Address thy self unto Him in his holy place and the Lord shall bestow on thee whatsoever blessings thou askest of Him yea maist thou be so happy as to see Jerusalem the Seat of Justice and Religion in a flourishing condition all thy life long 6. Yea thou shalt see thy childrens children and peace upon Israel 6. And long maist thou live to such a good old age as to see thy Childrens Children and the whole Nation all the time in a prosperous tranquillity PSALM CXXIX A Song of degrees See CXX ARGUMENT This Psalm was made when some new Calamity threatned them either by Senacherib or as Theodoret thinks by those Nations which combined to destroy the Jews as soon as they returned from the Captivity of Babylon When they were taught by Ezra or some such holy man to recount what God had done for them ever since they were a people and to denounce the divine Vengeance against those that now sought their ruine The former conjecture seems the truer because as yet he saith vers 2. their Enemies had not prevailed against them unless we expound that phrase as I have done in the Paraphrase according to the received interpretation of the Psalm that they had not quite destroyed them and made them cease to be a Nation 1. MAny a time have they afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say 1. OUR Adversaries may Israel now upon this occasion say have very often and very sorely distressed us ever since we began to be a People 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth yet they have not prevailed against me 2. It is hard to number how oft or to tell into how great straits they have reduced us ever since we began to be a Nation and yet by the special favour of God they have not been able to compass their desire of our utter extirpation 3. The plowers plowed upon my back they made long their furrows 3. They have laid us sometimes exceeding low and not onely scourged us so severely that the marks of it might be seen as plainly as the furrows are which the Plough makes in the ground but long continued also our vexation and torment 4. The LORD is righteous he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked 4. But the Lord at last in much mercy hath made good his faithfull Promises and broken in pieces the power of wicked Oppressours that they might not always hold us under their yoke and thus miserably tyrannize over us 5. Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion 5. And may all those that still hate us and our Religion never have better success but be shamefully defeated and forced to desist in all their attempts upon us 6. Let them be as the grass upon the house tops which withereth afore it groweth up 6. Let none of their designs ever come to maturity but be blasted like the grass upon the house-top which having no root withers of it self and needs no bodies hand to pluck it up 7. Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosome 7. And as it lies unregarded by those that reap or that carry in the fruits of the Earth so let these men and all their enterprises become contemptible and be looked upon as good for nothing 8. Neither do they which goe by say The blessing of the LORD be upon you we bless you in the Name of the LORD 8. Let all their hopes so speedily vanish that there be none to favour them nor so much as to wish prosperity to them No more then there are gathethers of such withered grass appear to whom the Passingers after the usual form II. Ruth 4. should say The Lord give you a good harvest We pray God you may reape the fruit of your labours PSALM CXXX A Song of degrees See CXX ARGUMENT Some think David made this Prayer after he had plunged himself into a very deep guilt by his sin with Bathsheba I rather think when he was persecuted by Saul and reduced to so low a condition that his heart began to sink within him For the flouds of ungodly men as he speaks XVIII Psal 4. made him afraid that he should one day perish in them 1 Sam. XXIX 1. and he complains elsewhere that he sunk in the mire where there was no standing c. LXIX Psal 2 14 15. In this condition he implores the divine Mercy with great earnestness and beseeches him to pardon his sins and the sins of all the people which made them deserve that ill government under Saul and his Flatterers It is the last but one of the VII penitential Psalms 1. OVT of the depths have I cried unto thee O LORD 1. IN the greatest straits when I can see no bottom no end of my troubles but I still sink lower and lower into them I never despair of thy mercy O Lord but cry unto Thee most earnestly to deliver me 2. LORD here my voice let thiâ—… ears be attâ—… to the voice of my supplications 2. Vouchsafe good Lord the Governour of all things to grant my Petition Do not reject it I humbly beseech Thee but give me a favourable answer when I deprecate thy displeasure 3. If thou LORD shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand 3. I do not plead any merits of mine but rather accuse my self before Thee knowing that if I were the most innocent person in the world yet if Thou Lord shouldest strictly examine my life and proceed against me according to my deserts Lord what would become of me I should certainly be condemned 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared 4. But Thou most graciously invitest us unto thy service by thy readiness to pardon all those that are truly penitent without the hope of which we could