תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

II Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad : let the fea make a nofe, 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 righteoufnefs to judge the world, and the people with

his truth.

Pfalm xcvii. Dominus regnavit.

HE Lord is King, the earth may be glad thereof: yea, the multitude of the ifles may be glad thereof.

TH

2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteouf nefs and judgement 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 righteoufnefs: and all the people have feen 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, becaufe 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 fhall deliver them from the hand of the ungodly.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Pfalm xevi.] When the prophet, in this pfalm, exhorted all the na tios of the earth to fing praifes unto God, and to come and worship in his temple; they were not in a condition to discharge this duty, because they were engaged in ignorance and idolatry. Therefore thefe exhorta tions are peculiarly applicable to the times of the gospel, and defcribe the zeal which should infpire us, and the joy which good men fhould exprefs, when they reflect, that the feveral nations of the world are en. lightened with the knowledge of the true God, and of his fon Jefus Christ. PRAC

19

11 There is sprung up a light for the righteous: and joyful glaunefs for fuch as are true-hearted.

12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous and give thanks for a remembrance of his holiness.

[ocr errors]

EVENING

PRAYER.

Pfalm xcviii. Cantate Domino.

Sing unto the Lord a new fong: for he hath done marvellous things.

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 remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Ifrael: and all the ends of the world have feen the falvation of our God.

5 Shew yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands: fing, rejoice, and give thanks.

6 Praife 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 noife, 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.

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Pfalm xcvii.] This pfalm is not fo much a defcription of God's dominion over the Jews, as a prophecy of the establishment of the kingdom of Jefus Chrift over all nations, and the deftruction of idolatry and impiety. The holy spirit here defcribes the effects which the coming of that kingdom would produce, and the joy which the faithful would feel when it fhould be manifefted; wherefore it principally concerns us to improve thofe affections of zeal and devotion which are manifeft in this divine fong.

PRAC

TH

18

Pfalm xcix. Dominus regnavit.

HE Lord is King, be the people never fo impatient: he fittest 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 hast executed judgment and righteouf nefs in Jacob.

5 O magnify the Lord our God: and fall down before his footftool, for he is holy.

6 Mofes and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among fuch as call upon his Name: these called upon the Lord, and he heard them.

7 He fpake unto them out of the cloudy pillar: for they kept his teftimonies, and the law that he gave them.

8 Thou heardeft them, O Lord our God: thou forgaveft them, O God, and punifhedst their own inventions. 9 O magnify the Lord our God, and worship him upon his holy hill for the Lord our God is holy.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

Pfalm xcviii.] This pfalm regards Chriftians, rather than the Jews; as it is only fince the coming of Jefus Chrift, that we can properly fay, that God has fulfilled his promifes, and hath remembered his mercy and his truth;" and that all the ends of the world have feen the falvation of our God." It is now therefore that men fhould "fing unto the Loid a new fong," Now ought his glory to be celebrated by all nations, and in all places of the world, with holy tranfports of joy. Now, fince we live in thefe happy times when God reigns over us, and know that he is to judge the world in righteoufnefs, we ought to fubmit to him with humility and obedience, and anfwer the valuable favour he has bestowed on us, in "delivering us from the power of darkness, and tranflating us into the kingdom of his dear Son."

Pfal. xcix] Here we learn, i. That it is the duty of those who have the happiness to know God, and to be the fubjects of his kingdom, fear him, to reverence his majefty, to worship him with the profoundel humility, and without ceafing, to celebrate his name, which is great, terrible, and holy. 2. That God did forme ly deliver the Ifraelites whe Mofes, Aaron, and Samuel, called upon him; and that he alfo took

[ocr errors]

O

fong.

198

Pfalm c. Jubilate Deo.

Be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands: ferve the Lord with gladnefs, and come before his prefence with a

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 fheep of his pafture.

30 go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praife: 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.

M

Pfalm ci. Mifericordiam & judicium.

fong shall be of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I fing.

2 O let me have understanding: in the way of godliness. 3 When wilt thou come unto me: I will walk in my house 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.

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.

PRACTICAL

OBSERVATIONS.

vengeance on them for their fins, when they offended him. This fhews, that as God is always good, he is alfo juft, and has fometimes made men feel the marks of his mercy, and fometimes of his wrath, to engage them to love and fear him.

Pfalm c.] There are three reflections to be made on this pfalm: I. That we ought to pray, that all nations of the world may worship the Lord, and glorify his name; and that to this end God would make himfelf known unto them, and give them the knowledge of his fon Jeíus Chrift. 2. That if we defire to ferve God in an acceptable manner, we must not do it by constraint, or with our lips only, but heartily and with a holy joy. 3. That in order to excite us to this duty, we must confiler, that God is our Creator; that "we are his people, and the fheep of his pasture;" and that he heaps his favours upon us, not only of nature, but efpecially of grace, and gives his church tokens of his goodnefs and

mercy.

PRAC.

[ocr errors]

7 Whofo hath alfo a proud look and high ftomach: 1 will not fuffer him.

8 Mine eyes look upon fuch as are faithful in the land : that they may dwell with me.

9 Whofo leadeth a godly life: he fhall be my servant. 10 There fhall no deceitful perfon dwell in my house: he that telleth lies, fhall not tarry in my fight.

11 I shall foon deftroy all the ungodly that are in the land: may root out all wicked doers from the city of the

that Lord.

MORNING PRAYER.

Pfalm cii. Domine, exaudi.

EAR my prayer, O Lord: and let my crying come unto thee.

HE

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 grafs : fo that I forget to eat 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.

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Pfalm ci.] fn this pfalm we fee what are the duties and fentiments of good princes and good mag frates, and how they ought to conduct themfelves in the government of their states. 1. They ought to walk in uprightness, to abhor evil, and to apply themselves to govern their people with juftice. 2. It is their duty to punith the wicked and the ungodly; to drive from them proud men, flanderers, deceivers, and Aatterers; and on the contrary, to make much of upright and fincere men, protecting them, and employing them in their fervice. Perfons in authority ought to meditate upon this pfalm for their inftruction; and we ought all of us to pray to God that he would infpire thofe that govern the people with thef fentiments; fnce upon that depends the happiness and tranquility of the public, and the promoting of the glory of God.

7 I have

« הקודםהמשך »