O Lord who shall stand 4 But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maiest befeared 5 I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope 6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning 7 Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption 8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities Psalm cxxxi A song of degrees of David 1 LOrd my heart is not haughtie nor mine eyes loftie neither do I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me 2 Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his mother my soul is even as a weaned child 3 Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever Psalm cxxxii A song of degrees 1 LOrd remember David and all his afflictions 2 How he sware unto the Lord and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob. 3 Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my house nor go up into my bed 4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes or slumber to my eye-lids 5 Until I find out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. 6 Lo we heard of it at Ephratah we found it in the fields of the wood 7 We will go into thy Tabernacles we will worship at thy foot-stool 8 Arise O Lord into thy rest thou and the Ark of thy strength 9 Let thy Priests be clothed with righteousnâ—s and let thy saints shout for joy 10 For thy servan Davids sake turn not away the face of thine anointed 11 The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David he will not turn from it of the fruit of thy bodie will I set upon thy throne 12 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimonie that I shall teach them their children also shall fit on thy throne for evermore 13 For the Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation 14 This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it 15 I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread 16 I will also clothe her Priests with salvation and her saints shall shout aloud for joy 17 There will I make the horn of David to bud I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed 18 His enemies will I clothe with shame but upon himself shall his Crown flourish A song of degrees of David Psalm cxxxiii 1 BEhold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unitie 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garment 3 As the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Sion for there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psalm cxxxiv. A song of degrees 1 BEhold bless ye the Lord all ye servants of the Lord which by night stand in the house of the Lord. 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuarie and bless the Lord. 3 The Lord that made heaven earth bless thee out of Sion Psalm cxxxv 1 PRaise ye the Lord praise ye the name of the Lord praise him O ye servants of the Lord. 2 Ye that stand in the house of the Lord in the courts of the house of our God 3 Praise ye the Lord for the Lord is good sing praises unto his name for it is pleasant 4 For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure 5 For I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all Gods 6 Whatsoever tâ—e Lord pleased that did â—e in heaven and in earth 7 He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth he maketh lightnâ—ngs for the rain he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries 8 Who smote the first-born of Egypt both of man and beast 9 Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee O Egypt upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants 10 Who smote great nations slew mightie Kings 11 Sihon King of the Amorites and Og King of Bashan and all the Kingdoms of Canaan 12 And gave their land for an heritage unto Israel his people 13 Thy name O Lord endureth for ever and thy memorial O Lord through all generations 14 For the Lord will judge his people and he will repâ—nt himself concerning his servants 15 The Idols of the heathen are silver and gold the work of mens hands 16 They have mouthes but they speak not eyes have they but they see not 17 They have eaâ—s but they heâ—r not neither is there any breath in their mouthes 18 They that make them are like unto them so is every one that trusteth in them 19 Bless the Lord O houâ—e of Israel bless the Lord O house of Aaron 20 Bless the Lord O house of Levi ye that fear the Lord bless the Lord. 21 Blessed be the Lord out of Sion which dwelleth at Jerusalem Praise ye the Lord. Psalm cxxxvi 1 O Give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercie endureth for ever 2 O give thanks unto the God of Gods for his mercie endureth for ever 3 O give thanks to the Lord of Lords for his mercie endureth for ever 4 To him who alone doth great wonders for his mercie endureth for ever 5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens for his mercie endureth for ever 6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters for his mercie endureth for ever 7 To him that made great lights for his mercie endureth for ever 8 The son to rule by day â—or his mercie endureth for ever 9 The moon and stars to rule by night for his mercie endureth for ever 10 To him that smote Egypt in their first-born for his mercie endureth for-ever 11 And brought out Israel from among them for his mercie endureth for ever 12 With a strong hand and a stretched-out arm for his mercie endureth for ever 13 To him which divided the red-sea into parts for his mercie endureth for ever 14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it for his mercie endureth for ever 15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the red-sea for his mercie endureth for ever 16 To him which led his people through the wilderness for his mercie endureth for ever 17 To him which smote great Kings for his mercie endureth for ever 18 And slew famous Kings for his mercie endureth for ever 19 Sihon King of the Amorites for his mercie endureth for ever 20 And Og the King of Bashan for his mercie endureth for ever 21 And gave their land for an heritage for his mercie endureth for ever 22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant for his mercie endureth
Lord a new song sing unto the Lord all the earth 2 Sing unto the Lord bless his name shew forth his salvation from day to day 3 Declare his glory among the heathen his wonders among all people 4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all gods 5 For all the gods of the naâ—ions are idols but the Lord made the heavens 6 Honour and majestie are before him strength and beautie are in his sanctuarie 7 Give unto the Lord O ye kindreds of the people give unto the Lord glorie and strength 8 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name bring an offering and come into his courts 9 O worship the Lord in the beautie of holiness fear before him all the earth 10 Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved he shall judge the people righteously 11 Let the heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad let the sea roar and the fulness thereof 12 Let the field be joyfull and all that is therein then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce 13 Before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth Psalm xcvii 1 THe Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of Isles be glad thereof 2 Clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness judgement are the habitations of his throne 3 A fire goeth before him and burneth up his enemies round about 4 His lightenings enlightned the world the earth saw and trembled 5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth 6 The heavens declare his righteousnes and all the people â—ee his glory 7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images that boast themselves of idols worship him all ye gods 8 Sion heard was glad and the daughters of Judah rejoyced because of thy judgements O Lord. 9 For thou Lord art high above all the earth thou art exalted far above all Gods 10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil he preserveth the souls of his Saints he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked 11 Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart 12 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous give thanks at the remembrance of his holinesâ— Psalm xcviii A Psalm 1 O sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marvellous things his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten himself the victory 2 The Lord hath made known his salvation his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen 3 He hath remembred his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God 4 Make a joyfull noise unto the Lord all the earth make a loud noise and rejoyce and sing praise 5 Sing unto the Lord with the harp with the harp and the voice of a Psalm 6 With trumpets sound of corner make a joyfull noise before the Lord the King 7 Let the sea roar the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein 8 Let the flouds clap their hands let the hils be joyful together 9 Before the Lord for he cometh to judge the earth with righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equitie Psalm xcix 1 THe Lord reigneth let the people tremble he sitteth between the cherubims let the earth be moved 2 The Lord is great in Sion and he is high above all people 3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name for it is holy 4 The Kings strength also loveth judgement thou doest establish equity thou executest judgement and righteousness in Jacob 5 Exalt ye the Lord your God and worship at his foot-stool for he is holy 6 Moses and Aaron among his Priests and Samuel among them that call upon his name they called upon the Lord and he answered them 7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar they kept his testimonies and the ordinance that he gave them 8 Thou answeredst them O Lord our God thou wast a God that forgavest them though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions 9 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy hill for the Lord our God is holy A psalm of praise 1 MAke a joyfull noise unto the Lord all ye lands 2 Serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing 3 Know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selves we are his people and the sheep of his pasture 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankfull unto him bless his name 5 For the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations Psalm ci A Psalm of David 1 I will sing of mercy judgement unto thee O Lord will I sing 2 I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way O when wilt thou come unto me 3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the work of them that turn aside 4 A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person 5 Who so privily slandereth his neighbour him will I cut off him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer 6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me 7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight 8 I will early destroy all the wiâ—ked of the land that I may cut off all wicked doers from the citie of the Lord. Psalm cii A Prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed pourâ—th out his complaints before the Lord. 1 HEar my prayer O Lord and let my cry come unto thee 2 Hide not thy â—ace from me in the day that I am in trouble encline thine ear unto me in the day when I call answer me speedily 3 For my dayes are consumed like smoak my bones are burnt as an hearth 4 My heart is smittâ—â— and withered like grass so that I forget to eat my bread 5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin 6 I am like a Pelican of the wilderness I am like an Owl of the desert 7 I watch and anâ— as a sparrow alone upon the house top 8 Mine enemies reproch me all the day and they that are mad against me are sworn against me 9 For I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with weeping 10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath for thou hast lifted me up and cast me down 11 My dayes are like a shadow that declineth
and I am withered like grass 12 But thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance unto all generations 13 Thou shalt arise and have mercie upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come 14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof 15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glorie 16 When the Lord shall build Sion he shall appear in his glorie 17 He shall regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer 18 This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. 19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuarie from heaven did the Lord behold the earth 20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner to loose those that are appointed to death 21 To declare the name of the Lord in Sion and his praise in Jerusalem 22 When the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. 23 He weakened my strength in the way he shortned my dayes 24 I said O my God take me not away in the midst of my daie 2 Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed as the Eagles 6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed 7 He made known his wayes unto Moses his acts unto the children of Israel 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy 9 He will not allwayes chide neither will he keep his anger for ever 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercie toward them that fear him 12 As far as the East is from the West so far hath he removeth our transgressions from us 13 Like as a father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him 14 For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust 15 As for man his dayes are as grass as a flower of the field so he flourisheth 16 For the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more 17 But the mercie of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto childrens children 18 To such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his commandments to do them 19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all 20 Bless the Lord ye his angels that excel in strength that do his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word 21 Bless ye the Lord all ye his hosts ye ministers of his that do his pleasure 22 Bless the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion bless the Lord O my soul. Psalm civ 1 BLess the Lord O my soul O Lord my God thou art very great thou art clothed with honour and Majestie 2 Who coverest thy self with light as with a garment who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain 3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters who maketh the clouds his chariot who walketh upon the wings of the wind 4 Who maketh his angels spirits his ministers a flaming â—ire 5 Who laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed for ever 6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment the waters stood above the mountains 7 At thy rebuke they fled at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away 8 They go up by the mountains they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them 9 Thou hast set a bound that they may may not pass over that they turn not again to cover the earth 10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys which run among the hils 11 They give drink to every beast of the field the wild asses quench their thirst 12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation which sing among the branches 13 He watereth the hils from his chambers the earth is satisfied with the fruit of his works 14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattel and hearb for the service of man that he may bring forth food out of the earth 15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man and oyl to make his face to shine and bread which strengtheneth mans heart 16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap the Cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted 17 Where the birds make their nests as for the stork the fir-trees are her house 18 The high hils are a refuge for the wild Goats and the rocks for the conies 19 He appointeth the moon for seasons the sun knoweth his going down 20 Thou makest darkness and it is night wherein all the beasts of the forrest do creep forth 21 The young lions roar after their prey and seek their meat from God 22 The sun ariseth they gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens 23 Man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until the evening 24 O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches 25 So is the great and wide sea wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great 26 There go the ships there is that Leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein 27 These wait all upon thee that thou maist give them their meat in due season 28 That thou givest them they gather thou openest thine hand they are filled with good 29 Thou hidest thy face they are troubled thou takest away their breath they die and return to their dust 30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth 31 The glorie of the Lord shall endure for ever the Lord shall rejoyce in his works 32 He looketh on the earth and it trembleth he toucheth the hills and they smoak 33 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being 34 My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. 35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth and let the wicked be no more bless thou the Lord O my soul. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm cv 1 O Give thanks unto the Lord call upon his name make known his deeds among the people 2 Sing unto him sing Psalms unto him talk ye of all his wonderous works 3 Glorie ye in his holy name let the heart of them rejoyce that â—ear the Lord. 4 Seek
presence of the God of Jacob. 8 Which turned the rock into a standing water the flint into a fountain of waters Psalm cxv 1 NOt unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory for thy mercy and for thy truths sake 2 Wherefore should the heathen say where 〈◊〉 now their God 3 But our God is in the heavens he hath done whatsoever he pleased 4 Their Idols are silver and gold the work of mens hands 5 They have mouths but they speak not eyes have they but they see not 6 They have ears but they hear not noses have they but they smell not 7 They have hands but they handle not feet have they but they walk not neither speak they through their throat 8 They that make them are like unto them so is every one that trusteth in them 9 O Israel trust thou in the Lord he is thy help and thy shield 10 O house of Aaron trust in the Lord he is their help and their shield 11 Ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord he is their help and their shield 12 The Lord hath been mindfull of us he will bless us he will bless the house of Israel he will bless the house of Aaron 13 He will bless them that fear the Lord both small and great 14 The Lord shall increase you more and more you and your children 15 You are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth 16 The heaven even the heavens are the Lords but the earth hath he given to the children of men 17 The dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down into silence 18 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore Praise the Lord. 1 I Love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications 2 Because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live 3 The sorrows of death compassed me and the pains of hell-gate hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow 4 Then called I upon the name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my Soul 5 Gracious is the Lord and righteousâ— yea our God is merciful 6 The Lord preserveth the simple I was brought low and he helped me 7 Return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee 8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling 9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living 10 I believed therefore have I spoken I was greatly afflicted 11 I said in my hast All men are liars 12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me 13 I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. 14 I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people 15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints 16 Oh Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant and the son of thy handmaid thou hast loosed my bonds 17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanks-giving will call upon the name of the Lord. 18 I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people 19 In the courts of the Lords house in the middest of thee O Jerusalem praise yâ— the Lord. Psalm cxvii 1 O Praise the Lord all ye nations praise him all ye people 2 For his merciful kindness is great towards us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever praise ye the Lord. Psalm cxviii 1 O Give thanks unto the Lord for he is good because his mercie endureth for ever 2 Let Israel now say that his mercie endureth for ever 3 Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercie endureth for ever 4 Let them now that fear the Lord say that his mercy endureth for ever 5 I called upon the Lord in distress the Lord answered me and set me in a large place 6 The Lord is on my side I will not fâ—ar what can man do unto me 7 The Lord taketh my part with them that help me therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me 8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man 9 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in Princeâ— 10 All nations compassed me about but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them 11 They compassed me about yea they compassed me about but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them 12 They compassed me about like bees they are quenched as the fire of thorns for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them 13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall but the Lord helped me 14 The Lord is my strength and song and is become my saltion 15 The voyce of rejoycing and salvation is in the Tabernacles of the righteous the right hand of the Lord doth valiantly 16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted the right hand of the Lord doth valiantly 17 I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. 18 The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not given me over unto death 19 Open to me the gates of righteousness I will go in to them I will praise the Lord. 20 This gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter 21 I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and art become my salvation 22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner 23 This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes 24 This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it 25 Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperitie 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. 27 God is the Lord which hath shewed us light bind the sacrifice with cords even unto the horns of the Altar 28 Thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God I will exalt thee 29 O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercie endureth for ever Aleph 1 BLessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart 3 They also do no iniquity they walk in his wayes 4 Thâ—u hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently 5 O that my wayeâ— were directed to keep thy statutes 6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy commandments 7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements 8 I will keep thy statutes O forsake me not utterly Beth. 9 Wherewithall shall a