not so much as think of becoming religious 5. I wait for the LORD my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope 5. This incourages me to wait and expect when the Lord will deliver me my Soul is earnestly bent to expect this happy time which I believe will come because I have his Promise for it on which I depend 6. My soul waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the morning I say more then they that watch for the morning 6. I direct my thoughts to the Lord alone for safety and relief which I implore incessantly with my early Prayers For they that watch in the Temple for the break of day I say the Priests that watch in the Temple for the break of day are not more forward then I to offer up their morning Sacrifice to the Lord. 7. Let Israel hope in the LORD for with the LORD there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption 7. In whom let all his People place their trust and confidence for the Lord is very ready to doe good and hath more ways then we can imagine to rescue those that hope in Him out of the
means dost restore my strength and makest my youth and freshness return like the Eagles O that I may with fresh delight and joy be still praising Thee and be lifted up to heaven as they are when they have renewed their plumes in more vigorous love and affectionate desires and indeavours to imploy all my renewed strength in thy faithfull service 6. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed 6. Nor am I alone obliged to my gracious Lord for his singular favour to me but blessed be his name He relieves all those who suffer wrong and doth justice upon their oppressours who are too mighty for them 7. He made known his ways unto Moses his acts unto the children of Israel 7. Moses and the rest of our Forefathers are witnesses of this whom the Lord delivered in a stupendious manner out of the house of bondage 8. The LORD is mercifull and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy 8. And by other methods of his Providence towards them and dealings with them declared how bountifull his blessed nature is and how ready to forgive forbearing long when men deserve to be punished and soon releasing them from their pain when they heartily repent of their folly 9. He will not always chide neither will he keep his anger for ever 9. He doth not love blessed be his Name to be always chastising us for our faults And when He doth chastise us He neither loves to prolong our miseries nor to inflict them proportionable to our deserts 10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities 10. No Blessed be his holy Name there is mercy even in our punishments our sufferings are never so great as our sins but we might justly suffer a great deal more then we do for our faults 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him 11. And were we never so obedient there is not a greater disproportion between the vast circumference of the heavens and this little spot of earth then there is between his mercies towards us and our small services 12. As far as the east is from the west so far hath he removed our transgressions from us 12. To those mercies alone it is to be ascribed that we are not bemoaning our selves under innumerable miseries but He hath quite taken away his wrath from us and adored be his goodness perfectly remitted the punishment due to our manifold offences 13. Like as a father pitieth his children so the LORD pitieth them that fear him 13. O what bowels of mercy are these No father can be more indulgent and tender-hearted to his returning children then the Lord blessed be his Name is to those who so reform by his chastisements as to fear hereafter to offend Him 14. For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust 14. He easily relents and takes compassion on them considering how frail he hath made them and how soon of themselves they will moulder into the dust out of which He took them 15. As for man his days are as grass as a flower of the field so he flourisheth 15. For what is man that the Almighty should contend with him He looks fresh and fair but alas is as feeble as the grass and as a flower in the field whose beauty is far greater then its strength 16. For the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more 16. Many accidents snatch him away even in his prime Just as the biting wind to which the field flowers are exposed blasts them on a sudden and they spring up no more in the place that was adorned with them 17. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousness unto childrens children 17. O how much doth this magnifie the wonderfull mercy of our God! who designs to be everlastingly kind blessed be his Goodness to such short-liv'd creatures as we are rewarding the faithfull services of a few years with eternal life to our selves and with many blessings to our posterity in future generations 18. To such as keep his covenant and to those that remember his commandments to doe them 18. There is no doubt of this which hath been verified in those who have sincerely kept their faith with Him and not onely promised but constantly performed the obedience they owed Him 19. The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens and his kingdom ruleth over all 19. For none can hinder Thee O most mighty Lord from being as kind as Thou pleasest who art the universal Monarch the blessed and onely Potentate to whom not