.
of all mine enemies,

That I might them destroy and slay
who did against me rise.

41 They cried out, but there was none
that would or could them save:
Yea, they did cry unto the Lord,
but he no answer gave.

42 Then did I beat them small, as dust
before the wind that flies;

And I did cast them out, like dirt
upon the street that lies.

43 Thou mad'st me free from people's strife, and heathens' head to be:

A people whom I have not known
shall service do to me.

44 At hearing they shall me obey;
to me they shall submit.

45 Strangers for fear shall fade away, who in close places sit.

46 God lives, blest be my Rock: the God of my health praised be.

47 God doth avenge me, and subdues the people under me.

48 He saves me from mine enemies :

yea, thou hast lifted me

Above my foes; and from the man
of vi'lence set me free.

49 Therefore to thee will I give thanks
the heathen folk among;

And to thy name, O Lord, I will
sing praises in a song.

50 He great deliv'rance gives his king;
he mercy doth extend

To David, his anointed One,
and his seed without end.

THIS Psalm contains the measure and amount of the glory of God, as displayed in the works of creation. Whether we look at the heaven above, studded with stars and lightened by sun and moon, or at the earth beneath, clothed with verdure and vocal with praise, we cannot fail to see much of the glory of God. External nature speaks in a tongue which every nation understands. The Fall, however, has drawn an Ichabod over much of creation. It is a marred and defaced book. Hence the Psalmist, by a just and beautiful transition, carries the people of God to the pages of the Gospel and the ordinances of the church, as the true reflectors of the glory of Christ, who is the perfect brightness of his Father's glory. Let us sing this Psalm, praising God for creation and providence, but above all for redemption through Christ Jesus, and add our solemn amen to the prayer of David contained in the 13th and 14th verses.

[ST. MAGNUS. COOKE'S CHANT.]

1 THE heav'ns God's glory do declare ; the skies his hand-works preach,

2 Day utters speech to day, and night to night doth knowledge teach.

3 There is no speech, nor tongue, to which their voice doth not extend.

4 Their line is gone through all the earth, their words to the world's end.

5

In them he set the sun a tent,

Who, bridegroom-like, forth goes