thy praise That hereby O Lord thou hast more rejoyced my heart than all the joyes under heaven could have done the joy of harvest be it never so plentiful is nothing comparable to the shining of Gods favorable countenance through Christ upon the soul and the assurance of his grace towards us in him 8 Yea I am so comforted with his favour and confident of his faithfulness in protecting me that all my troubles and dangers shall not disquiet me but I can peaceably injoy my self and take my rest through faith in God For whilest I have thee O Lord on my side and that thou doest but thus fortifie my spirit with the assurance of thy faithfulness and favour and keepest fresh in memorie thy former mercies in my manifold deliverances be my case never so desperate thou alone art securitie enough unto me Fifth PSALM David prayeth to God for audience and answer touching his preservation because of his firm confidence vehement importunitie and his enemies wickedness which God hating in his holiness will therefore punish in his justice But because David was and ever would be a servant and worshipper of God he therefore hopes and prayes that God will shew him how to escape his enemies which without his direction he can never do they are so full of deceit and crueltie For which he prayes God to punish them yea to take them in their traps But for the godly that trust in the Lord and do love and fear him he prayes they may ever prosper and have cause of continual rejoycing in outward preservation and inward manifestation of grace and favour which likewise he promiseth to such To him that is most skilful upon the instrument Nehiloth to which the Psalm is chiefly set do I David that made it recommend it for his care and ordering of it in the Quire 1 GOod Lord let me have thine ear to the prayer wherewith I humbly bespeak thee which is not a bare lip-labour but springs from within me out of the most intense thoughts of my mind and heart caused by the sense of my many miseries and confidence of thy gracious goodness which I pray thee consider to move thee to hear and grant my requests 2 My grief makes me importunate and earnest with thee for audience to whose free gift and Sovereign bountie I pay the Homage of all I hold and in whom I onely trust for protection knowing and believing thee to be my all-sufficient and good God Therefore thou must not fail to hear and answer me for I will never cease calling upon thee nor will I seek to any other but thee 3 My greatest confidence is in thee and therefore my first and chiefest addresses shall be to thee It is thee O Lord that I relie upon and prefer before wicked shifts and humane policie and therefore with me thou shalt have precedencie of all things both for time and place Early when others are otherways busied contriving how to bring to pass their wicked designs by evil means then will I be supplicating thy throne of grace O Lord there will I be busied and thither will I direct my prayer 4 And in this I have great odds of mine enemies for I know the righteous God loves righteousness and takes no pleasure in the wickednes of the wicked How pleasing soever their ways be to themselves they are hateful to God nor shall ever sin and iniquitie find favour from him be acceptable to him or be blessed by him 5 And as sin so the obstinate sinners shall have no favour from the Lord for thou art too righteous to love wicked workers nay in thy holiness thou hatest and abhorrest them 6 They that think to prevail by lying and dissembling thou wilt in thy righteousness turn it to their ruin thou Lord wilt not endure that the cruel minded and fals-hearted should prosper 7 Let them think to thrive in those ways for my part I am resolved of another course I 'le keep close to thee and trust firmly in thine abundant goodness and mercie to me which shall make me frequent thee with prayer and praise and in obedience to thy holy will I will make mine humble supplications and offer up thanks-givings to thee through the mediation of Christ who shall be figured by the holy Temple 8 O Lord be thou faithful to me and careful over me that I fall not into the snares of mine enemies who are so watchful to catch me shew me the way thou wouldst have me to walk and which thou wilt bless unto me for my preservation 9 For if thou doest not furnish me with wisdom and instruct me how to escape they will be too hard for me seeing they make no conscience to lie and dissemble they have no truth nor honestie in them but are wholly composed of malice mischief and deceit it s their studie and delight they care not what they say nor how false they pretend so that thereby they may devour me and them that side with me and to compass their cruel designs can speak fair and mean false 10 Thou that art a righteous God and hatest such dealing plague them for it that they may know thou knowst it and abhorrest them for it entrap them by their own dissemblings and take them in their own deceitful snares Let their sins which are so many and great stir up thy just wrath against them to confound them and free thine Israel of them for it is not me onely but thee that they set at nought and rebel against 11 And as thou shewest thy self an enemy to thine enemies so let the world see thou art a friend to thy friends Let all those that faithfully trust in thee and humbly depend upon thee prosper in so doing when thine enemies weep let them rejoyce and that with infinite joy and gladness because of thy wonderful and apparent preservation of them Yea let those who believing in thee do withal fear and love thee not onely joy in thine outward preservation of them but also inwardly in thy grace and salvation 12 For indeed thou Lord art and wilt ever be not onely a God of outward blessings to him that loves thee and trusts in thee but wilt also inwardly so manifest thy special and saving grace and favour to him as it shall make him dreadless of any outward danger by being assured through thy mercie of salvation it self Sixth PSALM God having brought upon David a fore sickness or some grievous affliction he intreats to be chastized with fatherly gentleness and that he would compassionate the great miserie he sustained both in bodie and soul and restore him to health and comfort and not prosecute him to death but let him live to give him thanks professing how many tears and prayers his sin and sickness had cost him and the rather because of the malicious insolencie of his enemies whom he concludes God will certainly defeat of
ever for me to trust in He shews now that he hath not been idle all the while he seemed so but hath been fitting himself to execute judgement when the time shall come as now it is 8 And the wicked of the world shall ever find it so that though they think him remiss and careless how things go yet they shall find that he is not so but with most perfect wisdom righteousness and integrity will judge and punish the wicked all the world over sooner or later 9 And so also on the other side shall the poor and innocent when they are unjustly oppressed however they may likewise think him regardless yet shall they not find him so but if they flee to him trust in him he will be a refuge to them yea then when because of extremity they most need it and can least think or exspect it 10 And truly they that know thy power and goodness and have had triall of it will venture all upon thee For for my part I am able to say it that as I have sought to thee and none but thee so thou hast never failed mine exspectation nor been unfaithful to my trust but according to my praier and dependance have I ever found thee helpful to me and so shall others 11 O ye Ministers of his worship to whom I have recommended this Psalm of praise Lift up your voices in praises to the Lord that hath chosen Sion for the place of his special residence and solemn worship where accordingly you celebrate it let the people that resort thither hear you sing aloud his marveilous doings that they may also learn to praise him and trust in him 12 When the time cometh that mens sins are ripe and that he will call them to accompt and reckon with them for the bloud of the innocent which they have unjustly shed or coveted he will then make it appear that he remembers to right the wrongs of them that trust in him and seek to him and forgets not the cry of the afflicted that in singleness of heart and poverty of spirit makes his humble addresses to him as to his onely refuge 13 Though I have had many deliverances and thou hast given me great cause to praise thee for ridding me of a world of enemies yet I am not without but still have those that hate me and of meer malice vex and trouble me so that I suffer much by them good Lord still continue to be merciful to me and to deliver me thou that many and many a time hast delivered me when mine enemies had brought me to that pass that I knew not which way to turn me but death and destruction waited for me on every side 14 That I may muster up all thy mercies and praisefully proclaim them in the publick assemblies of Sion the place which of all Israel and Jerusalem thou hast chosen for thy publick and solemn worship Yea there I will most joyfully make known thy saving grace and favour to me 15 Thou hast vanquished the heathen and disappointed their plots and designs against me having ensnared them in the ruine they meant to me 16 All men that have eyes may see that thou favorest me and may be convinced that it is onely thy doing that mine enemies are foiled by the manner of thy effecting it and thine executing such wonderful and admirable judgments upon them making their own wicked enterprises against me the means to bring to pass their own destruction I cannot but extraordinarily put men on seriously to mind and muse on this thy remarkable providence Yea again and again I wish they would well consider this thing 17 And mark how my foes perish even so shall all the wicked of the world that rebel against Christ and resist his government and oppress his innocent and righteous people perish eternally in hell even all the nations of the world that know not God to serve him and believe in him like as the heathen people hereabout that take up arms against me come to ruine 18 For though God may defer his judgeing the wicked and his delivering the poor and needy that trust in him very long for so he did me yet will he not ever do so either first or last there will come a time when the poor afflicted ones shall be sure of what they have long praied and looked for 19 Thou O Lord hast long forborn the heathen but truely they are grown now to that greatness and insolency that if thou doest not shew thy self in my behalf they will have the better of me and so of thee whose quarrel I maintain Therefore look thou to it that they which are but men get not the better of thee by vanquishing me but by thy judgements upon them let them plainly see its thou that condemnest them and justifies me 20 O Lord by thy judgements upon them make them afraid to hold on their course of enmity and opposition against me by seeing thee to take part with me and so cause them to know by their ill success that for all their great power and multitudes of people they are too weak by humane strength which yet they trust in as if it were more to resist thee whose cause I maintain and fight for Yea Lord make them know it to purpose Tenth PSALM David represents to God his own and his peoples condition generally in this world under the insolent confidence of the wicked heaping unmeasurable pressures upon the godly by reason of his long-suffering towards them which makes them worse and not better as he finds by experience in his persecutors Saul and his complices And therefore praies the Lord to appear for his people against them that do but abuse his patience and doubts not but he will even destroy the Churches enemies as he did the Cananites for Israels sake being the same God in pittie and power now as ever 1 2 MOst merciful and righteous Lord why art thou contrarie to thy nature and promise a stranger to the trouble of thy people me and others and takest no knowledge of it to help us in it but seemeth to let the wicked afflict the godly without regard who by thy forbearance is heightned exceedingly in wickednes and takes a pride to vex and trample down the poor thinking to make themselves great by oppression but Lord do thou blast and utterly disappoint their wicked designs against them that are good and do thou turn all the evil they unjustly imagine against the innocent upon the nocent 3 And truly its time for thee to shew thy self for men grow shameless in wickednes and are confident by those courses to carrie all before them thinking meanly of all good men and the ways they walk that are not as wicked and worldly minded as themselves esteeming those onely wise and happie that heap up riches and grow great by hook or crook whom
over mine enemies but hast also evermore preserved me from theirs and by thine omnipotency hast upheld me from being overthrown in the dayes of my weakness and persecution and as thy tender care hath thus preserved me so thy loving kindness hath advanced me to this top of honour and felicity I am now seated in 36 Thou many a time set me at liberty out of my straights and difficulties so that I miscarried not in my hazardous condition 37 I have defeated mine enemies so that they have fled from me and I have chased overtaken and utterly destroied them returning victorious 38 I have so spoiled and disabled their power that they have not been able to stirre against me they are subdued under me and are at my mercy 39 For thou Lord didst furnish me with courage and puissance to encounter mine enemies in plain field and set battel And thou it is that gavest me victory and enablest me to vanquish them that have waged warre against me 40 Yea thou hast subjugated them under mine obeisance and command and given me absolute and supream power to execute my pleasure on them that dare to malign or oppose me as Christ shall have 41 In their necessities they importuned help on all hands but there were none that durst appear in their behalfs against me yea they tried how they could speed by prayer to God because they saw others had done so and found themselves void of all other succour but they lost their labour and had no answer 42 But in stead thereof were wholly put into my hands whom I made examples of my just displeasure by taking deserved punishment upon them executing martial law I destroied them by multitudes without mercy or compassion as Christ shall his enemies when he takes vengeance on them and breaks them to pieces with a rod of iron 43 Thou hast delivered me from the oppositions and gain sayings that I found at mine entrance to the Crown by mine own people Israel and hast both set me over them and extended my dominions over many heathen nations also yea thou wilt yet make more and strange nations subject to me as well as they even as Jews and Gentils shall be to Christ. 44 So soon as they hear of my prowesse and victories they shall be willing to become my tributaries The heathen shall be glad to strike sail and offer me their allegiance as in like manner they shall do to the Messiah who shall conquer by his word as I by my sword 45 The courages of the heathen shall abate and they shall flie away at the renown of my power nor shall they think themselves safe in their strong holds but shall abandon them for fear of me 46 It is the Almighty and everliving God to whom I ascribe the surviving of all my miseries and the enjoyment of all my happiness and him will I ever blesse who hath been a sure rock of defence and safety to me in all storms and I will never forget to magnifie God as my sole and onely Saviour out of all my troubles 47 It is God that taketh vengeance of my potent and malicious enemies and suppresseth the mutinous and rebellious spirits of the popularity and keeps them in subjection and Allegiance to me 48 He delivers me from all mine enemies great and small less and more yea and subdues them that take up arms against me under my dominion yea thou hast done many favours for me but one above all the rest which I must principally record that is my great preservation from Saul my â—orest enemy and most malicious persecutor 49 Therefore will I give thee thanks O Lord even amongst the heathen will I publish the renown of thy saving power and goodness as Christ shall thy saving grace and righteousness that they may also know thee and believe in thee and will sing the praises of all thou hast wrought for me and give the glory thereof to thy grace and might 50 Great deliverance he both hath given and still continues to give to me whom he hath made King over Israel and ratified it after an extraordinary manner And hath and will shew mercy to his appointed and Annointed servant and Soveraign of his people in testimony of his favour and good will to him even to David the selected type of Christ and his victorious Kingdom who shall come of him and reign over his Church everlastingly as he and his posterity shall over Judah from generation to generation The xix PSALM David intending to magnifie Gods word and the condition of his people the Iews that did enjoy it of all the people of the world takes his rise from his works and those nations that onely enjoy them whereby though they might attain to much excellent knowledg of God thereby to magnifie and praise him Yet do his works how excellent soever declare him but under a common notion whereas his word holds him forth in a special manner manifesting and that with power and efficacy the way of life and salvation which we having lost it onely restores it to us making us holy like it self and consequently happy containing nothing but what is pure true and just and yields most profit and delight of any thing to them that conscionably observe it Which none doth or can do so exactly but that he needs both pardon of unknown sins and preservation against known ones which the very godly themselves cannot avoid but by power from God To be accepted in whose sight we must get our persons sanctified in thought word and deed and our sins done away by the virtue of Christs redemption To him that is the first and principal of all the Quire do I David that made this Psalm recommend it for the care and ordering of it to be sung 1 THe heavens and those glorious lights that shine therein manifest and magnifie the more glorious wisdom and power of God and that vast expanse and transparent region of the aire wherein those great and mighty clouds reside and birds take their flight shew forth his might and skill that made them 2 The continual and never failing succession of one day after another by the suns return upon the earth speaks the praise of his wise contrivement and by a constant course of one nights following another by the setting of the sun and the appearing of the moon and starrs is his exceeding great wisdom power and providence shewed and held forth 3 There is no people under heaven be they of never such different languages but the benefit of these things are participated to them and thereby the praise and glory of God is taught them and communicated to their understandings capacities 4 This glorious peice of creation the heavens and the firmament by the ordinance of God ever from the beginning have they overspread the whole earth and they speak the excellent wisdom
to compassion and pardon of all those my sins that may have caused thy displeasure that so I may find favour and receive some ease 19 My state is very forlorn and perillous if thou consider as I pray thee do and send help accordingly mine enemies for their number which is great and for their hatred of me which is to the death and their pursuit is accordingly with extream violence 20 They do all they can to take away my life O therefore do thou undertake to protect it from their rage and deliver me out of their hands Let me not miscarry by their power or policy and so I and my faith be rendred scornful and scandalous to them for I put my trust in thee thy truth and goodness therefore fail me not 21 Let the innocency of my cause and my just behaviour in it move thee to preserve me from the injustice of mine adversaries for on thee in respect of thy righteous promises do I trust and wait to be righted against their wrongs 22 O God that in thy faithfulness didest deliver Israel our Father out of all his troubles do the like by his seed and bring them into a state of peace and rest by and under me as shall the Church and faithful have one day by Christ. The xxvi PSALM David being slaundered by his enemies appeals to God to judge if he have done or thought as they say of him and whether to God and man his behaviour hath not been such as it should be which he is sure it hath the love of God constraining him Yea he hath declined all temptations to the contrary and is fully resolved to keep faith and a good conscience to the end And then praies That since he is and hath been studious of piety and innocency he may not be exposed to wicked mens cruelty nor his end be like theirs promising when God shall advance him to be as incorrupt and innocent in prosperity as in adversity And concludes with confidence of supportation and good success in Gods way which is the way he is in A Psalm made by David 1 MIne enemies condemn and censure me but Lord I appeal to thee who judgest with righteous judgement of whom I am sure I shall be acquit of all their slaunderous accusations for thou knowest that all I have done hath been with an honest heart in obedience to thee and without wrong-doing to any man nor have I so much as stepped out of the way by indirect and unlawful means to compass the fulfilling of thy promises but have both waited and believed in the Lord to do it in his own way and time Therefore I am confident that God in his grace and righteousness will uphold and prosper me and mine innocency against mine enemies 2 Having a clear conscience I freely expose and put my self into thine hands where I am sure of justice and truth to be examined and tried of those things whereof mine enemies unjustly accuse me both within and without as well touching the uprightness of mine heart in respect of pride or malice as the honesty and warrantableness of mine actions 3 For indeed I have such a tie upon me by reason of thy love and goodness to me which I alwayes with such thankful admiration and faithful dependance bear in mind as that it awes me from offending thee in any kind and makes me in return of love to thee to be most precise in my walking strictly observing to answer my duty to thy word and will in all things 4 Besides I have ever shunned occasions of evil not so much as taking counsel of men void of grace and conscience to do as they would have me nor will I ever consent to use or practise any crafty or hipocritical dealing like men that live and move more by policy than faith and honesty 5 I have ever detested both the company and counsels of wicked men nor will I be infected with them or adviced by them to go out of the way of faith and uprightness 6 My purpose is alwayes to tread an innocent path and to keep my self from doing unjust or unlawful things for such I know O Lord by those many legal cleansings thou hast instituted thou wilt onely accept of to worship thee and therefore will I be careful principally to maintain a pure conscience and conversation and then will I in comfort and confidence of thine acceptance of me and mine offering frequent thy tabernacle and there perform my ceremonial services of sacrifices and peace-offerings to thee 7 That so I may let all men know that do resort thither and declare to them both by those tokens of my thankfulness appointed in thy law for that purpose and by Psalms of praise the wonderful things thou shalt have wrought for me according to my trust in thee and thy promises which are my onely stay and thereby move them also to faithful thanksgiving 8 O Lord thou knowest my wayes have not been wayes of wickedness but of piety and holiness I have dearly loved and devoutly frequented thy holy ordinances in thy holy tabernacle and have been a diligent worshipper and honourer of thee there which thou hast ordained for that purpose and where thou art specially present 9 In thy goodness and mercy therefore remember me as such an one that desires and endeavours to serve thee in holiness and righteousness and expose me not to the wicked and bloudy hands of mine enemies nor bring that wrathful destruction upon me thou intendest unto them as the punishment of their iniquity and cruelty 10 Who plot and practise nothing but mischievous things and regard neither truth nor honesty but abuse their authority and pervert justice through corruption of bribes 11 But as for me if thou pleasest to set me in place of justice and authority then as I have carried my self in mine affliction so thou shalt find I will still keep a good conscience and walk in incorrupt and sincere wayes therefore O Lord think on me to deliver me out of my great affliction and misery and in mercy make good thy gracious promises to me 12 The unjust and unequitable wayes that mine enemies walk I am sure will bring them to ruine but as for me as I have troden the path of piety and equity so I am sure to find the reward of grace and mercy and to be upheld and made to stand when they shall stumble and fall This I know shall be my portion and for this before hand I vow praises and thanksgivings to God even in the publick congregations of Israel The xxvii PSALM David rowseth up his faith to overtop his fear by many arguments taken from former preservations and confidence that as God hath stirred up an earnest desire in him to worship him in his Tabernacle so he shall be preserved thereunto He further backs his faith with prayer pressing upon God the