onely the greatest men on earth but the highest powers in heaven are subject 20. Bless the LORD ye his angels that excell in strength that doe his commandments hearkening unto the voice of his word 20. Let the Angels therefore who know his greatness power and gracious Providence better then I bless his holy Name Let those mighty ones whose strength surpasses all the powers on earth and yet never dispute his sacred commands give praise unto Him with all their might and with the same chearfulness wherewith they obey his word 21. Bless ye the LORD all ye his hosts ye ministers of his that doe his pleasure 21. Let the whole company of heaven all the several hosts of those glorious creatures who have been imployed by His Majesty so many ways for our good and understand how much we are beholden to his love speak good of his Name and bless his Mercy both to themselves and unto us 22. Bless the LORD all his works in all places of his dominion bless the LORD O my soul 22. Yea let every creature throughout the wide world proclaim as well as it is able the loving kindness of the Lord let none of them be silent but all with one consent bless his holy Name And thou O my soul be sure thou never forget to make one O fail not to bear thy part in this joyfull quire that daily sing his praise PSALM CIV ARGUMENT The foregoing and the following Psalm being certainly composed by David the Greeks and from them several other ancient interpreters have ascribed this also to the same Authour For which they had this further reason that it begins as Aben Ezra observes just as the foregoing Psalm ends and celebrates the mighty power and goodness of God in the fabrick of the world as the CIII doth his benefits to himself and to the rest of the children of men As for the occasion of it we may look upon it as a probable opinion that when David thought of building a House for the Divine Service and God sent Nathan to forbid him 2 Sam. VII 5. he fell not long after into the contemplation of the Majesty of God who having built this great world as his Temple needed none of his erecting though He
both by my Birth and by my Education and by this marvellous Deliverance whereby Thou hast rescued me from the power of death which had in a manner taken hold of me 17. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the LORD 17. I can never sure prove ungratefull to Thee unto whom I am tied by so many bonds But will always be making Thee my most thankfull solemn acknowledgments for the benefits I have received And together with those praises and thanksgivings wait upon thy Goodness for the like mercies in time to come 18. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people 18. I resolve again religiously to make good these and all other my vows wherein I stand ingaged to the Lord and that not onely in private but here at this solemnity in the face of all his people 19. In the courts of the LORD's house in the midst of thee O Jerusalem Praise ye the LORD 19. When they are gathered together at his House in the midst of the holy City of our God where they meet to worship Him and to doe Him honour There let them all join with me to bless and praise the great Creatour and Preserver of all things PSALM CXVII ARGUMENT This Psalm like the CX seems to be altogether Prophetical of the joy that all the world should conceive at the coming of the Messiah to give Salvation first to the Jews and then to all other Nations according to his faithfull promise Saint Paul applies the first words of it to this business Rom. XV. 11. and some of the Hebrews justifie his application confessing that this Psalm belongs to that matter The brevity of it makes it the more remarkable and easier to be remembred both by Jews and Gentiles 1. O Praise the LORD all ye nations praise him all ye people 1. LET not the praises which are due to the great Lord of all be confined to our Nation but let all people upon the face of the earth praise Him Let all mankind sing thankfull hymns unto Him 2. For his mercifull kindness is great towards us and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever Praise ye the LORD 2. For they are all concerned in his transcendent kindness which hath done mighty things for us and the Lord who changes not will never fail to perform his faithfull promises to the worlds end Therefore let us all join our praises to our common Benefactour PSALM CXVIII ARGUMENT There is nothing more probable then that David composed this Psalm after God had settled him upon the Throne of Israel as well as Judah and also subdued the Philistines who hoped to have crusht him before he grew too powerfull 2 Sam. V. 17. together with other enemies round about him who though they are not mentioned yet in all likelihood joyned with them as we may gather from Ver. 10 11. of this Psalm compared with 2 Sam. VII 1. For that it was written after he had brought the Ark to Jerusalem mentioned there Chap. VI. and placed it in the House he had prepared for it seems very plain from Ver. 19. of this Psalm Where he begins to praise God in such words as had not their compleat fulfilling till the Lord 's Christ whom the Jews rejected and said He shall not reign over us was made King of the World For to Him R. Solomon himself acknowledges those words The stone which the builders refused c. are to be applied And as the latter part of the Psalm is a Prophecy of Christ in David his Type so the