with such power doth it operate even upon unsensible creatures That not onely the trees but also the mightie and unmoveable mountains whereon they grow are shaken by it and seem to jump up out of their places and from their center by the earth-quake which is begotten by that noise Even the mountains Lebanon and Hermon as great and weightie as they are are moved and in a moment rise and fall with the force of thunder 7 The thunder sends forth fearful and fiery-flashes of lightning from out the clouds and in an instant with a violent and sudden motion disperses and darts them hither and thither 8 The thunder by its mighty and frightful noise uttered as it were by the omnipotent mouth of God himself makes even the vast and savage wilderness yea that great and terrible one which the Israelites wandred in 40 years between Egypt and Canaan together with the wild beasts and formidable creatures therein which are so frightful to others themselves to quake and tremble 9 This noise of thunder so terrifies the most wild and untamedst creatures and which are of difficult production as are the Hinds that it makes them prevent natures season and for fear untimely cast their young and of such force it is that it layes the forrest in many parts of it plain by turning up trees by the rootes making a clear prospect through woods and groves This is one way whereby God gets himself glorie shewing this his greatness to the amazement of all men and all things and exspects of all men to be honoured thereafter But another and better way whereby he is honoured is now in his tabernacle and hereafter in his temple for saving-mercies with a sanctified worship where all the faithful do and must resort to give him the glorie and praises not onely of his greatness manifested in his works but chiefly of his goodness and mercie manifested in his word 10 O that the Kings and great men of the earth would therefore be awed by his works and won by his word to honour him and subject themselves to him and his holy ordinances and cease to rebel and rise up against him by opposing his Church and peoples quiet but if not The Lord that commands the raging seas and subdues their force can and will subdue theirs also for he shall bring all his enemies be they never so great under his feet and will reign for ever in and for his Church spite of all earthly power to the contrarie 11 The Lord will give his people the better of their adversaries be they never so potent and will establish them in peace and tranquillitie by and under me as Christ shall his Church in inward spiritual peace and consolation spite of all her enemies the world flesh or devil The xxx PSALM David upon his return to Ierusalem after Absaloms expulsion of him dedicates his house anew and thereat gratulates the mercies of God with this Psalm of praise for his deliverance and his enemies overthrow exhorting the Israel of God to rejoyce with him whom God had made such a monument of mercie to his people whom though for sin he may afflict as he did him yet will he remember mercie and hear their prayers as he did his to the end they may ever have cause to praise him as for his part he had and for ever would A Psalm of praise and thanks-giving made by David at his peaceable and victorious return to Jerusalem after Absaloms rebellion and appointed to be song with voice and instruments at the solemnity of dedicating his house by purging it from those incestuous filthinesses committed in it by him with his fathers concubines Whom therefore he put apart never to have any further knowledge of them 1 AS I have great cause so O Lord I will greatly magnifie the grace and mercie towards me for thou hast again exalted me and set me in my Kingdom and given me the better of mine enemies that traiterously rebelled against me and would have deposed me to have inthronized themselves in it 2 Lord God of infinit power and goodness such thou hast approved thy self to me when I was in distress I made thee mine onely refuge to thee alone did I in prayer and supplication make my moan and of thee sought I relief and thou hast accordingly quit me of all my troubles and restored me to my Kingdom in peace and safety as from death to life 3 O Lord to thy power and goodness do I wholly and solely ascribe my subsistence and recovery so miraculous and wonderful hath been my deliverance from such dangers that by no humane power could have been prevented from destroying me hadst not thou preserved me alive beyond all humane hope or help 4 O all ye my fellow-saints and servants the adopted and called of the Lord joyn with me to bless and praise him with joyful hearts in this my solemn memorial and thankful gratulation of his grace and faithfulness 5 For this my strange and speedy deliverance and restorement whereby he hath made me a monument of his goodness and mercie to his people everlastingly in all ages to encourage them to believe in him and pray to him be their sin and his displeasure seemingly never so great for that in faithfulness he will remember mercie even in judgement to such his anger is short-lived and makes the return of his favour much more sweet and precious like life from death If his people by sin grieve him he may justly withdraw the light of his countenance grieve them but grace and mercie sought to in faith and humilitie will soon remove the eclipse it shall be but as an evening to a morning the light of grace like that of nature will certainly return and with advantage for short sorrow makes welcome joy 6 And I for my part can give a full testimonie of this his dealing in my behalf for when as I was setled peaceably in my Kingdom and had brought under mine enemies my heart began to contract securitie and carnal confidence not living by faith and prayer as at other times but thought my self unchangeably happie never dreaming of such a strange revolt and rebellion 7 Acknowledging but with a mixture of too much carnal confidence in my present condition the grace of God in bestowing it on me and establishing it unto me not considering that he could as easily take it from me for sin as bestow it on me in mercie therefore God seeing cause withdrew his favour and support from me let me first fall into sin and then into danger to let me see what had preserved me from both to wit neither my goodness nor my good condition but his grace and favour and that onely can do it For notwithstanding all the obligations on his part and vows and promises on mine yet so soon as he ceased to dispense his auxiliarie favour and grace I fell into monstrous folly
attired onely at such times as thou appearest in the worlds eye as ordinarie women are but art ever so even within thy palace as well as without as is the Church not formally hypocritical and to the worlds view onely but really and sincerely gracious adorned by Christ with his own justifying righteousousness and sanctifying graces 14 That so thou maiest delight and please thy Lord and King when ever thou art presented to him in raiment worthy thy high linage and royal marriage and art accompanied to him with a gallant train of damosels fitting thy state and dignitie As shall the Catholick Church be by Christ his sanctifying spirit presented to himself in holiness and righteousness even all the blessed company of saints gathered from out the whole world to make up that blessed society and onely spouse of Christ. 15 Thou with thy troup of damosels shalt by Somons command and his servants ready attendance and obedience be ushered to his royal presence and pallace with infinit rejoycings and acclamations at that meeting and mutual imbracing As shall the Church and spouse of Christ made up of all the holy saints and sanctified ones be brought and presented by their holy calling in the ministry and by the ministers of the word unto Christ his grace and favour and by Angels into his everlasting glorie and presence in heaven to the infinit joy of Gods ministers and servants and with the acclamation of all those ministring spirits 16 By forsaking thy fathers house God himself will become a father to thee and will bless thee and make thee a happie mother of many hopefull children who shall command both Jews and Gentils As shall the Church of Christ by choosing him the second Adam for her Lord and husband and forsaking the first she shall thereby have God for her father and shall be blessed with a numerous off-spring all the world over all which spiritual progenie are a royal Generation children of the most high and put in Kingly office by him to command over all their earthly corruptions 17 And by so doing thou shalt lose no honour but through my blessing upon thee for it I will make the renown of this glorious act of thine to be famous and thou for it from age to age and thy memorie shall be precious and thy praises recorded in everlasting remembrance by the people of the Lord. As shall be the Church and spouse of Christ successively famous and honoured in all Generations for being his and her memorie happie and blessed from age to age after Generations of Gods people honorably memorizing them that went before with estimation and imitation to the worlds end The xlvi PSALM Ierusalem or the people of Israel being at present in some great strait or siedge by a powerful enemie and receiving deliverance The Author of this Psalm expresseth it in a high and hyperbolical strain thereby to incourage the faith of Gods people to a strong and extraordinarie belief in God for ever from their late eminent experience of his power and readiness to help them his favour towards them and presence with them which ought to establish and secure them for future A Psalm or song made and set to Alamoth an instrument or tune for the treble and committed to the family of the Korathites for them to sing 1 GOd is to us his people that depend upon him and trust in him both safetie from and power against our enemies he may be confided in to the uttermost peril for when we are nearest danger he is nearest to deliver 2 And therefore should there be never such revolutions in nature strange and terrible yet our faith in God shall keep us steadie yea though the center of the earth should shake and remove from its place and that by the violence of tempests the very mountains should be taken and hurled as a stone out of a sling from their place of residence far into the sea yet shall our faith establish our hearts in God his grace and protection how much more in the greatest tumults and commotions of civil affairs 3 Though storms both at land and sea should at once seem to overwhelm us and all the world and to dissolve the very course of nature it self the seas threatning an universal deluge by their tempestuous rising and fearful roaring and should even shake the very mountains with their violent and impetuous beating upon them yet in God shall our hearts hold up their heads 4 When the sea of troubles and combustions seem to overwhelm all the world besides and they be made to drink of most bitter and troubled waters even then shall the land of Jewry and especially the Citie of Jerusalem have peace and tranquillitie and drink their fill of the fresh and pleasant streams of Cedron for that it is Gods peculiar habitation and therefore hath it his peculiar protection and favour as shall have his holy and Catholick Church typified by his sanctuarie there the onely place of resort for all the Israel of God to worship him in 5 God in his worship and presence is there above all the world and therefore she shall be protected though the world be exposed she shall need to fear no danger for God shall both certainly and seasonably deliver her 6 The heathen people with great force and furie were inraged against us whole Kingdoms and conspiracies of the Gentil-nations were moved at us to seek our overthrow but the Lord Almighty took our parts and expressing his wrathful indignation by terrible thunder-claps from heaven against them dissipated and discomfited all their earthly power 7 Whatsoever armies are against us the powerful and great commander the Lord of hosts is with us the God of our father Jacob that mightily delivered him is on our side and in covenant with us to do the like for us Let us therefore be comforted in him 8 Consider well and thankfully remember the mighty mercies he hath shewn us in the powerful overthrows of our great and numerous enemies how for our sakes he hath wonderfully destroyed them more than once and nations more than one or two 9 He hath often times settled his people Israel in an universal peace spite of all the nations of the world their opposits whose forces he hath defeated and disabled their strength though great and as he hath done so his power and promises are still of force to do for his Church which he will preserve maugre her enemies and persecutors that infest her and will give her peace by their destruction and disablement as he hath done for us 10 Repose your hearts on God with inward content and securitie by a faithful expecting and apprehending of him for a God all-sufficient in your behalfs one that for your sakes will destroy the heathen and will honour his power and greatness upon the Gentils round about 11 Whatsoever armies are against us the powerful
given them Canaan the type of heaven which his people what ever they may suffer heâ—e shall be sure of For which mercies to all Israel but principally for his own particular ones which have been extraordinarie he promiseth praise with a free heart and a libâ—ral hand in all sorts of sacrifices appointed by God and would have the upright take notice for their learning that he never praid but was answered which he speaks to incourage such not Hypocrites who have no such priviledge as he and the rest of the â—aithful have whose prayers shall be effectual as his was To the President of the Quire is this Psalm committed for his ordering it to be sung and plaid by voices and instruments 1 THough all nations but we are as forreiners to God yet shall he have a Church of larger extent even all the World over that shall worship and praise him with joyful acclamations for his saving truths and benefits vouchsafed to them 2 They shall have their temple as well as we even the Gentils shall partake so liberally of his saving graces as that in the Antitype and complement of all our ceremonious musick they shall upon the coming of Christ his having a Church amongst them spiritually in a more divine strain than ours honour and magnifie his saving goodness gloriously praise him for it in higher degrees of faith and knowledge 3 Magnifie God for the terrible victories he hath at sundry times wrought upon the Gentils by the power of his might on the behalf of us his chosen people through the greatness of the power of whose grace shall these same rebellious Idolatrous Gentils one day be won to take Laws from God and become his people that now are in open enmitie against him and his Church to destroy it for which he so destroyes them 4 The time shall come that not we onely but the whole World shall know thee fear thee and believe in thee the Lord and shall offer thee that worship in substance which ours portrayes out in shadows the whole earth shall be thy temple and Quire for thy Church shall every where praise thee and magnifie thy saving goodness to them Lord let this thy Kingdom come 5 I would have all that are Gods in all ages often to recollect and consider for the strengthening of their faith and glorifying of God the wondrous things from time to time that he hath done for his Church and the works he hath wrought for the preservation of it how terribly he hath ever proceeded against the men of this World that have offended them and what judgements he hath alwayes executed upon such and ever will 6 How of old when his people Israel were in jeopardie and humanely impossible to escape being encompassed on all hands with unavoidable dangers the sea before and Pharaoh and his host behind how then the Lord by miracle wrought for them and divided the sea through which they passed upon drie land so also when they entred the land of Canaan what way the Lord made for them over Jordan in like sort though at that time it overflowed not going over it by help of boats or bridges but just as they did before through the red-sea the waters were divided miraculously and they went through on foot in the face of their enemies as if there had been no river betwixt O the joy that then was apprehended by our fore-fathers at the sight and experience of such wonderful power and goodness of God extended to his Church in their so supernatural accommodations for their safe transporting and their enemis destruction and disheartning which ought also in the memorie of it to rejoyce us and the people of God for ever being wrought by God as a pledge and assurance of his continual love towards the whole bodie of his Church and that he is the eternal Saviour of it from which act therefore ought to flow cause of rejoycing to us and all the Godly in all ages in the faith of the same immutable goodness 7 And power which shall never be weakened but as he then was so he is and ever will be of the same strength and sufficiencie to stand his Church in steed and to over-master their enemies nor will he be one jot less careful of his people hereafter than heretofore but as circumspect over them for their good in all parts of the world when they are universally called and gathered out of all nations to be peculiarly his as he was then to those that were so And as that ought to be an example and incouragement of joy and confidence for ever to the Church of God so of terrour and humbling to her enemies that having such a president before their eyes upon sacred and everlasting record dare rebel against God by wronging his people thinking to suppress and root them out because they are few and short of them for power and policie but it shall turn to their ruin in after-ages as well as then They may be sure of it 8 All Gods people ought to bless God and magnifie him for what he hath done and assuredly will do for his Church but especially we that are before-hand possessed of so many mercies and great deliverances we ought to resound and publish the praise of his famous acts for the Gentils to take notice thereof thence to be confirmed in faith and hope 9 From what he hath done for us who but for his care over us had long ere this been swallowed up a thousand times over of death and destruction by our many enemies which yet were never able to have their will of us but that still we are a people and have been upheld against as it were the whole world who because of Gods peculiar choice have a special malignant hatred to us 10 For Lord thou knowst what troubles we have undergone since we have been a people to thee and all to the end thou mightest have occasion to shew how firm thou art to us as thou hast ever made it to appear and to trie whether we will be as firm to thee in our faith in thee and worship of thee thou hast proved us over and over again by afflictions to give us testimonie of thee and that thou mightest have assurance of us a faithful sincere people 11 Thou thus to trie us and shew thy self hast many times led us into inavoidable dangers and to outward appearance exposed us into the power of our enemies to be destroyed by them and suffered them to oppress us sore as in Aegypt and otherwise 12 We have undergone as base and cruel usage as can be imagined counted no more of them than the dirt in the streets enduring the uttermost hardships under cruel task-masters and bloudie enemies as could possibly be invented and contrived against us and such things must thy Church alwayes look for in this World but thou hast made us
amends at last and all that thou promisedst hast thou performed for thou hast by a strong hand invested us in a happie condition and possessed us of a fruitful land spite of all our enemies so shall thy Church have deliverances here but let not them never doubt of heaven hereafter 13 14 What I would have others do I hope I shall not fail for mine own part to practise I am resolved upon consideration of what I have recounted that thou hast done for us and I am sure wilt do for thy Church to give thee praise and thanks not onely inwardly in my heart but also outwardly in the eyes and for the example sake of all others according to thine appointment by solemn sacrifices and especially for my self who have been in not a few nor those no small troubles at what time I vowed them to thee and have tasted accordingly of not a few and those no small deliverances 15 What ever thou hast commanded to be offered thee I will do it to the full in the performance of my thanks and acknowledgement of thy mercies both for number and worth even the best I can get what charge soever I am at And that with a free heart 16 Thou hast set me up as a pillar and monument of thy unspeakable goodness to thy servants which I hope and do desire that all thy people in all ages of the World would take notice of and to that end I will leave it upon record even the wondrous mercies I have partaked of and miraculous preservation that I have had 17 How that I never in my need put up my prayer to him in fervour and faith but I had a return answerable and my prayer was turned to praise 18 I speak not this to embolden hypocrits as if they were so priviledged who are apt enough to pray in their need as well as the Godly but for the incouragement of the sincere and upright such as I bless God I am harbouring the love of no known sin in me I know how I should have sped if I had not as I have done but have had the deaf ear turned upon me and well I had deserved it as all hypocrits and carnal formal professers do 19 But assuredly the Lord from time to time hath heard me and answered me too very graciously yea he hath carefully had respect to me whensoever I poured out my heart before him in the anguish thereof in time of trouble 20 I bless the Lord he hath blessed me and not sent me away without mine errand when as I have come to him in prayer and supplication nor withheld his mercie from me in mine extremitie but hath effectually appeared for me and so he will for all that trust in him and seek to him as I have done The lxvii PSALM The Psalmist praies that God would in such a sort be good to Israel that the Gentils may note it and be won by it to imbrace his saving truth and serve him as well as they But for the full â—ffecting of their conversion he wishes heartily for the comming of Christ and his Kingdom and the happie dayes that shall be then all the World over To him that is most skilful upon the stringed instrument Neginoth to which this Psalm is chiefly set is it committed for his care and ordering it be sung and plaid 1 THe good Lord be merciful unto us in the pardon of our sins and graciously benevolent and propitious in multiplying blessings upon us and manifesting his favour to us so as it may be notorious in the eyes of the World Even so be it 2 That the whole earth that now wander out of the way may be brought to acknowledge thee for the only true God to worship thee aright when they perceive the mercies that we that do so do enjoy above all others may be brought to hearken enquire after the saving righteousness thou hast revealed to us whereof they are utterly ignorant 3 Lord let the Gentils as well as we have the knowledge and experience of thy rich mercie and saving goodness that they may praise thee for it yea spread and proclaim it to all the World that thou mayest every where have a people to magnifie thee for it upon the whole earth 4 When shall Christ come to proclaim the year of Jubile even life and salvation to the Gentils to their unspeakable joy and thy unspeakable praise and to take the Government into his hands which he shall sway with equitie and justice both to the good and to the bad Lord hasten it 5 Let the Gentils as well as we have the knowledge and experience of thy rich mercie and saving goodness that they may praise thee for it yea spread and proclaim it to all the World that thou mayest every where have a people to magnifie thee for it upon the whole earth 6 O that this time were now for when it is happie shall those dayes be when the Messiah shall come infinite of blessings of every sort temporal and spiritual will he bring with him The whole earth that is cursed by the fall shall by him be blessedly restored and made a Canaan fruitful to God and man and God who was become a stranger by it shall by and in him be as much and more his peoples in more near proprietie and relation than ever and bless them with better blessings through grace than ever they were and could be capable of other wayes 7 Then shall be a time of sweet harmonious interchangeable correspondencies betwixt heaven and earth God he shall pour out his spirit upon all flesh and spread his Gospel over the whole earth and accompany it with no small store of temporal mercies and his people shall from all the ends of the World be hereby gathered to him and give up themselves in faith and obedience to be his The lxviii PSALM David upon the great victories he had had over his enemies and the remove of the Ark to its setled abode in Ierusalem praies and prophesus the infelicitie of the adversaries of Gods Church and the prospâ—ritie of the righteous whereof he advises them to be confident and therein to rejoyce for God in mercie will be mindful of the oppressed and injustice of the oppressors whereof they had had ample experience by marvellous deliverance out of Aegypt settlement in Canaan in the gaining whereof he gave them wonderful victories and as their case was prospâ—rous then so he prefigures it shall be again now in his time both Church and Common-wealth shall flourish because of the favour of God to them and his protection over them for he is to be a resemblance of Christ after his ascension victor over all his enemies Having shewn the happie consequences of the Arks remove he amplifies the manner of its transportation from the house of Obed-Edom in what order and with what harmonie
of God increase in his daies and exceeding great happiness shall be to them during the long reign of Solomon even as under Christ when the church shall grow and be blessed with all spiritual imbellishments throughout the ages of the world 8 He shall admirably point out Christ and his Kingdom as in prosperitie and duration so in extent and demensions of length and breadth for as Christs must be universal all the world over some of all nations and all of some yielding their subjection to him so shall Solomons to figure out this be inlarged far beyond the ordinarie bounds to the uttermost extent of Moses in his predictions even from the red sea adjoyning upon the Egyptian unto the sea of the Philistines parcel of the Mediterranian and also from the greater river the river Euphrates unto the wilderness and Lebanon 9 People remote and barbarous shall be subject to him and the stout and stubborn enemies of Israel shall under his government be brought to a submissive reverential subjugation far and near 10 The Kings of Cilicia and of the Islands in and countries beyond the Mediterranian sea shall have him in respect and honour shall desire his friendship and confederation and shall from those remote parts send embassies and presents to him so shall the Queen of the South come out of Sheba in Arabia-Faelix to see his glorie and hear his wisdom and shall not come empty-handed but shall bring and present him with the chiefest riches and choisest commodities of that countrey and other far distant Kings and Princes of the world shall do the like shall come or send to him even from Seba in or bordering upon Ethiopia 11 No Princes nor people round about him but they shall give him precedencie of honour and dignitie and shall serve him either as subjects or as friends or allies freely transacting the commodities of their countreys for the use and service of him and his All which shall be in resemblance of that universal acknowledgement that shall be made by the Gentiles of the sovereignty of Christ when once he is estated in his Kingdom spiritual as Solomon his type in his Kingdom temporal 12 Wherein not onely greatness justice and mercie he shall figure out the Messiah for he shall not be a Tyrant according to the common course of Kings nor imploy his power to oppression and wrong but shall be a Saviour of the oppressed and miserable the poor and helpless shall be relieved by him for which the Lord shall exalt and prosper him 13 He shall be gentle-handed and tender-hearted to those that are the objects of compassion and shall imploy his power and authoritie for the preservation not for the destruction of the helpless and afflicted 14 He shall make it his work to search out a matter in the poors behalf and to save him out of the hands of them that would destroy him his wisdom authority shall be the bulwarks of the poor mans innocencie against the might or fraudulencie of his oppressour how light soever others set by the lives of poor men he shall value them at a higher rate if they be under his protection and government the bloud of the poor shall be as precious as the bloud of the rich 15 Would all Kings reign thus and improve their power and greatness to these uses they should be happie as he shall to whom God shall give a long and prosperous reign in peace and affluence far and near shall he be honoured and enriched with the presents of his friends and tributes of his subjects willingly paid so great and gainfull shall be their trading To the poor he shall yield such protection govern with such moderation and administer justice with so equal an hand that all people shall bless him pray for his long life and happie reign and acknowledge it a rich mercie of God so to change the face of things in Israel to what they have been in former ages by giveing them a King so divinely qualified with wisdom and and virtue which they shall daily reap the benefit of and he the thanks and praises 16 The happiness of his government is not to be expressed with what peace and plenty God shall bless them all his long reign there shall be strange increase in the land all over it shall seem to bring forth of it self the blessing of God shall so strangely metamorphose things as that barrenest places with no great pains nor cost shall fructifie unmeasurably a little scattered corn on mountains that cannot be husbanded shall yet yield a great increase high hills shall be as fruitfull vallies and the whole land both town and countrie shall be exceedingly enriched so multiply increase with people as that children shall seem to grow in cities and villages like corn and grass in the field so populous and plentiful shall all places be with all manner of opulencie 17 The renown of his wisdom as it shall spread into all nations so it shall also be recorded unto all ages the fame of it shall never die it shall be proverbial As wise as Solomon his rules and precepts shall for ever remain in the Church of God to teach men true wisdom and understanding even the fear of the Lord the onely thing that makes men happie and blessed All nations and all ages shall confess him to have been peculiarly chosen and extraordinarily inspired of God for that his Kingly office over Israel in a blessed resemblance of Christ who in like sort shall govern his Church with wisdom power and justice 18 Thus O Lord I know shall be the happie condition of thy people in the reign of my son Solomon Blessed be thou O Lord God for it who art the faithfull and gracious God of this thine Israel and therefore hast thou the onely wonder-working God marvellously endowed him with wisdom extraordinarie and supernatural to govern them happily and make them a flourishing Church and State to the admiration of all the world that were wont to be a people of least regard 19 And now Lord as thou hast got thee a name a glorious renown over all the nations by the wisdom and government of Solomon and the flourishing condition of thy people which I pray may continue for ever and that it may do so let thy Kingdom come let the Messiah happily and speedily succeed his type and prefiguration that not onely Israel but the whole world may flourish with a glorious Church and the saving light of thy Gospel Lord as I pray so do thou say Amen unto it 20 And thus ended David his prayer for his son Solomon which was the last he made of publick note and upon Scripture record in time though not in order he dying soon after who was born a sheapheard the son of Jesse and died a King and the father of Solomon The lxxiii PSALM The Psalmist being delivered out of an extraordinary
them throughout their travel in the wilderness as Christ is to his Church and people all along their life The lxxviii PSALM The Prophet after an attractive insinuating preamble to gain attention for edification and caution from what shall be delivered falleth to depaint as in a table and in a compendious map to set forth the world of gracious priviledges which peculiarly God hath bestowed and conferred on Israel and the wonderfull unspeakable things he did for them and the many miraculous mercies that he had vouchsafed to them from time to time all along from Egypt to their establishment under David and Solomon Together with their monstrous ingratitudes of gross unbelief and rebellious provocations endlesly persisted in by all their forefathers throughout so many ages as expired betwixt their coming out of Egypt to those dayes Also interweaves the just and terrible judgements of God acted upon them though with much long-suffering and unwillingness for those their unfaithfull and disobedient ingratitudes with their feigned repentances and constant backslidings and notwithstanding all records Gods gracious perseverance towards them and faithfull performance of his promise in bringing that Church and Kingdom unto so flourishing a condition as it enjoyed under David and Solomon A Psalm advertising the people of Israel of Gods mighty works and singular favours to their forefathers and their ill requitals of them made probably by Asaph the seer or some other holy man of God and committed to his successours that bare his name 1 THus saith the Lord by me his Prophet hearken diligently to the doctrine that I am about to teach you give good attention to what I shall speak for it is of concernment to you 2 Though it was acted long before your time For that I am about to deliver doctrinall truths couched in historicall examples transacted and recorded of old but of good use for ever 3 It is what hath been inculcated continually by our fathers and their fore-fathers successively from age to age have these things been taught and pressed the godly in every generation have been carefull to derive the knowledge of them to their posterity for their benefit and the glory of God 4 And as it hath been transmitted to us by them with intention to pass it down throughout all the generations of Israel accordingly let us also that are their children hand it still down-ward to our posterity and theirs even the doctrin of the prais-worthy acts of God those powerfull deliverances that he wrought and miraculous mercies he vouchsafed his people in times past 5 For this was not done as a bare arbitrary act of care by our parents but as a duty also laid upon them by God who gave them in charge to do so as also to transfer his holy covenant made up of commandments and promises both by doctrine and exemplary observation of faith and obedience down to their children 6 That so the next generation following might learn what to know and how to do by the early teaching and good example of the next fore-going that so they also being well instructed and timely trained up in their tender years might grow so ripe and perfect as also in like sort to convey them to their children as they received them from their fathers 7 To the end that all of us from first to last might learn to fix our hope and confidence upon the Lord alone and believe in him as a gracious and al-sufficient God unto us throughout all ages and in all conditions considering and ever bearing in mind what he had don for our fore-fathers what wonders he had wrought for them to be standing presidents and pledges to posteritie that so they might be well acquainted both with his works and word by the one to learn to believe in him and by the other to reverence and obey him 8 Thus the godly Patriarks Prophets and teachers of old were wont to do take pains to indoctrinate youth in the works and waies of God to keep still alive a godly seed a spiritual people to the Lord that might not be as was for most part their fore-fathers for all their good instructions an untractable stiff-necked unbelieving people as lived upon the earth refusing their own mercies murmuring and rebelling against God his magistrates ministers and oppugning all that would have done them good and made them happy who for all that God did or could do for them which were admirable things and marvelous mercies he could not gain them heartily and sincerely to be his so as to believe in him stedfastly love him cordially and obey him uprightly but were with every temptation drawn away from him to distrust him and to imbrace sin and Idolatrie rather than his worship and service 9 In so much as the children of Ephraim though strong enough in men and arms furnished with those kind of weapons and skill to use them wherewith they were able to gall and beat back the enemy at a distance and never come to handle blows yet how cowardly being degenerated in faith and good conscience did they by the just judgement of God turn their backs and flie before their enemies the Philistines and caused the rest to do so too even to the loosing of the Ark chiefly intrusted in their Tribe and after for their sinfull revolting from the true worship of God to Jeroboams Idolotrous calves how did they and their partizans the ten Tribes fall before the enemie and wast away until they were led captive and extinct Let us beware 10 They totally fell off from God to whom they were tyed by all manner of bonds even by special contract and covenant mutually stipulated betwixt God and them he promising to be their protector and deliverer and they to believe in him as such than which they did nothing less and no wonder when as they had quite forsaken him his Tabernacle-worship at Shiloh and his Temple at Jerusalem and took to high places Jeroboams calves nor would they be reclaimed by any thing God could do or his Prophets say 11 Most ungratefully turning their back upon and forsaking that God that had done such wonders for his people whereof they were both eye and ear-witnesses for they were not ignorant of what he did of old as well as of late the wonders and the great things that were done by him they knew well enough but they set light by them let them slip out of memory and note though well enough instructed in them by our godly forefathers 12 Who ever were carefull to derive the memory and notice of such mercies down to posteritie though for the generalitie Israel as well in the twelve as in the ten Tribes hath ever been of a degenerate revolting disposition from God which should caution us to be careful for we have heard of the marvellous miracles God wrought before their faces and for their sakes the wonderfull plagues he brought upon the
under his hand and come to nought even in a moment if he took that course he should destitute himself for ever of a Church and people upon earth and quite overthrow the design of his grace for of them Christ was to come which must not be frustrated 40 There is evident testimony of Gods long-suffering for how oft did they provoke him murmuring and quarrelling time after time in the wilderness where God did miracle after miracle for their sakes and still they were the same men persisting to sin against God and by their ungratefull unbelief and stubbornness to grieve his patience and irritate his anger even there where they were so at his mercy having nothing supplied to them by art and nature but were at his immediate finding who notwithstanding all their provocations there did either provide them food and raiment for which they neither digged nor span 41 Yea they appostatiz'd many and many a time breaking all ingagements and committing old sins upon new occasions never wanting any thing but presently fall a murmuring yea they threatened God to go back into Egypt again if they might not have their wills in the wilderness and thus provoked and tempted him to destroy them that would fain have saved them every foot questioning and mis-believing his power faithfulness and good-will towards them notwithstanding his gracious promises and wonderfull performances if they had not all things they had a mind to 42 And the cause of this was because they were a sinfull ungratefull people never heeding mercies longer than God wrought them nor valuing them for any other end than self-pleasing and preservation never regarding them as to God or the bettering of their faith and obedience unto him but so soon as they had suck'd the honey they despised the flower all mercies though miracles were transient things perished in the deed done even that great one when with such an out-streched arm he brought them out of Egypt and set them free from Pharaoh the very day and hour whereof they ought never to have forgotten 43 Yea every jot of that wonderfull deliverance ought to have been treasured up in everlasting rememberance which yet was quite forgotten what clusters of miracles there grew upon the stem of that one onely deliverance what clear tokens of his omnipotent power and goodness he made to appear then and there in his peoples behalf by those ten plagues brought successively for their sakes upon the King and kingdom of Egypt in Court and countrey The story is well known but not so well remembered 44 How miraculously he turned all the waters of Egypt into bloud by the stroke of Moses his rod the famous over-flowing river of that countrey with all their lesser streams yea their ponds and cisterns also all the land over was turned into bloud so that the fish died the river stunck and the Egyptians could not drink of the water no not of Nilus whose streams could not purge it 45 Also when that would not do to get Israels release he multiplied more plagues upon them sent grievous swarms of several sorts of promiscuous venemous flies and noisom worms into the house of Pharaoh and of his servants and into all the land of Egypt so that the land was corrupted with them and many of the Egyptians destroyed by them Aaron also brought frogs out of the waters of Egypt so abundantly that they covered the whole land went up into Pharaohs house his bed-chamber and bed and into the house of his servants and people their ovens and kneading-troughs yea crept upon the person and persons of the King and people and destroyed many 46 He also utterly destroyed the fruits of the earth to the loss both of their husbandry harvest by sending upon Moses his streching out his rod over the land of Egypt an East-wind over all the land which brought into and scattered all over Egypt such infinite of caterpillars and locusts exceeding grievous never was there any such nor shall be covering the face of the whole earth darkening the land devouring every green thing both upon the ground and growing on trees hearbs and fruits 47 48. He furthermore sent so terrible a hail and great quantities of hard frozen ice as brake the trees vines and sycomores destroyed the hearbs yea the very men and beasts that were in the field for it came tempestuously accompanied with thunder and fire that ran along upon the ground so that there was hail and fire mingled with the hail very grievous terribly tormenting and destroying all it light on 49 God did infinite of waies magnifie and manifest the power and terrour of his wrath indignation and anger and the ardencie of it also against those enemies of his people to be as an everlasting monument to his Church of his love and care over them and to their enemies of his fearfull displeasure for in the fierceness of his wrath he gave them into the power of the Prince of the air and his emissarie evil angels by whose means and operation many of those judgements which were inflicted upon Egypt were wrought and terribly executed 50 51. These plagues and more than these he sent upon the Egyptians which yet were all but fore-runners of the last which was worst and most capital of all the rest wherein his anger did most appear when as he sent a plague amongst them that at midnight destroyed the first-born in every house and caused such lamentation in Egypt as never was nor shall be the like for each father and mother there lost the first-begotten their dearest child the staff of their age the flower of Egypt throughout all the families of that cursed people who were the posteritie of Mizraim second son to Ham cruel oppressours and mortal enemies to the Church and Israel of God 52 The posteritie of Sem whom God chose to be a people to him peculiarly related his own both by choise and covenant and these in despight of their enmitie to them and empire over them he conducted by the guidance of Moses and Aaron himself especially being present out of Egypt from under their burthens and from amongst their cruel task-masters even every man woman and child of them as loth as Pharaoh was to part with them into the wilderness through the red sea where he had most tender care of them to protect them and provide for them as a sheepheard over his sheep 53 And for all that Pharaoh with his power and malice could do God preserved them as he could not keep them in Egypt so nor overtake them when they went thence though in eager pursuit after them to do them any hurt for God made them a passage through the sea it self where they went safely and without fear of drowning but Pharaoh and his whole host were over-whelmed in those waters 54 After that he had led them from station to station provided for them time