former part may be accommodated to all Christians who being persecuted as Theodoret speaks and tormented and disgracefully treated by many Princes and their people by Kings and Governours got a glorious Victory over them all after they had indured a thousand deaths It seems also to have been pronounced at first in some solemn assembly of all the people met together to praise the Lord for his benefits And it is the common opinion of most Interpreters that they all had a part in this Psalm The greatest part of which was spoken by David who begins with a declaration how much he was indebted to God desiring all to assist him in his praises And then coming in a solemn procession I suppose to the Gates of the Tabernacle calls upon the Porters Verse 19. to open them to him that he might praise God in his Sanctuary which he doth in the very entrance Ver. 20 and then in the Courts of his House Ver. 21. After which all the people shout and magnifie the Divine Goodness in making him who was banished from his Country their King Ver. 22 c. And then the Priests come forth and bless both the King and people in the Name of the Lord Ver. 26 and exhort them to be thankfull Ver. 27 And then David seems to take the words out of their mouth and to declare that he will never be unmindfull of God's benefits desiring all the people also to remember them Ver. 28 29. According to which account of the Psalm I have ordered the Paraphrase 1. O Give thanks unto the LORD for he is good because his mercy endureth for ever 1. O Make your thankfull acknowledgments to the great Lord of all the world who as He is the Authour of all good and hath been exceeding bountifull unto us so will continue his kindness to all succeeding generations 2. Let Israel now say that his mercy endureth for ever 2. Let the Children of Israel who have had such long experience of his love and now see his promises fulfilled let them confess and thankfully acknowledge that his kindness continues to all generations 3. Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy endureth for ever 3. Let the Priests and the Levites whose business it is to attend upon His service confess now and thankfully acknowledge that his kindness extends unto all ages 4. Let them now that fear the LORD say that his mercy endureth for ever 4. And let all the devout Worshippers of the Lord of whatsoever Nation they be join together with us for there is one Lord of all who dispenses various benefits to every one of us and confess now most thankfully that there is no end of his kindness 5. I called upon the LORD in distress the LORD answered me and set me in a large place 5. You may see an example of it in me who was in grievous straits and dangers 1 Sam. XXIII 26. XXVII 1. but then imploring the Divine Protection the Lord not onely delivered me but placed me in a secure estate free from all such molestation 2 Sam. V. 3. VII 1. 6. The LORD is on my side I will not fear what can man doe unto me 6. For the Lord it is evident takes my part and therefore though I have many enemies I am not afraid of them for when He is for me what disturbance can men be they
souls of his saints he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked 10. But do not content your selves merely with this passion of joy if you truly love the Lord hate every thing which you know is displeasing to Him so shall you have the Lord of all things for your continual keeper who preserves the lives of sincerely pious men and watches over them with such a carefull providence that when they are in the power of the wicked He will not suffer them to destroy them 11. Light is soweâ—… for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart 11. Be not discouraged though the world should frown upon you but rest assured that God designs you in due time more chearfull and happy days which if you continue faithfull and serve Him with upright hearts shall as certainly come as the corn at last springs up after it hath lain all winter in the ground 12. Rejoice in the LORD ye righteous and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness 12. Let all truly good men rely on this and rejoice in their worst estate that they serve such a gracious Lord Let them give thanks unto Him for his benefits and gratefully commemorate how kind and gracious He hath been unto them that it may be kept in perpetual remembrance PSALM XCVIII A Psalm ARGUMENT There is no Title here but onely this A Psalm to which the Greeks add of David who it is very probable was the Authour or if he was not it was made by some holy man in imitation of what David saith in the XCVI of many of whose expressions this Psalm consists upon occasion of some remarkable deliverance which God had newly granted to Israel as an earnest of future blessings especially of the coming of that great blessing the Lord Christ to give compleat Salvation to his people 1. O Sing unto the LORD a new song for he hath done marvellous things his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory 1. O Let the new and extraordinary benefits which the Lord hath bestowed upon us provoke you to sing praises unto Him with fresh devotion for He hath done stupendious things and by his Almighty goodness alone and incomparable strength hath wrought salvation for those who were as unworthy to be helped by Him as they were unable to help themselves 2. The LORD hath made known his salvation