twelve even it is destroied Judea the place where it grew is miserably wasted with fire and the people with the sword in thy wrathfull displeasure hast thou blasted this tender branch which is the more dejected at thy frowns because thy former favours were so resplendent upon it 17 Let thy power and grace appear in protecting and delivering this single Tribe of Judah's posterity the sole remainder of Jacobs sons who hath ever hitherto been mightily favoured and prospered by thee even for Davids sake that man after thine own heart who sprung out thence and whom thou madest a mighty King ruling Jews and Gentiles and endowing him with singular gifts and graces fit for that place and imploiment thou conferest upon him out of whose loins must also come the Messiah whom he tipified for as he is thy Son so shall he be Davids and Judah's whom thou hast set apart for that high office and glorious work of mediation placed him at thy right hand in power and furnished him with graces fit for this imploiment to rule sanctifie and save thy people his Church even the man that is thy fellow God and man the Almighty Mediatour and Sovereign King for his sake therefore put forth thy power in poor Judah's behalf for to restore her 18 Lord if thou wilt do thus for us thou wilt bind us to thee everlastingly we will then renew our covenant and keep it which by our back-sliding we have broken the cause of all our misery Let us but live again and we will not live to our selves but to thee thou shalt have the praise of our restauration and the obedience of our lives and conversation 19 Lord how ever our condition is very forlorne and miserably yet art thou that commandest the whole creation able to change it to what it was and to carry us into our own land and give us the use and enjoyment of thy worship again if thou wilt but turn thy frowns into favours and thy face upon us instead of thy back parts pardoning our sins and receiving us again into grace we shall be a happy people and see good dayes for all this The lxxxi PSALM The Psalmist quickens up the people of Israel to pour out praises to God as God himself also hath commanded them to do for all his mercies to them specially that great deliverance out of Egypt and by way of caution hints notwithstanding Israels ingratitude and unmindfulness of Gods providence and goodness at the bitter waters in the wilderness where they murmured and believed not as also after in Canaan which cost them full dear who else had been always a prosperous people and their land a plentifull land To him that is most skilfull upon Gittith the instrument used by Obed-edom the Gittite and his family do I Asaph that made this Psalm commit it for his ordering it in the Quire 1 AS we have received mercies and favours of great extraordinary natures from God so let our praises be sutable with heart and voice let all Israel in their solemn conventions magnifie the Lord acknowledge all those great things thankfully which by a mighty hand he hath done and wrought for them Let them with infinite exultation and confidence in God as theirs be loud and large in their praises 2 All we can do will be too little and come short of what the Lord demerits but let not us be wanting to the utmost of our power but with voice and instrument yea all manner of musicall instruments one and other specially the sweetest and choicest of them let us sound forth his praises that heaven and earth may ring of us 3 Be sure when you celebrate those solemn festivities appointed in the law as the new moon c. That you perform it in a faithfull chearfull manner and express it heartily by sound of trumpet and all other wayes as may most testifie your inward joy and best enliven it 4 This you ought to do not onely of gratuity but also of duty for God doth not onely deserve it but hath expresly enjoyned it as a statute and everlasting law for Israel to yield obedience to even these solemn meetings for solemn thanksgivings appointed of old by the God of our forefather Jacob. 5 Even then did he institute it when Josephs posterity had the precedency among all the Tribes not Judah as now it is ever since the time that God destroied the first born in Egypt and thereupon ordained the Passeover when miraculously he brought us out thence from being imbondaged under a people whom we understood not saving by blows as beasts do men they not speaking our language nor we theirs a people strange to God and as strangely using his Church that uncomfortably sojourned amongst them without civil converse 6 From the wofull slavery and cruell bondage of those Egyptian Tyrants and Task-masters did God by a strong hand wonderfully deliver us and made us free-men to serve him of bondmen serving them in hard labour of bearing burdens and doing base offices of brick-clamping and pot-making in kills furnaces 7 Thou criedst unto me sayes God in thy bondage in Egypt after also in thy danger at the red sea and I thou knowst heard thee and by a mighty hand and apparent signs of favour delivered thee from the one the other from on high plaguing and troubling thine enemies the Egyptians with thunder and lightning and delivering thee which I thought thou wouldst have remembred and for which I could not but believe thou wouldst have been thankfull and believing in my grace and providence in after-times but did I find it so when I tried thy faith meekness and patience a little after at the waters of strife no thou knowst I did not 8 9 10 Where yet for all thine ungratefull murmurings thou remembrest I did not reject thee nor so much as punish thee but took occasion thence to enter and renew my covenant with thee and to take thee into my service and make further proof of thee whereupon I made a statute and an ordinance that if thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God and walk as my people before me in obedience of those laws which I shall give thee worshipping none but me and keeping your distance to all other Gods worshipped by those that are not my people chusing me onely for yours by the same token I powerfully and with such sign of favour brought you out of the land of Egypt the Type indeed of a nearer spirituall relation whereby we are or ought to be united that then if thou wouldest but do thus if ever thou wantedst what thou wouldst have and was usefull for thee it should not be because I would not give it for then would I withhold no needfull blessings from thee but because thou didst not ask it the fault should be thine and not mine if in the faith of my gracious covenant-engagements
thou art bound no never to forget neither all nor any of them but to sum them up in thank-ful praises to his name 3 Who hath called thee to be faithfull and of his onely good grace hath freely in the merits of his son forgiven thee all thy sins justified thee from their guilt and pardoned their punishment so that from an heir of hell thou art translated to be an heir of heaven And hath also enabled thee by the spirit of regeneration to walk worthie so rich grace in mortifying thy lusts and raising thee to newness of life and conversation by his sanctifying quickening graces bestowed upon thee 4 Who to save thy life lost his own gave it a price for thee the virtue whereof hath influence every day and hour upon thee O my soul for every trespass thou committest dying virtually as oft as thou sinnest whereby thou art kept from perishing everlastingly as else thou hadst done and wouldst do continually and though the bodie wherein thou doest officiate do die a temporal death and lie down in the grave as all men must yet at that instant shalt thou be translated to live with him in Heaven that died for thee on earth instead of being sent to Hell according to thy demerits and at the resurrection shalt have a happie re-union with a glorified incorruptible bodie having honoured and enriched thee here with the first fruits of glorie pardoning protecting regenerating justifying graces more than I can enumerate because of his love and mercie to thee and for no cause else 5 Who feasts thee with Spiritual and Heavenly dainties suting thy tast and appetite answers all thy prayers touching requisit graces and comforts so that whensoever thy stock of either seems to be spent thy graces enfeebled and thy comforts exhausted then at thy request comes God with sweet and seasonable supplies and maketh them and so thee that wast a dying to live again vigorous and active like an eagle that by casting her beak and feathers and new-ones coming in their stead resumes her former agilitie and strength till then disabled so is thy regenerate part and sanctified habits by fresh auxiliaries and immediate breathings revived when at a loss 6 And not onely in spiritual soul-desertions but also in external bodily afflictions does the Lord appear seasonably for when I was oppressed and opened my case to God pleading mine innocencie and mine enemies injurie how did he judge my cause against them and upon them and so will he do for all his faithful upright innocent people in their wrongful pressures in a season most comfortable and profitable he will deliver them and judge their oppressours 7 Witness his wonderful works of old in the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt he did foretel to Moses what powerful and terrible judgements he would bring upon the Egyptians and how wonderfully in truth and righteousness he would enfranchise his people and what he said he did all he told to Moses by promise he made it good by experience in the sight of all the twelve tribes Israels posteritie he faild not in a tittle nor shall his Covenant of grace made with our redeemer Christ touching his redeemed 8 And as the Lord betwixt man and man is pitiful to the oppressed especially to his Church and terrible to their enemies So is he also betwixt himself and them a very graciously disposed God in respect of the sins and deserved punishments of his people as Israel well experimented all along the wilderness exceeding readie to shew mercie and to pardon sin and punishment when it is petitioned for not easily provoked nor apt to anger as they found and extream readie to grant forgiveness of one sin after another if the sinner pray it uprightly God will grant it willingly even the pardon of all our sins though both many and great as theirs were 9 And when he does visit our sins upon us for he will not alwayes bear with us so nor then will he be alwayes wroth against us punish us he may destroy us he never will no nor yet be alwayes angrie at us or frown upon us his face shall clear up and his favour shine forth after a while faithful prayer will scatter those clouds 10 We of all the World have cause to acknowledge him such an one he hath not done by us as we have deserved our experiences from time to time have made good all his gracious properties of grace long-suffering and plenteous mercie having ever been a God exceedingly bearing with us and forbearing of us though a provoking ungreatful people towards him 11 For the immensity of his mercie is superlative to any natural comparison no dimensions can proportion it the height of heaven above the earth does not resemble it to us such and beyond it is his mercie in preterition and pardon to his people that unfeinedly repent them of their sins and with full purpose of heart Covenant to fear and serve him 12 Consider the heavens either for height or wideness and which you think is the greater for the help of your faith conclude that so great and greater is the mercie of God towards such as turn to him and walk with him sincerely The East and West shall as soon come together as the sins of such shall be laid to their charge how grievous so ever they have been for at a greater distance and disproportion hath God sundred a penitent sinner and his sins even as far as infinite is from finite Christ himself who is God having taken them off of him upon himself 13 You that are earthly parents know what are the bowels of a father to a child when with tears and prayers it begs pardon for its offences such for such comparisons we are fain to use for the help of our natural apprehensions and far greater are the earnings of God and his compassions towards those that in the faith of his mercie repent of their transgressions beg pardon of their punishments and promise and perform upright obedience 14 For the Lord knoweth of what brickle matter we are made he remembers how transitorie our natures are so that should he deal with us after our sins and would punish us according to our provocations he would have no people left on earth to serve him or to carrie on the existence and being of a Church so that our frailtie moved him to mercie and not to do as sin would have him cut our short lives shorter 15 Man being no better than grass both sprung out of the earth hath a little time of Being alotted him here wherein he takes some contentment during part of that little in his youthful season as a flower that hath its moneth to spring flourish and decay in so at best is mans condition by course of nature but besides that naturally he is so frail and momentany he is subject to be cut off by infinite accidents that
in the praiseful acknowledgement whereof as also of thy grace and goodness towards us thy people thou thereby wilt give us infinite cause to rejoyce and glorie 48 And how ever we smart deservedly for our sins yet let the Lord be glorified Let us not forget his surpassing mercies to this nation but bless him that whatever our demerits have been yet hath ever approved himself like himself faithful and gracious and so will ever be to his people who ought therefore in the memorie of past and the faith of future mercies to bless him for it whilest the world endures and to this let all Israel subscribe and consent one and other for it is their dutie and the Lords due from them Therefore fail not on your part let nothing discourage you from thus praising the Lord and mark the issue The cvii. PSALM The Psalmist publishâ—th the Lords goodness and stirs up his Israel both in letter and spirit to be thankful for it so many wayes extended to them in all dispensations of what nature soever Yea all afflicted ones whom though in justice God punish for their sins yet he spares them when they crie unto him for mens folly enforceth God in goodness aswel as in justice to teach them wisdom by chastisement which so soon as they have learned they are released which providences and dispensations the Psalmist would not have lightly over-looked but solemnly acknowledged together with those admirable sea-providences in preserving and delivering men out of the jaws of death that King of fears as also his just and powerful transmutations in nature upon the land aswel as at sea and the righteous and gracious government he exerciseth upon the oppressor and oppressed respectively which to the godly-wise ought to be great rejoycing to see such love in such providence 1 LEt us give God his due praise and thanks for all those great and gracious mercies which he hath expressed to and bestowed on us his people and that goodness that still remains with him in our behalfs by vertue of his Covenant which makes that his mercie shall not determine but that we shall reap the benefit of his gracious engagement till all be fulfilled that is promised concerning his people to the end of the world 2 Let us and all the redeemed of the Lord to the worlds end speak forth our and their praise-worthy experinces of God his goodness and mercie whom he hath mightily rescued from under the cruel captivitie of our deadly enemies whether temporal or spiritual Pharaoh or the devil by Christ or Moses 3 And whom he hath chosen from among the confused heap of mankind to be peculiarly his and gathered far and near his elect from out all places on earth to inhabit heaven as he did us his Israel first out of Mesopotamia whence Abraham and his family was called and after that out of Egypt to be possessors of Canaan 4 In passage whereunto they had many a wearie step in a desert wilderness as the godly must exspect in their pilgrimage here and during all that time had no setled habitation but sought one to come as the faithful must do who like strangers and way-faring men here on earth live upon the promise and expectation of heaven hereafter 5 All that while having nothing to sustain them neither bread nor water but what providence and that extraordinarie administred to them which did supply them but not till God had tried and humbled them with the want yea very great want even of needful and essential accommodations as spiritually he orders his Church and chosen people during this their peregrination 6 When they were necessitated and saw that by no ordinarie course of nature nor no humane help they could be supplied they cried to the Lord for what they lacked and he never failed them when they did so but super-naturally supplied to them both bread and water and protection too when their necessitie required it and that Moses faithfully craved it for them as spiritually he provides for and sustains his Church when their soul-necessities sends them and Christs intercession recommends them to him 7 And he guided them by his own special conduct with a visible pillar of cloud and fire continually protecting and directing them the way that was most for his glorie and their good though to their carnal eyes least seeming so towards the land of Canaan there to settle them in tranquillity and rest and possess them of Towns and Cities ready built and provided to their hands like care to which he takes for his Church spiritual affording them invisible conduct all along this life in the manifold windings and turnings thereof which is the best though seemingly not the nearest way to heaven where they shall enter into their rest and be everlasting inhabitants of the new Jerusalem the Citie which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God purchased and prepared for them by Christ. 8 Oh that all men that every where participate of the goodness of God some more some less some in one kind some in another would make answerable returns to him and take faithful notice of his admirable works of providence principally to his Church but generally to all to praise him for them and acknowledge his grace and goodness in them 9 For its he that fills the hearts of men with food and gladness and the souls of penitents that hunger and thirst after righteousness with enough of it 10 Such as either in bodie or soul are in a comfortless condition and have the sentence of death really or in their own sense and apprehension past upon them and are detained in outward bonds or trouble of spirit or both 11 Because they have sinned against the Law of God written in their hearts or the word of God written in the Scriptures and refused to be ruled by his reason who as he is the Lord of all things ought also to be theirs and they obedient to his dictates 12 Therefore did the Lord and doth still upon occasion so load them with outward or inward sorrows either by enemies cross accidents or desertions that they are made glad to confess their folly and to humble themselves before the Lord whom they before set light by when they find themselves helpless in any other way than by the powerful hand or free grace of God 13 Then they used and are wont to make their addresses to God in such inextricable extremities and he both hath done and of mercie will still in such cases when their troubles have wrought so good effect hear the cries of afflicted suppliants to ease and deliver them 14 Out of that disconsolate condition whereinto he cast them for their rebellions that he might humble them and then be gracious to them 15 Oh that all men that every where participate of the goodness of God would make answerable returns to him and take faithful notice of
that never rests in a place but by every blast of wind is driven to and fro 24 My sorrows are so great perils so many and mind so restless that through voluntarie abstinence and involuntarie faintness and decay of nature I am become stomackless and strengthless my joints enfeebled and my flesh macerated 25 And this my misery was so far from moving mercie or pitie in my persecutours that they rejoyced to see it and mocked at me yea and at thee too for it reviling me with taunting tearms saying in derision Is this the man that must be King of Israel and in disdainfull diffidence of any such matter wagging their heads at me by that reproachfull gesture scornfully concluding the contrarie like as they shall demean themselves to Christ hanging upon the Cross pass by him look upon him and in that dolorous posture afford him no other pitie then scornfull nods and bitter mocks 26 I am in a condition so desperate hopeless and friendless that none but thy self can or will stand me in any stead But though it be so with me yea if it were worse if worse could be I would not doubt either thy power or mercie nor shall the badness of my condition overthrow my faith of relation but I still believe thee to be as my God in Christ so as able and gracious to deliver me as powerfull and faithfull to raise him which I pray thee to do for thy mercies sake in him 27 That my wicked and ungodly enemies may by experience of thy just judgements upon themselves and evident signes of favour unto me know thou hast done it for me because none but an Almighty power and goodness could have effected it as shall appear to be in Christ his resurrection and Jews dispersion 28 Their cursed wishes false slanders and wicked devices Lord frustrate them nay let them bring forth quite contrary effects the more ill they intend me let the greater good befall me and let the evil befall themselves let them do nothing that they may have cause to brag of in the issue when they are most confident let them be least successfull in what they unjustly attempt but let me have cause to make my boasts of thee and rejoice when as they hang their heads for sorrow and shame 29 Let mine adversaries have no cause of insulting over me but be ashamed of all they have done when they see that it is not against me but thee they did it by the event let them see what a fair thread they have spun that ends in nothing but shame and confusion that that is the web they have taken so much pains to weave for themselves all this while 30 When thou shalt have so done whereof I am most sure and certain then will I publish thy praises and magnifie thy mercies in the sight and hearing of all thy people by Sacrifices and Psalms 31 For all my sad condition and the grievous plight I am in yet it shall appear God is not so far from me as they think for but that he is at hand to help when his mine and their time is come spight of what they can do to hinder and notwithstanding their confidence because of their power and my povertie yet he can and will save me from those that in their own thoughts have adjudged and concluded me to death The cx PSALM David that Kingly Prophet and sweet singer in this Psalm shews the glorious exaltation of Christ in our nature at Gods right hand there to rule as sole sovereign whence it shall come to pass that by his divine spiritual omnipotencie his Gospel shall be effectual to the creating this King a Kingdom of loving loyal subjects maugre all his and their enemies and opposers speciallie upon his first inthronization and royal nuptials his Church shall get ground spight of the divel and all those earthly Potentates he sâ—ts on work to hinder it Such power hath he by virtue of his Kingly office to protect his people against men and divels and of such â—fficacie is his Priesthood with God able to save his Church to the uttermost ever living to make propitiatorie intercession for them in the heavens And he concludes with rendering the reason of all this his high esteem and powerfull prevailancie with God and power over angels and men even because for the effecting of this his Mediatourship and mans redemption he shall drink of a full cup the bitter waters of affliction shall be poured out upon him and wrung out to him with an Almightie hand A Psalm which David made in the spirit of Prophecie 1 GOd the Father in his eternal councel and covenant said to his son who is God and man my Lord and Saviour whose resurrection ascention and sitting at Gods right hand in dominion and power I shadow out in mine advancement from my low and troublelous state to the throne and scepter of Israel for that thou who art my fellow in the God-head hast undertaken to do my whole will in the Redemption of man and condescended to take his nature the better to effect it and therein hath effectually wrought it by dying for sin but being without sin hath conquered death which could not hold thee and art risen and ascended into heaven I give thee therefore there all power and authority in that very nature to rule and exercise sovereign and supream Jurisdiction over the Church which thou hast purchased by thy bloud together with the empire and absolute dominion of all things else for the Churches sake whose King and sole Mediatour thou art and this thy government I give thee to execute in a throne of majestie equal with my self in the highest heavens thence in thy humane nature with divine power to dispense and transact all things belonging to this thy Kingdom whilest there is any Church or that I have any people on earth to be governed officiated for by thee even until I who am as solicitous of thine honour as thou art of mine by my power dispenced by thy self shall have subdued unto that thy humane nature once so contemptible all thine enemies whether divels men or things Jews or Gentiles that shall oppose or not submit to thy regiment yea death it self or whatsoever shall impede the compleating of that glorious Kingdom of thy Mediatourship in for and over the Church bone of thy bone and flesh of thy flesh until thou hast fulfilled her number and safely brought the last man and member of that thy mystical bodie to heaven there in body and soul to be glorified with thee till then I say shall this royal office of thine continue whereof having then given me a just account according to thy undertaking and my covenant thou shalt deliver up the regal state and Kingdom of that thy Mediatour-ship in the humane nature into my hands as God alone for ever after of my self in the divine nature onely to govern that glorified
their neck serves meerly to hold their heads on their shoulders but is of no Organicall use at all for speech c. 8 And they that make them are as void of true understanding as they of sence that can so against the light of reason think such things fit to be worshipped which they make and which made not them and that when they are made are but inanimate statues short of all living creatures even the meanest and what must they then be that put confidence of good or evil in such but irrational senceless people and as little able to do good or hurt as they saving thou the onely living God orders and appoints them 9 O ye sonns of Israel your fathers with whom and his seed God made an everlasting covenant whatever befall you let not an evil heart of unbelief to depart from the living God to dumb and deaf Idols possess you as he hath peculiarly chosen and adopted you for his people from out all the world so do you him for your God from all other Gods trust in him relie upon him for your sole helper and defendour against these Idols and Idol worshippers which can do you just so much hurt as he for your sinns permits them and no more 10 O ye Preists and Levites that are the successours and assistants of faithfull Aaron in that high office of Preist-hood and more immediate worshippers of the high God within his holy Temple do you exemplarily declare your faith of and in the Lord alone that hath so highly honoured you above your brethren that he is of power al-sufficient and faithfull of his word and promise to protect and restore his people and you to their places and your imployments 11 But chiefly you that are nearer and dearer to God than any externall adoption or office can make men you that are Israelites indeed spirituall Priests and Levites the adopted and called of the Lord that have the spirit of reverence and godly fear in you do you as I hope you will not fail to do trust assuredly in God for he is your help and shield against worse enemies than these that can but destroy the body and that do but serve to typifie the power that our ghostly enemies have over us by sinne as these for sinne and Gods greater power to deliver us from them as from these which he will certainly do 12 No doubt is to be made of it but that as God hath done so he will do exercise mercy in deliverance as well as justice in afflicting us if we seek to him and that he see us mindfull of him he will be so of us as ever heretofore in like case to ours now he was wont to be Israel and the Priest-hood is still dear to him for old love to our forefathers and the covenant he made with them and for Aaron his servants sake that Preistly type of our powerfull Mediatour and therefore will he certainly bless us with joyfull deliverance and restauration 13 Yea for his covenant sake he will bless Israel and Aaron according to the letter but thank them for it that amongst you are so in the spirit with whom properly and principally that covenant is made these of what outward condition soever high or low are dear to God whom he will certainly bless and the rest for their sakes 14 You are the men that have the promise of this life and of a better as you are the blessed seed of blessed Abraham in whom his name is upheld because his faith is inherited by you so shall the Lord raise you up faithfull successours a more numerous off-spring than ever yet his Church produced from generation to generation shall the faithfull your heirs and successours flourish and multiply 15 As you are the promised seed so are you heirs of the blessed promise He that by his Almighty power made the heavens and the earth is your God and for your sakes made he them and with both heavenly and earthly blessings will he bless you 16 The Lord made both and governs both but so that heaven the heaven of heavens which is superlative to all the rest is the more immediate place of his glorious residence and inhabitancy and the earth of mans which he hath bountifully furnished with all needfull things for his sustentation and existence there 17 And why hath the Lord done so lent me life and livelihood here below but that they should imploy their time and improve those blessings to the praises of him in the highest for its true that God made the earth and all things in it for man but he made man for himself for his praise and glory who yet praise him not but serve other Gods all the world but we so that if we should perish that are his onely Church on earth the praises of the Lord would cease upon it which must not be whilest it is to have a being he is to have a people that shall glorifie him 18 Therefore O Israel O house of Aaron and especially ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord that he will be your help and shield for the Lord will not unchurch himself no nor us neither we are the people though unworthy that his name is and shall be named upon chosen out of all the earth so that how ever we are at the graves mouth yet deliverance will come and we shall be restored else nature must be dissolved which cannot be considering what promises are yet to be fulfilled Therefore be confident in hope and in the faith hereof ingage our selves for future when God shall so bless us that we will answerably bless and praise him yea in full assurance let us begin at present and be doing in that dutie now aswel as hereafter that the Lord may see the useful existence of a Church for ever on earth for that they alwayes and they onely praise him What ever your condition be then though it were worse than it is which at present is bad enough be sure to praise the Lord for which you live and have your Beings and in you all the world which else should cease The cxvi PSALM David being possessed of the Kingdom according to promise looks behind him to see the difficulties God carried him through to mind himself to his mercies and his own ingagements for them And in the first place offers the Lord his affections promiseth him his faith for future because of what is past and therefore excites his soul to comfortable confidence and peaceable acquiescence together with a gratuitous walking with God recalling his offs and on s he is in an extasie how to return to God that brought him out of them and resolves to celebrate his praises in the most publick and solemn manner according to the prescript of the Law Assuring all Gods people from his example that in their greatest danger God hath the greatest care Magnifies the Lord that
hath made him his servant and freeman for which he will publickly praise him 1 I Cannot express how much the Lord is endeared to me for the grace he hath vouchsafed me my heart is glued to him in affection such love hath he shewed to me and such care over me in all mine extremities whensoever I minded him of me and craved his help that I am bound to love him as long as I live and from my very heart I do so 2 The Lord hath got my custom I have had such faithful and good dealing from him as if my condition were never so bad I would seek no where else for allwayes when necessitie wrung me I cried and when ever I cried the Lord heard and helped and this course I am resolved still to take whensoever I have occasion and doubt not of the same success 3 I cannot but recount my by-gone difficulties how that many a time I gave my self unavoidably for a dead man so near have I been to mine end in mine own apprehension that I made full account of my grave the very pangs of death have seized on my soul and it was seldom other with me 4 Yet though my danger and fear was never so great so that in all humane probability and visibilitie of means I was as good as gone yet my faith would still have a saying to God pray I must and did and I no sooner gave the word but God took the Alarm if I but named my Soul it was enough and oft-times my surprises were so sudden and danger so emergent that I had scarce time to do that which though they made my prayer short yet sharp they helped to put an edge upon mine affections and when I prayed for my soul it was with my soul which in an ejaculation was quickly in heaven and had as quick dispatch there 5 For there had I the attributes of God presently to speak for me his grace justice and mercie and had an answer accordingly Let others be incouraged by mine example to trust in the Lord and seek to him for they shall find as I did that God is freely good and free of his goodness faithful of his promise yea though objections lie in the way thy sins and his judgements flash in thy face yet be not daunted if thou beest one of us belongest to God for he is merciful to pardon and pitie thee and in an instant will break through all to do the good 6 Those that suffer being innocent although they be shiftless and have not worldly wisdom to do withall like other men yet if with honest hearts they bequeath themselves to God and unfainedly trust in him he will find wayes to befool their enemies and make good their confidence I am sure none can be in greater danger nor have less hope of help but from him than I a poor innocent man and more than once or twice and he alone served my turn I never miscarried but was ever delivered though many times strangely yea miraculously from time to time till he brought me to this I am come to 7 Be thou therefore at peace within thy self and recumbent upon God O my soul that hath by his means gone through so many difficulties and through him thy benefactour art arrived at so great happiness out of all the storm that have blown over thee 8 For the Lord hath as it were raised me out of the grave so near death was I many a time when thou delivered me and hath now made me a livesman again in the full accomplishment of thy promise whereby I am comforted beyond all my fore-past sorrows which are as it were forgotten and set me free from all those deadly traps and gins that were laid for me by my mortal enemies 9 Now that God by his power and mercie hath raised me to this estate and brought me through those many perplexities to possess his promise I doubt not of his further favour and protection but in confidence thereof I will comfortably and conscionably labour to discharge my place high office as in the presence and to the well-pleasing of the Lord that hath set me over his people compared to whom all the world is in darkness and shadow of death 10 11 O the several frames of heart and tempers of soul that I have passed through in my trials sometimes chearing up my self with the faith of Gods promises that they should certainly be fulfilled and then could I hopefully address my self to God and comfortably bespeak and incourage my soul to wait upon the Lord at another time I have been as much dejected and cast down and upon a surprize when my fear hath been great because my danger was imminent I have not stuck in that perplexitie of mind to think and say within my self all that the Prophets had foretold concerning my succession to the Kingdom was a meer delusion and that I must needs perish before that day could come that they and their predictions would certainly deceive me and come to nought and that they speak not of God but of themselves 12 Now when I look back and consider what a world of dangers nay deaths I have past what dismal apprehensions and perplexities of mind I have waded through what admirable deliverances the Lord hath wrought and how oft and how strangely I have been preserved and now what an absolute complement he hath given to all those promises which I thought never to have seen fulfilled and conclusion to my miseries which many time I thought would have made an end of me before I should thus have seen an end of them I am at a stand and in an extasie how and what to return to this good God I am now in perplexitie by a plenitude of happiness for the Lord hath so loaden me with benefits that I know not what to say nor do to or for him in any proportion to them 13 14 I may fancie many wayes and things to my self to gratifie God with all and when I have done I am never the near for imaginarie retributions and will-worship he will not accept Therefore I will content my self to do what he hath bid me for when I have all done I must live and die his debtor I will therefore make a feast to all Israel which he did at the bringing up of the Ark and then and there offer my peace-offerings and in the sight and hearing of all the Lords people with the cup of blessing and gratulation in mine hand will joyfully and thankfully publish the praises of my God and make open acknowledgement of the manifold benefits and deliverances from first to last that I have been partaker of The mercies I gained by prayers and vows in mine extremitie I will wear them by praise and sacrifice now in my prosperitie all Israel shall be witness 15 I have found it by experience and speak it knowingly for
the comfortable support of other of Gods people in affliction that however they may unadvisedly misjudge themselves as exposed of God in a regardless manner to the malice and furie of their enemies when their lives are indangered yet it s far otherwayes The Lord makes more account of the lives of his holy ones which he will suffer no man nor men on earth to have the command and dispose of but onely himself they are too precious to be set so light by and therefore be confident such cannot miscarrie by any policie power or malice of men whatsoever but by special commission from God for special purposes and when they do miscarrie by his ordination they still remain dear to him aswel dead as alive 16 Blessed Lord I now well perceive those words true which sometime I thought to be false how that thou hast indeed ordained me to the honour to be thy servant and that in an eminent manner which truly is my highest title and preferment to be thy servant and the son of thy spouse and handmaid the Church visible and invisible and thus to be delivered by thee from a state of thraldom and miserie to a condition free to serve thee is infinite goodness 17 For which I will magnifie thee and with publick praises and peace-offerings will make my thankful acknowledgements of thy power and goodness to me-ward 18 And what I vowed in my miserie when I prayed for mercie I will accordingly perform it now that thou hast set me free to do it all Israel being witness 19 Openly in the publick convention of all thy people at thy sanctuarie in Jerusalem the place appointed for thy solemn sacrifice-worship there upon thine Altar will I offer my sacrifice of thanks-giving in the view of all Israel and in their hearing praise thee with me praise ye the Lord all his people The cxvii PSALM The Psalmist in Prophecie of the calling of the Gentiles and uniting all in one Church through the head Christ exhorts all to praise the Lord for so great goodness and rich mercie so freely extended 1 O All ye nations and people throughout the world Gentiles as wel as Jews praise the Lord praise him every where without exception 2 For his saving grace and mercie by the redemption of Christ is extended unto both in him we are made one Church that were a divided people and an undeserving the one as well as the other his grace alike free and his goodness great to both of us For for his promise sake once delivered and never to be reversed hath he done this for us and as well all other promises as this will he perform to the end for and concerning his Church his faithfulness cannot fail though our sins deserves it should Therefore in the faith of his faithfulness and love of his goodness that hath made all partake of Christ let all men praise the Lord. The cxviii PSALM David seated in the throne quickens up the people and Priests of the Lord unto thanks-giving for his endless mercies to his Church as himself in the behalf thereof which he personated had experimented whereby his faith was raised to an holy insultation over his enemies for the future Further shews the happiness that God hath brought to his Church by the change of him for Saul and the glorie he hath got to himself which for his part he ingageth himself to celebrate solemnly in his sanctuarie which upon this occasion both he and the rest of the righteous will now they may frequent There he will praise him for making him as in humiliation so in exalâ—ation the type of Christ. Prayes for the Churches happiness upon this wonderful change pronounceth certaintie of blessing to himself and Christ in the office and errand God sets them in and sends them about Concludes with the manifold hearby praises of God both from himself and the people whom he exhorts allwayes to be praise-ful as God is graâ—iously faithful 1 LEt us be mindful of the goodness of God to be thankful for it whose mercie to his Church and faithful people never failed nor never shall 2 Let his adopted people now in this their flourishing condition give him the glorie of those many mercies which ever since they were known by the name of Israel they have successively in all ages partaked of 3 Let the Priests and Levites their adjutants that occupie Aarons place and office in the sanctuarie now that they are reduced into such a form and model as never before of worshipping the Lord acknowledge his mercie and the succession of it to them according to promise from their first progenitors 4 Yea let those that are Gods Priests and people indeed that believe and obey him say now if God be not as good as his word in shewing mercie to his Church those I mean that fear his name 5 I have had my share of sufferings in which I personate the Church and yet I can say and do that his mercie endureth for ever and so shall she in all ages for when ever the Lord put me to it and that I was distressed I put him to it in humble wise I minded him of his promise and this way my constant custom and so it was his ever when I did so to deliver me all along till now that he hath set me quite at libertie from my troubles enlarged my happiness as you see 6 I have had such experience of the Lords being for me against mine enemies that however I look never to be without yet that shall not trouble me neither their power nor their plots for he that could deliver me then can and will much more protect and prosper me now that he hath brought me to this estate 7 I have ever found it and doubt not but I ever shall that God blesseth me and those that side with me many or few with good success which makes me confident that as I have had so I shall ever have the better of mine enemies what or how many soever they be and in stead of ruining me I shall ruine them 8 9 I have found it better and so shall who ever tries it to put confidence in God than men of what number or degree soever and mine enemies have found the contrarie for by that means I a despicable lone man am preserved and exalted and they for all their honour and power above me are destroyed by his Allmighty hand so much above them 10 11 12 I have been as the Church allwayes shall be the mark that all men have shot at I had all the world against me and none for me but God his power was is and ever shall be my sole trust and confidence O with what deadly hatred from time to time have I been hunted and how many times hath my life been endangered that I could see no way to escape and yet I have