his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen 2. The Lord hath declared by the wonders He hath done how mighty He is to save and deliver He made the Gentile world apparently see that He is the just rewarder of all those who piously obey Him and will not let the wicked escape unpunished 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 3. He hath not forgot his ancient Covenant with our Forefathers but so faithfully performed what his mere mercy moved Him to promise 1. Luke 54 72. that all mankind have seen what our gracious God hath done and partake of his Divine benefits 4. Make a joyfull noise unto the LORD all the earth make a loud noise and rejoice and sing praise 4. Let them all therefore shout for joy let them cry aloud and with strong and chearfull voices sing hymns of thanks and praise unto the Lord. 5. Sing unto the LORD with the harp with the harp and the voice of a psalm 5. Let nothing be wanting to express your joyfull sense of the goodness of the Lord but let the Harp accompany your songs let the sweet sound of the Harp I say and the sound of your voices be mixt together with your Psalms 6. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyfull noise before the LORD the King 6. And let the Trumpet also and Cornet proclaim with a louder sound the exceeding greatness of your joy while you shout with triumphant acclamations to Him and acknowledge the Lord to be your King 7. Let the sea roar and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein 7. Let the noise of his praises be heard like thunder throughout all the habitable world both among those that live on the Sea and those that are upon the Land 8. Let the flouds clap their hands let the hills be joyfull together 8. Let high as well as low applaud their happiness and joyn together with one consent to express by all the tokens of joy the singular pleasure and satisfaction they feel in their hearts 9. Before the LORD for he cometh to judge the earth with righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity 9. Let them meet the Lord with forward affections who is coming to reform the earth and will govern mankind by righteous and mercifull Laws distributing to every man according to his works PSALM XCIX ARGUMENT The Greeks intitle David to this Psalm which seems to have been made upon the same occasion and to the same end with the three foregoing onely with these two differences First that from the consideration of the royal power of the Lord who had manifested himself by some notable conquests over his enemies to be the onely Monarch whose Sovereignty extends over all the world they should mix fear and trembling together with that joy and exultation to which in the former Psalm he had excited them And secondly that he doth not so plainly as in those Psalms prophesie of the Kingdom of the Lord Christ But there are many passages as Theodoret observes which may be applied to the appearing of our Saviour and the infidelity of the Jews Saint Austin and Saint Ambrose apply to him that passage upon which the Roman Church builds the lawfulness of worshipping Images Ver. 5. where the vulgar Latin reading adorate scabellum pedum ejus worship his footstool those two Fathers think there is no way to reconcile this with that command Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him onely shalt thou serve but by expounding this of the flesh of Christ which is the footstool they say which the Psalmist exhorts all men to worship so far were those holy men from allowing adoration to any thing that is not God or hath not a personal union with Him And indeed Christ was represented by the Ark which was the Divine footstool here spoken of but not to be adored no more then the Hill on which it stood concerning which the Psalmist speaks in the last Verse just as he doth of the Ark in this and therefore we ought to understand both passages alike the particle in the Hebrew being the very same before footstool and before Hill and translate them thus worship at or before or towards his footstool and holy Hill as elsewhere he speaks of worshipping towards his Temple V. 8. CXXXVIII 2. And so Menochius very honestly here expounds this passage in these words worship in his Temple turning your faces towards the Ark on which
who brought it out of the waters and preserves it in its just extent from being again overflowed by them for his kindness is no less immoveable and by length of time can never be impaired 7. To him that made great lights for his mercy endureth for ever 7. Witness those great Lights which never go out but always call upon us to praise and give thanks to Him who made them to illuminate the world and to be the emblems of his kindness which sends its benign influences continually upon us unto all generations 8. The Sun to rule by day for his mercy endureth for ever 8. By day the Sun exerts his power to quicken all inferiour Beings and excites us to praise Him and be thankfull to Him whose kindness thereby perpetually administers to us all necessary things and will do so to the end of the world 9. The Moon and Stars to rule by night for his mercy endureth for ever 9. And by night the Moon or the Stars supply its place and let us see how much we are bound to praise and thank Him whose kindness is so constant that in the worst condition it will never quite forsake us 10. To him that smote Egypt in their first-born for his mercy