prosperitie of it the Government and worship in it consists the happiness and tranquillitie of all Israel chiefly the Israel of God whose heaven upon earth Jerusalem is where they worship and serve the God of Israel seek his face and enjoy his presence therefore pray I for her prosperitie and well-fare that they may be blessed with her and by her who are interessed and concerned equally in her felicitie with my self I as the head and they as the bodie 9 It is the zeal I have to the Church and glorie of God that makes me pray thus and for which I will spend and be spent therefore will I lay out mine uttermost endeavours to compass the good and well-fare of Jerusalem that that singular happiness and priviledge of the sanctuarie and sanctuarie-worship of the Lord God of Israel who there is present with us his people and from thence hears our prayers and to which appertains so many excellent promises and by it to us redounds so many precious priviledges and benefits and where is performed the onely true honour and service to the onely true God in all the world Therefore for these reasons do I will I evermore pray and faithfully endeavour the good of this place and so let all others do that are good together with me as members of the Church bodie mystical typified in this resemblance The cxxiii PSALM The Church and people of Israel being at present either under Babylons captivitie or Antiochus his crueltie some Prophet or holy man of God bespake the Lord in this pathetical short psalm in her behalf uttering much of the spirit in few words for afflictions commonly swell the heart too big for the mouth which makes him here to pray rather by signs than words with his eies rather than his tongue yea with both he presseth hard upon God for free grace to shew them mercie in their unspeakable miserie professing their patient waiting till then See the title of the 120 Psalm 1 WHat the present distress and calamities of thy poor Church and people Israel are thou Lord knowest right well utterly helpless and hopeless forlorn and disconsolate none on earth favouring us shewing any mercie or compassion to us but exercise all manner of crueltie and scorn towards us yet Lord in thy Churches and mine own behalf I am an humble suitor to thee in the agonie of my heart who I dare not can not believe hast quite forgotten to be gracious though thou seemest so as things frame here below but O thou that inhabitest the heavens and hast thy reserves of good will and pleasure there known to thy self unknown to us but hoped in by us and power to bring them to pass though to us impossible as much above all sublunarie powers as heaven is above earth to thee there with groans and sighs lift we up our eyes speechless with grief for thee graciously to look down upon us here in this our calamitie 2 Look how bond-men and bond-women who by their condition are as we exposed to hard and uncourteous usage depend upon the free grace and beneficence of their masters and mistesses can chalenge nothing no wages nor reward but wait with patience till pitie and compassion move them to extend their hand of favour and good will to them so do we under this just deserved punishment of long and grievous thraldom by cruel task-masters humbly and patiently wait till thine own mercie move thee towards us a sinful undeserving people yet thy people and thou our God by grace and election which hold us in hope 3 Good Lord take our case into consideration and commiseration to pitie us at last and to shew mercie to us a people that are made the very scum and scorn of our proud imperious enemies who for thy sake whose name we bear and whose we are do Lord it over us with disdain which imbitters our sorrows and breaks our hearts 4 Yea Lord it is not to be spoken how afflictive the reprochful vilifications of our insolent enemies are to us who judging by events because of our calamities scoff and scorn us as a vain besotted people that believe in we know not what and worship we know not whom and boast themselves unmeasurably over us our God and religion to our unutterable grief because of their superioritie and present felicitie which puffs them up with pride and contempt even to blasphemie The cxxiv PSALM David mindes Israel in their prosperitie of their adversitie to make them mindful of God praiseful to God and evermore dependent on God as his Church and people ought ever to be in their transmutations of estates and fortunes See the title of the 120 Psalm the Authors name superadded here 1 2 3 NOw that the Lord hath been pleased to bring us to the happie condition we are in we should do well to look back we the Israel and and Church of God and consider from the beginning to this day ever since we were a people chosen of the Lord out of the world to name his name upon what a world of enemies we have had and perils we have waded through before and since we came into this land where we have been a continual eye-sore not onely to the natives remaining in it but to all the mightie nations and Gentile people bordering round about it who severally and joyntly by combination of great men and Potentates have sundry times and wayes subtilly projected and violently attempted our utter abolition which to speak humanely was inavoidable had not the Lord our good God miraculously from time to time delivered us from their furie and preserved us a people to this day maugre all they could do as he shall his Church spite of the wicked world its power and malice who else long ere this had been no people nor nation but destroyed again and again by those many mightie barbarous enemies of ours that on all hands from all quarters have assailed us with most mortal and bloudie purposes greedy to prey upon us and with that odds of strength that they were able to have devoured us and as it were swallowed us alive as easily as the great fish does the little ones or the savage and ravenous beast tears his prey in pieces if God had not over-powered them and been for us against them when we were altogether unable to make resistance which now we should do well to weigh seriously and in all humilitie to acknowledge thankfully to his praise and glorie 4 5 Yea to consider that when all mankind was as it were against us and we were like sheep in the midst of Wolves and Bears that with mightie power and rage have broken in upon us like an unresistable torrent able to over-run the whole land and destroy man woman and child as easily as the sea or some mightie river drowns the countrey when it breaketh the banks and with pride and confident disdain made
so to them sooner or later in compassing their deliverance which he that so wonderfully redeemed their souls can easily and will certainly do by wayes and means they never dreamed of be their case never so desperate 8 Yea let not sin it self dismay Gods people though they may fall into them and by them into sad afflictions yet despair not but believe pray and wait and then where sin hath abounded grace shall at last much more abound so that neither the number or greatness of their sins should make them hopeless or desperate but live by faith upon the promise both for pardon of sin and punishment for God is as able to deliver us by his mercie from his own justice as mans malice and will do it to his faithful Israel by and for the sake of his son Christ God and man our propitiatorie sacrifice and merciful mediatour or High-priest who to effect and perfect our redemption is certainly to come into the world and after he hath suffered shall ascend into glorie which shall be fulfilled and his Church thereby saved The cxxxi PSALM David acquits himself of ambition to the Kingdom or in it now he hath it being meerly passive in the first and no self-seeker in the last but one that accounts himself appointed by God for the good of his people as Christ for his Church which is their exceeding great happiness and should be their incouragement See the title of the 120 Psalm the Authors name superadded here 1 THou Lord knowest however I have been misjudged by some through weakness by others through perversnes to be an ambitious self-seeker as touching the Kingdom of Israel and those high dignities spiritual and temporal that are concomitant to it how that herein I am wronged for that I never had any such aspiring thoughts but as comparatively I was a mean man so I allwayes had a lowly heart and as were mine inward affections such was and is mine outward comportment I overlook not my brethren with an imperious countenance as most Kings do their subjects counting them their vassals Nor do I of mine own accord for ambition sake as most Princes are wont put forth my self beyond my self and calling to inlarge my dominions how ever I may be censured considering the great things I am called unto but walk by the dictate of Gods word and spirit in all mine undertakings both in matters of Church and State for the good of both that is my rule and this is mine end and aim 2 My behaviour neither heretofore nor now either was or is such as should deserve to be so thought of I think I have gone through mine afflictions with another spirit than ambitious worldlings shew in the exercise of much patience as seeing God in all waiting and submitting to his will and providence with a child-like temper and carriage not seeking my self or mine own either untimely or ambitious advancement had I then I would have steared a far other course as others do that do so made a noise and a bussle in the world taken all advantages not been meerly passive as I was both in regard of God and mine adversaries but active against mine enemies as they were against me yet I did no such thing but staied the Lords leasure and in all things submitted to his pleasure without repining or precipitancie living all the while by faith without using either unlawfull means or lawfull means unlawfully to compass the Kingdom from Saul and I bless God now I have it I am not altered I am no more proud of it now than I ambitiously coveted it heretofore but am every whit as much at Gods dispose who as he gave it so I know to what use and end for his honour and service sake and not for mine and hereunto stands my heart onely affected to advance him and to be ordered by him as Christs shall be whom I prefigure who yet shall be censured as I am 3 This I would have Israel know That the Kingdom was not my seeking but the meer gift of God for their good and advancement of their happiness as the Church is Christs which I would have them know for their comfort and incouragement to believe and hope in the Lord accordingly for time to come as I have done in time past if so they shall find him faithful of his word as he hath been to me in making them a happie people under my regiment and those that come of me as the Church and spiritual Israel shall be in all ages whilest the world endures under the governance of Christ the Messiah that Prince of peace and Lamb of God that takes away the sins of all those who are Israelites indeed that believe and hope in his name The cxxxii PSALM Solomon as is most probable at the compleat finishing and furnishing of the Temple made this Psalm much of it being the same with the prayer he made at the dedication wherein he prayer-wise minds God first of Davids faith and zeal as also of the peoples in his time for the promotion of the glorie and worship of God at Ierusalem which now being brought to perfection in the perfecting of the Temple he praies that God would turn his promises to David into performances by vouchsafing himself to be present there and his blessings both to the Priestly and Kingly office that they may flourish to the rejoycing of the godly especially in his own time and person according to those especial promises and prophesies concerning him who also is an extraordinarie type of Christ and his glorious Kingdom See the title of the 120 Psalm 1 LOrd remember thy servant David that type of Christ thy son what sad sufferings by thy ordination he underwent for the good of thy Church and people what miseries he sustained in his faithful dependence on thee and thy gracious promises made to him and for his sake to his posteritie yea to the whole Kingdom of Israel which are still of force to thy people whom by and for him thou hast blessed accordingly as through Christ thou wilt the Church and we pray thee still go on to do so to bless both him and them let his name and sufferings be still precious with thee and efficacious to us as Christs shall be after his death and departure carrying in mind thine ingagements of grace and mercie to his people and posterity for his sake 2 Call to mind the wonderful zeal he had for thee and thy worship which made him infinitly solicitous in it solemnly swearing affectionately and freely vowing to and before thee the Almighty God of Jacob that holy Patriark and progenitour of him and all Israel whom thou didst bless and powerfully preserve and promisedst to bless his seed after him as followeth 3 Surely I will not rest my self contentented with the advancement of my royal throne and erecting of mine own house and palace in the Citie of David it is not the
that though he do yea must both in justice and mercie chastize them for their aberrations thereby to humble and reduce them For impunitie would argue him no father nor they no children as sure I say as he is both just and gracious to lay the rod upon them for sin so he is as merciful and faithful to take it off again when of sinners they become penitents and renew their covenant to be his he will soon be theirs and repent as well as they and then wo be to their enemies we have and shall ever find it so 15 That he hath ever approved himself the onely God of power to deliver us when the time hath come maugre all the Powers on earth that have been against us and their gods to boot which cannot preserve them that worship them against the power of the Almighty whom we onely serve of all the world besides which is heathen and their gods meer Idols at best made of gold and silver nor are they so much as their own makers but have their Beings from men they make them that made not themselves therefore must they needs be goodly Gods 16 They are meer liveless statues without sense or motion able neither to speak nor see having no better mouthes nor eyes than man can make them 17 Their ears are like their eyes the one blind the other deaf and their mouthes as breathless as speechless for such an inversion of nature as men to make Gods can produce no better effects 18 And they that make them are as void of understanding as they of life and sense that against reason can think such things fit to be worshipped for Gods which are their creatures not they theirs and so is every one that seeing what they are and knowing whence they come putteth confidence of good or evil in them both their Gods and they are alike blockish and as void of power as understanding as plainly appeareth when our God appears for us against them 19 Let therefore your faith and zeal be laid out upon no such imaginarie deities nor your fear upon any earthly powers do you that are the posteritie of Jacob from whom you have the name of Israel given of God himself walk worthie such a father and servant of the Lord by honouring and praising him and him alone all of you own him and honour him for your Lord and God specially you that are his in principal place and office by special designation you Priests the sons of Aaron let your zeal exceed as much as do your engagements 20 And you that are of an inferiour rank in the Priest-hood ye Levites remember also your ingagements to honour and praise the Lord who hath called you to so sacred an office about his Temple do your duties worthie your places but because no doubt too many are as formal people so formal Priests that serve the Lord if at all more in shew than sincerity therefore my exhortation is chiefly to you both Priests and people that are regenerate Israelites indeed Priests of the Lord as well as of the Temple endowed with the true fear of God and sanctifying graces of his spirit you are they that I hope and exhort and that God looks should honour and serve him with praise and thanks in faith and spirit worthie your selves and him your God as a chosen generation a royal Priest-hood a holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 21 Let all Israel whether in power or profession his visible or invisible people of what rank or qualitie soever Prince Priest people resort unto the place appointed for his solemn worship mount Sion where his sanctuarie is seated and there joyn their forces and affections to bless and serve him who is especially present there of all Israel having preferred Jerusalem to be the place of his residence and of all his glorious dispensations where he will be blessed of his people and whence he will bless them again that honour and serve him Therefore fail not on your part praise him and pray to him that is and will be your God if you do so The cxxxvi PSALM This Psalm for the magnifying of mercie it is thought was sung daily in the Tabernacle and Temple 1 Chron. 16.41 Jer. 33.11 and this clause for his mercie endureth for ever so oft repeated was sung by turns of the Levites and oft used for the burden of the song at solemn celebrations of remarkable mercies 2 Chron. 7.3 and 6. and 20.21 The drift of the Psalmist is to advance covenant-mercie that Church priviledge in the eyes of the faithful as the great and allmost onely thank-worthie benefit by which God himself and all that is Gods is his Churches the fountain of all good general special of creation and providence to the world to the Church which therefore we should behold in every thing and thank God for in all things 1 GOds greatness is better known and more taken notice of than his goodness but this ought principally to be his peoples studie to see all he does as well the acts of his grace and that a stable covenant-grace as of his power Therefore ye that are so be sure to do so be thankful to him and faithful in him for his goodness sake that is so transcendent even to the sins of all mankind in general who live move and have their beings in and from him notwithstanding them and to his Church in particular as appears by his many gracious promises and great performances temporal and spiritual in goodness made and in mercie made good sin cannot finally hinder the current of his grace which is as himself everlasting as in being so in acting an ever overflowing fountain whose mercies therefore are renewed every morning 2 3 Exalt him in his greatness yea in the full dimensions of it superlatively prefer him to all things in heaven and earth principalities powers or imaginarie deities Praise him as such but withal be thankful to him that is such so great and yet of such condiscention in continual dispensation of mercies for the consideration of his goodness setteth forth his greatness with greater beautie and sweetness which by reason thereof becomes a useful propertie and encouragement to his Church and people to draw nigh to him and trust in him for ever 4 And as for his mercie sake he is to be honoured in what he is essentially being thereby that to us and for us which he is in himself so also in what he does for his mercie and free grace it is the cause of the manifestation of so great power in all those glorious works of wonder wrought so apparently by the immediate hand and finger of God who onely is Almighty for and in his peoples behalfs in all their dangers notwithstanding all their sins as we can witness in an everlasting
Series of them 5 Free grace and mercie is and ought to be the salt that seasons all things as what you offer to God is seasoned with the salt of the covenant so let all the considerations you have of God his acts or attributes works or wisdom be salted and seasoned in like sort with the thankful memorial of covenant-grace without which all God is and all God does is as nothing for grace onely gives verdure to and proprietie in all yea and in himself that is more than all not onely his works of wonder to his Church in particular but even his wonderful works in common of creation are to be considered not as acts of power and wisdom onely but his mercie in both is chiefly to be considered â—s that which makes the very heavens to be heavens to us as at first they were so still to be glorious and excellent in their beautie and use be thankful therefore to the God of everlasting grace ever when you behold the heavens and admire his wisdom in those works of nature 6 Yea whethersoever ye look upward or downward and whatsoever ye see in heaven or earth that shews you God under any notion see mercie in it and so be thankful for it as the drie land and habitable earth which wonderfully declares his power being so great a superficies by his appointment above the waters that were above it and would be so again but that his decree stands firm our sins have not let them loose from their restraint because his never-failing grace and mercie over-rules them now as did his word of command at first therefore whensoever you see him in the one do not over-see him in the other for what power created powerful mercie hath continued 7 How many are enlightened by those two glorious luminaries that shine in the firmament that either see not God by them or if they do but with a natural notion of temporal benefit and common goodness and are not thereby raised in their thoughts to see him a God in covenant and that therefore as at first in goodness he made them so in mercie he continueth them for the use of man 8 9 The sun to give light by day wherein man is to labour and therefore hath need of greater light and the moon that other great but lesser light together with the additionals of infinite stars all which giving less light seasonably shine in the night the time appointed properly for rest and improperly imployed in business which yet more or less cannot well be avoided and therefore hath his goodness afforded and his wisdom ordered these gradual lights to shine so opportunely and successively as man hath more and less need of them and so also his mercie doth and hath continued them for these many thousand years notwithstanding so many millions of sins never therefore see these lights or by them but see Gods grace and mercie shine through them and be thankful for it and them 10 If mercie be the motive of common natural benefits why God gives them and we enjoy them and be to be seen in them as thank-worthie how much more in those special and supernatural benefits and miracles wrought for his Church in peculiar surely we are not to forget them nor his mercie in them but as to magnifie it in his acts of creation which are common so much more in those of providence and preservation to his people in special as that of his killing all the first-born of Egypt both of Prince and people man and beast when they would not let Israel go which is for ever to be memorized and recorded by his first-born the Church as a special fruit and effect of that covenant-mercie by which she is and shall ever be preserved thereby to be corroborated 11 12 Whereby he rescued his embondaged people Israel even all of them by a mightie hand of power which his mercie set on work from their cruel Task-masters whose power through mercie wrought that their deliverance maugre the Egyptians powerful opposition remember it see mercie in it and thank him for it yea let your thoughts run descant upon it double and treble your sense of it and thanks for such a mercie the great seal and first-born mercie of his everlasting covenant to his Church national Yea go from circumstance to circumstance see a succession of miraculous mercies and all of them springing out of that everliving root and mother-mercie covenant-grace as before in Egypt so out of Egypt at the red-sea which by almightie mercie being one was divided into two as it were walls of water on each hand them and a great distance of drie land betwixt 14 Through which he made all Israel to pass with safetie the divided sea never offering to unite the whilest they and their cattel journeyed through it 15 But on the contrarie when hard-hearted Pharaoh that pursued Israel after he had let them go ventured after them God the second time made dreadful slaughter of the Egyptians even of Pharaoh and all his host causing the sea to return and destroy all them who else had destroyed all Israel a mercie indeed as well as a miracle and so to be taken notice of admire therefore the one and thank him for the other by an eye of faith see mercie all along yea covenant-mercie such as makes God himself to be yours as well as his benefits and that by a tie of grace which through grace is never to be dissolved else your digestion of benefits themselves is crude and not nourishing as therefore this was typical so let your apprehension of it be spiritual see a blessing as well as a benefit in it to Israel which is the much more sweet and beneficial consideration and bless ye the Lord for blessing his people with so gracious as well as great deliverance 16 And as in your minds you revolve and carrie on the storie of Israels march from Egypt through the sea and so from the sea where they took an everlasting fare-wel of Pharaoh through the drie and desart wilderness where God lead them all along as a shepheard his sheep providing for them meat drink and clothes shade and protection miraculously but no less mercifully their provocations and his admirable patience shewed it and proved it too to be such a mercie whose motive is in God and therefore everlasting like himself a mercie that dures for ever else had it and the Church for ever there received an end for which then as such we are to thank and praise him and to mind that mercie in a paralel line quite along through all our consideration of the storie 17 18 19 20 21 22 And as before he overthrew Pharaoh for their sakes in their enterance into the wilderness so now at their going out of it and entering into Canaan by virtue of that his everlasting mercie patience long-suffering exercised for so
long together upon a people of so great provocations did he destroy potent Princes and Kings that were famous warriours by them a wayfaring people as Sihon King of the Amorites Og the Giant King of Bashan who opposed them and so utterly subdued them as that in stead of leave to pass he gave livery and seisin of all they had to his people Israel whose sword and service he made use of against them and well rewarded their labour and travel making them conquerours and heirs of the conquered both beyond and on this side Jordan in Canaan whose lands they have to this day and where they are to serve and worship him mercie gave it and mercie hath continued it our sins could neither hinder the getting nor the keeping it because though sin breaks on our part yet grace keeps covenant on Gods part thank and admire the God of so rich infinite and everlasting mercie in all and every passage from first to last of his dispensations and Israels provocations 23 Indeed we cannot say that ever his mercie failed us he remembred us many and many a time when we forgot our selves towards him giving us the inheritance of that mercie he long since passed over by Indenture and covenant to our fore-fathers insomuch as our extremitie was but his opportunitie alwayes when our miseries and dangers were greatest mercie and deliverance was nearest 24 Yea he hath redeemed us from our enemies with the bloud and slaughter of them when but for mercie we had been slaughtered by them or been perpetual bond-men to them and that many a time with successive deliverances by never-failing mercies 25 Nor do his people onely thus fare the better for his mercie but for their sakes all creatures living do so too his covenant of grace made everlastingly with his Church in special hath influence upon the creation in general the world subsists by it and for it and all flesh living is plentifully provided for with suitable and seasonable food by reason of it temporal benefits are bestowed on the Churches enemies for the Churches sake and on those out of covenant because of the covenant and them it pertains to according as he promised to Abraham saying In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed 26 You therefore that have such priviledges to be the Lords adopted heirs of the covenant covenant-mercies do not you degenerate own this God for your God that hath thus owned us by his special mercies for his peculiar people even the onely true God whose throne is in the heavens no vain earthly Idol give as is due praise and thanks to him for his mercie and especially for that it is made over to you and all the faithfull Israel by a covenant of grace as unchangeable and everlasting as God himself The cxxxvii PSALM The Psalmist in the name of the whole Church led captive into the empire of Babylon and Iudah and Ierusalem miserably destroyed shews their behaviour there how uncomfortable their condition was that could joy in nothing derided in captivitie with the very worship of God their glorie which notwithstanding they resolve to glorie in and in nothing comparably He praies and prophecies against Edom and Babylon that they may be rewarded as they have done and deserve 1 WHen the Lord brought that great judgement upon Judah the ruin of all at once by the Babylonian who destroyed many and carried the rest captive when in that condition we were far advanced into that Kingdom and from our own countrey the solitarie consideration of it seized sadly upon us no earthly nor pleasurable improvements here could give allay to our sorrows but with restless repose we sate down as the rest did by those pleasant rivers where notwithstanding we were capable of no content or refreshing except it were by venting of our grief in tears which whilest they rejoyced we shed abundantly at our rememberance of so unvaluable a loss as is Sion to be driven from the enjoyment of God and his worship there and to leave it in that desolate estate which no earthly felicities could recompence 2 Whereupon though the Priests and Levites in the midst of that general plunder and devastation in their zeal to the memorie of Gods worship in the Temple preserved their instruments and carried them as fellow-mourners into captivitie with themselves thinking to mitigate and mixe their sorrows with some musical refreshings yet when at leasurable times and delectable places by clear streams under cool shades they were invited to it their hearts misgave their fingers failed them sorrow so overwhelmed their spirits that it put all out of tune them and their instruments which in the condition and place they were in they as useless hung by untuned and unstrung upon the willows their grief encreasing by their sight in stead of lessening by their use when they apprehended them and themselves joyntly and totally captived in the midst of their mortal enemies far from Jerusalem which too was left as desolate as themselves were disconsolate 3 And the rather for that the Babylonians insultingly called to us to sing and be merrie laughing at the miserie they had brought us into being now their prisoners far from home in their own countrey having laid ours quite wast and with deriding insolence commanded us to prophane the worship of God which we were wont solemnly to celebrate in his Temple upon Sion by making them merrie with one of those sacred songs 4 But we took courage and disdained to do it at their command though in that condition resolving to expose our selves rather than Gods sacred service to heathenish derâ—sion and therefore made answer Though we are your prisoners yet we are servants to the Lord our God and must obey him before you who hath commanded those songs you require to be sung in a sacred manner to him onely and in the place appointed by him his Temple in Jerusalem and not to be prophaned to any other use in any other place nor were it lawful are we in a condition to sing that are as you see such sad spectacles of miserie and misfortune in a strange place and captives to a strange people that understand not our language much less our musical ditties 5 If any worldly contentment whatsoever burie in me who personate in that I speak Gods faithful servants Priests and Levites uttering their thoughts the sad rememberance of the Churches desolations that my grief for thee O Jerusalem that was wont to afford such sacred solace in Gods worship now under scorn and derision be not ever in my thoughts above pleasing my self or others let me forfeit the priviledge of that gift and honour God hath given me of celebrating his divine praise and worship let mine hand fail to do its duty when I fail of mine to thee and all my skill forsake me If I abuse or use it to any other purpose than God
fore-fathers specially they that are in Covenant the faithfull seed of faithful Abraham Isaack and Israel a people that through grace are precious and nearly related to him not for any inherent natural excellencie or meritoriousness in them above the rest of the created world which far out-strips them in motives of that nature but because freely chosen especially if effectually called grace being the onely motive that made him difference them from and indear them above all the world for sons and servants redeemed out of the hands of all their enemies and exalted to participation of fellowship and glorie with Christ the head of his Church whom respectively Israel and I resemble Therefore as he hath thus exalted you above all so do you him with praise proportionable to his goodness so superlative and peculiar The cxlix PSALM David in these five last Psalms is treating upon several Theams to enlarge the praises of God in the hearts and mouths of men principally of his people and therefore he intermingles common and created with special and peculiar excellencies and benefits of which latter sort this Psalm consists viz. of Gods singular good will to his people and saints whom he stiles here and else where in divers Psalms by the name of Israel because Israel was or ought to be such not onely in outward election but inward vocation for such at least they figured and therefore are the terms promiscuously used And these he would first have lay a foundation of joy in believing and knowing their superlative happiness in their near relation to and interest in God and Gods in them and favour to them and then to make the result of that their joy excess of praise yea he would have them discern their condition as well glorious and honourable as beneficial and joy thereafter in absolute certaintie and tranquillitie of mind praise-fully and proportionably enlarged And concludes with a prophetical prayer of Israels happiness now under him as the saints shall have certain and triumphant felicitie by Christ in their enemies vanquishments both many and great to the utmost of what is promised and threatened respectively for which honour he would have them as to be sensible of it so to be praise-full for it 1 O Ye the people and chosen of the Lord out of all the earth be you conscionable and carefull to give God his praises which he deserves specially at your hands above all the world besides let not your praises that are heirs of grace and partakers of such preheminences be like the sons of nature the children of this world who inherit but the good things thereof raise up your hearts to a higher pin celebrate you his name after another sort as he is singular in goodness to you so be you in gratefulness to him yea let every special mercie which in special grace at any time he vouchsafesh unto you be solemnized afresh from time to time by thanks-giving with praiseful affections and united harmonie in Temple-musick at the solemn meetings of his people there to worship and honour him especially his saints 2 Well may Israel afford to sing special praise and new songs to the Lord whom he hath pecualiarly chosen out of all the world and so made them as it were a new people begotten again out of the lost-lump of mankind not onely by the power of creation as at first which in effect the fall dissolved but by the grace of adoption and covenant smitten freely with their fore-father and in him with them Let this prerogative royall exceedingly affect the whole Church and people of God thankfully and praisefully toward him and comfortably in themselves by the faithfull apprehension of so rich mercie vouchsafed them as to be not subjects at large as the whole earth is but even sons and servants chosen by him to be his to serve and worship him in Sion where and how he hath appointed out of all the world besides that follow their own inventions and condiscending himself to be theirs in grace protection and government so as to none else 3 Let them be so ravished with this peculiarity of the grace mercie and love of God unto them as to lay out themselves again upon God with the utmost of their strength skill and affection in his praises by all wayes and means as may best express them to his glorie and increase of their own grace and consolation 4 For though all mankind be degenerated by the fall so that he that made them hath no pleasure in them Yet hath it pleased him to elect a few out of many an Israel whom he hath made and as it were re-created to be his and to serve him and in these he takes contentment to do them good and to receive the returns thereof in praise and thanks-giving from them and to that very end will he shew himself powerful for them and gracious to them that meekly wait and faithfully depend upon him in delivering and exalting them after a wonderful sort to the admiration of all the earth that shall have them in singular esteem for a non-such for such a people serving such a God of salvation as is not in the world besides like as he shall crown his sanctified ones his faithfull spiritual Israel and their graces with the eternal salvation in heaven triumphant over all and out of all this worlds miseries to his unspeakable praise and the worlds wonder that here despise them as the Gentils did us till God wrought a change 5 Let the Lords people his holy ones which all Israel should be consider the glorious state and condition they are advanced into by being so even the sons of the most high heirs of heaven a glorie beyond all earthly preheminence or created excellencie whatsoever and in this let them comfort themselves both above all comforts and discomforts the world can afford or inflict and with joyful praises magnifie the Lord that hath done so great things for them and with sweet peace and tranquillitie of mind possess their souls to the un-utterable consolation thereof A type of which is that blessed condition God is investing his Church and people Israel into at present by and under me making them triumphantly glorious over all their enemies abroad with abundance of securitie and peace at home wherein they ought exceedingly to rejoyce and joyfully to praise the God of heaven that hath thus advanced them and altered their condition even as those glorified saints in heaven do and shall that there enjoy an absolute and everlasting rest 6 7 Let Israel observe the singular mercies to them surpassing all to all people and the mightie victories which God bestowes upon them over their enemies types of the saints adoption and the conquests they shall have over their corruptions and the Church her adversaries which by the power of his might shall be subdued thereby to fill their mouthes with proportionable praises to a God so great and graciously
polluted with bloud 39 Thus were theâ— defiled with their own works and went a whoring with their own inventions 40 Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people insomuch as he abhorred his own inheritanâ—e 41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen and they that hated them ruled over them 42 Their enemies also oppressed them they were brought into subjection under their hand 43 Many times did he deliver them but they provoked him with their counsel and were brought low for their iniquitie 44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction when he heard their crie 45 And he remembred for them his Covenant and repented according to the multitude of his mercies 46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives 47 Save us O Lord our God and gather us from among the heathen to give thanks unto thy holy name and to triumph in thy praise 48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting let all the people say Amen Praise ye the Lord. 1 O Give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercie endureth for ever 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom he hath redeemed from the hands of the enemy 3 And gathered them out of the lands from the East and from the West from the North and from the South 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitarie way they found no Citie to dwell in 5 Hungrie and thirstie their soul fainted in them 6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses 7 And he led them forth by the right way that they might go to a Citie of habitation 8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with goodness 10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death being bound in affliction and iron 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God and contemned the counsel of the most high 12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour they fell down and there was none to help 13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he saved them out of their distresses 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and brake their bands in sunder 15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children ofmen 16 For he hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in â—â—nder 17 Fools because of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted 18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat and they draw near unto the gates of death 19 Then they crie unto the Lord in their trouble he saveth them out of their distresses 20 He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destruction 21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanks-giving and declare his works with rejoycing 23 They that go down to the sea in ships that do business in great waters 24 These see the works of the Lord â—nd his wonders in the deep 25 For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof 26 They mount up to the heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble 27 They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end 28 Then they crie unto the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresses 29 He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still 30 Then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them unto their desired haven 31 Ohâ— that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderfull works to the children of men 32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people and praise him in the assembly of the elders 33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness and the water-springs into drie ground 34 A fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein 35 He turned the wilderness into a standing water and drie ground into water-springs 36 And there he maketh the hungrie to dwell that they may prepare a Citie for habitation 37 And sow the fields and plant vineyards which may yield fruits of increase 38 He blesseth them also so that they are multiplied greatly suffereth not their cattel to decrease 39 Again they are minished and brought low through oppression affliction and sorrow 40 He poureth contempt upon Princes and causeth them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way 41 Yet setteth he the poor on high and maketh him families like a â—lock 42 The righteous shall see it and rejoyce and all iniquitie shall stop her mouth 43 Who so is wise and will observe those things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Psalm cviii A Song or Psalm of David 1 O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise even with my glorie 2 Awake Psalterie and harp I my self will awake early 3 I will praise thee O Lord among the People and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations 4 For thy mercie is great above the heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds 5 Be thou exalted O God above the heavens and thy glorie above all the earth 6 That thy beloved may be delivered save with thy right hand and answer me 7 God hath spoken in his holiness I will rejoyce I will divide Sechem and meet out the valley of Succoth 8 Gilead is mine Manasseh is mine Ephraim also is the strength of mine head Judah is my law-giver 9 Moab is my wash-pot over Edom will I cast my shoe over Philistia will I triumph 10 Who will bring me into the strong citie who will lead me into Edom. 11 Wilt not thou O God who hast cast us off and wilt not thou O God go foâ—th with our hosts 12 Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man 13 Through God we shall do valiantly for he it is that shall tread down our enemies Psalm cix To the chief musitian A Psalm of David 1 HOld not thy thy peace O God of my praise 2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceiptful are opened against me they have spoken against me with a lying tongue 3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred and fought against me without a cause 4 For my love they are mine advâ—rsaries but I give my self unto prayer 5 And they have rewarded me evil for good and hatred for my love 6 Set thou a wicked man over him and lâ—t
for ever 23 Who remembered us in our low estate for his mercie endureth for ever 24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies for his mercie endureth for ever 25 Who giveth food to all flesh â— for his mercie endureth for ever 26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven for his mercie endureth for ever Psalm cxxxvii 1 BY the rivers of Babylon there we sat down yea we wept when we remembred Sion 2 We haâ—ged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof 3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song and they that wasted us required of us mirth saying sing us one of the songs of Sion 4 How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land 5 If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning 6 If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy 7 Remember O Lord the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem who said Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof 8 O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us 9 Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones Psalm cxxxviii A Psalm of David 1 I will praise thee with my whole heart before thâ— Gods will I sing 〈◊〉 unto thee 2 I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name 3 In the day when I cried thou answeredsâ— me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. 4 All the Kings of the earth shall praise thee O Lord when they hear the words of thy mouth 5 Yea they shall sing in the waies of the Lord for great is the glorie of the Lord. 6 Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect to the lowly but the proud he knoweth afar off 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revâ—ve me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies and thy right hand shall save me 8 The Lord will perfect that which cocerneth me thy mercie O Lord endureth for ever forsake not the works of thine own hands Psalm cxxxix To the chief musitian A Psalm of David 1 O Lord thou hast searched me known me 2 Thou knowest my down â—itting and mine uprising thou understandest my thoughts afar off 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my waies 4 For there is not a word in my tongue but â—o O Lord thou knowest it altogether 5 Thou hast besâ—t me behind and before and laid thine haâ—d upon me 6 Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me it is high I cannot attain unto it 7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence 8 If I ascend up into heaven thou art there if I make my bed in hell behold thou art there 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the 〈◊〉 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me 11 If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me 12 Yea the darkness hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkness and the light are both alike to thee 13 For thou hast possessed my reins thou hast covered me in my mothers womb 14 I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well 15 My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth 16 Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book all my members are written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them 18 If I should count them they are moe in number than the sand when I wake I am still with thee 19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked O God depart from me tâ—erefore ye bloâ—dy men 20 For they speak against theâ— wickedly thine enâ—mies take thy name in 〈◊〉 21 Do not I hate them O Lord that haâ—â— thee and am I not grieved with these that rise up against theâ— 22 I hate them with perfect hatred I count them mine enemies 23 Search me O God and know my heart try me know my thoughts 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Psalm cxl To the chief musitian A Psalm of David 1 DEveâ— me O Lord from the evil man preserve 〈◊〉 from the violent man 2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart continually are they gathered together for war 3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent adders poison is under their lips Selah 4 Keep me O Lord from the hands of the wicked preserve me from the violent man who have purposed to overthrow my goings 5 The proud have hid a snare for me and cords they have spread a net by the way side they have set grins for me Selaâ— 6 I said 〈…〉 Lord thou art my God hear the voice of my supplications O Lord. 7 O God the Lord the strength of my salvation thou hast covered my head in the day of battell 8 Grant not O Lord the desires of the wicked further not his wicked deviâ—e least they exalt themselves Selah 9 As for the head of those that compass me about let the mischief of their own lips cover them 10 Let buâ—ning coals â—all upon them let them be cast into the fire into deep pits that they rise not up again 11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth evil shall hunt the violent maâ— to overthrow him 12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor 13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name the upright shall dwell in thy presence Psalm cxli. A Psalm of David 1 LOrd I cry unto thee make hast unto me give ear unto my voice when I cry unto thee 2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice 3 Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips 4 Encline not my heart to any evil thing to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity and let me not eat of their dainties 5 Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyl which shall not break my head for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities 6 When their Judges are overthrown in stony