endureth for ever 10. We must needs say so and think our selves ingaged above all others to give Him thanks if we call to mind that memorable night XII Exod. 29. when He punished the Egyptians with the loss of all their first-born For his kindness still continues for ever to relieve those that are injured and to punish their insolent Oppressours 11. And brought out Israel from among them for his mercy endureth for ever 11. Let us not forget how after that stroke He brought our Forefathers out of the cruel Bondage wherein they had long held them XII Exod. 41 42. but thankfully acknowledg that wonderfull deliverance For it is an argument why we should never distrust his kindness in the sorest straits that can befall us 12. With a strong hand and with a stretched out arm for his mercy endureth for ever 12. His Power let us remember is irresistible which first by lesser then by greater signs and wonders delivered us out of their hands VI. Exod. 5 6. VII VIII c. to praise and magnify Him whose kindness is stupendiously great and will never cease to succour those who depend upon Him 13. To him which divided the red Sea into parts for his mercy endureth for ever 13. Let us therefore give thanks to him who when our Forefathers utterly despaired of safety XIV Exod. 10 11. commanded the red Sea to retire and leave a broad way for them to pass v. 21. which plainly proves that his kindness is inexhausted and alway ready to help us in the most dreadfull dangers 14. And made Israel to pass thorough the midst of it for his mercy endureth for ever 14. For he led them safely through the very midst of the Sea which rose up like a wall on either hand of them XIV Exod. 22. and will by his kindness eternally secure all those that piously confide in Him 15. But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the red Sea for his mercy endureth for ever 15. But throw those that oppose Him headlong into destruction as He did Pharaoh and his Host in the very same place where Israel was preserved XIV Exod. 27 c. For his kindness loves to compleat his favours and perfect what He hath begun for his people 16. To him which led his people through the wilderness for his mercy endureth for ever 16. And accordingly when He had thus delivered them He led his people by the direction of a glorious Cloud through an untrodden Desert and there with our thankfull praises let it be remembred made a miraculous provision for them Exod. XVI For his endless kindness wheresoever they went still with new Benefits pursued them 17. To him which smote great Kings for his mercy endureth for ever 17. When potent Kings opposed their passage to the promised Land He utterly discomfited them to his praise be it thankfully acknowledged For his kindness was not stopt by difficulties but ever overcame them 18. And slew famous kings for his mercy endureth for ever 18. Though they were Kings famous for their prowess yet such was his for ever to be praised kindness towards us He gave us as easy and as absolute a victory over them as He had done before over Pharaoh and his Host 19. Sihon king of the Amorites for his mercy endureth for ever 19. Over Sihon King of that fierce Nation of the Amorites who were thought invincible II. Amos 9. For his kindness was mightier then they and gave us this as an earnest of future conquests over our Enemies 20. And Og the king of Bashan for his mercy endureth for ever 20. Over that huge Tyrant Og the King of Bashan III. Deut. 11. For his kindness added that as a new pledge of what He intended to doe for us when we came into Canaan 21. And gave their land for an heritage for his mercy endureth for ever 21. And gave both their Countries to be held of Him as a perpetual inheritance For his kindness doth not decay nor loves to revoke his Favours but continues to the latest Posterity 22. Even an heritage unto Israel his servant for his mercy endureth for ever 22. An Inheritance they were which he setled upon us the Children of Israel as long as we continue his faithfull Servants For his kindness hath no end but delights to perpetuate his Mercies to those who are worthy of them 23. Who remembred us in our low estate for his mercy endureth for ever 23. Nay when for our Sins we were severely afflicted and in danger to be thrown out of this good Land into which at last He brought us Judg. II III IV c. He was pleased graciously to relieve us For his kindness pardoned our ingratitude and was as forward as ever to bestow fresh Benefits upon us 24. And hath redeemed us from our enemies for his mercy endureth for ever 24. And rescued us many a time when we cryed unto Him from the power of those that tyrannized over us For his kindness was not spent by the frequent deliverances it had given us but still granted new matter for our thanksgivings to Him 25. Who giveth food to all flesh for his mercy endureth for ever 25. Whose Bounty is not confined to us alone but supplies the wants of all mankind yea of all living Creatures For his kindness hath no bounds nor will ever cease to make a plentifull provision for them 26. O give thanks unto the God of heaven for his mercy endureth for ever 26. O raise your hearts to give Him thanks with the highest praises whose power extends it self beyond this Earth even unto the highest Heavens For his kindness is so unwearied that we may hope from thence to be ever receiving more and more of his Blessings PSALM CXXXVII