The destruction of Pharaoh and the Egyptians is here mentioned as another instance of God's mighty power. And it is probable, that the foregoing verse was intended to allude more particularly to that miraculous exertion of God's sovereignty over the waters, the division of the Red Sea, which happened at the same time; as these two events are generally spoken of together. Thus Isaiah: Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab,' i. e. Egypt, and wounded the dragon,' i. e. Pharaoh ? 'Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep, that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over ?' li. 9. The same power which effected all this, hath since, in Christ Jesus, overcome the world, destroyed the works of the devil, and ransomed mankind from the depths of the grave.

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11. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world, and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. 12. The north and the south, thou hast created them; Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.

The heavens,' and all the glorious bodies there ranged in beautiful order; the earth,' with its rich furniture, and the unnumbered tribes of its inhabitants, through its whole extent, from north to south,' and from east to west; all these are so many evidences of that wisdom and power which at the beginning contrived and formed them; all, in their respective ways, declare the glory and speak the praises of their great Creator; but chiefly the holy land, and the fruitful hills which adorned it. 'Tabor' in one part, and 'Hermon' in another, formerly seemed, as it were, to rejoice'

and sing, for the abundant favours showered down upon them by the God of Israel, who hath since caused all nations no less to exult and triumph in his saving name.

13. Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.

The Psalmist, having produced and meditated on some eminent instances of divine power, draws this general conclusion from the premises. Towards the Christian church the arm of Jehovah' hath been revealed in a still more extraordinary manner. She reflecteth on the wonders wrought by Jesus; a conquest over more formidable enemies than Pharaoh and his Egyptians; a redemption from more cruel bondage; salvation from sin and death; a new creation, new heavens, and new earth, a new Jerusalem, and a spiritual Sion. With additional conviction may she therefore exclaim, 'Thou hast a mighty arm; strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand!'

14. Justice and judgment are the habitation, Heb. the establishment, of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

Although the power of God be infinite, yet is it never exerted, but under the direction of his other attributes. When he goeth, as a judge, to his tribunal, mercy and truth go before his face;' they are represented as preceding him, to give notice of his advent, and to prepare his way. 'All the ways,' or dispensations of the Lord,' as it is elsewhere observed, are mercy and truth;' Ps. xxv. 10; they are the substance of all his revelations, which either promise salvation, or relate the per

formance of such promises. By these is man warned and prepared for 'judgment;' which is to be the last and finishing scene. And when the great Judge of all the earth shall from his throne pronounce the irreversible sentence, not a creature then present shall be able to accuse that sentence of injustice. After this model should the thrones of princes, and the tribunals of earthly magistrates, be constituted in 'justice and judgment,' adorned with mercy and truth.'

15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.

Next to the praises of Jehovah, is declared the happiness of those who have him for their God; who know the joyful sound, or sound of the trumpet,' by which the festivals of the Jewish church were proclaimed, and the people were called together to the offices of devotion; who enjoy the light' of truth, and through grace are enabled to walk' therein. These blessings are now become our own: the evangelical trumpet hath sounded through the once heathen world; the Sun of righteousness hath risen upon all nations. Let us attend to the joyful sound;' let us' walk' in the glorious light.'

16. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. 17. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. 18. For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our King.

It is the duty of Christians, as it was that of

Israelites, to ascribe all their strength, their success, and their glory, whether in matters temporal or spiritual, to Jehovah alone. Having heard the sound, and experienced the illuminating and reviving influences of the gospel, in the name and in the salvation of God we rejoice all the day, and in his righteousness only we trust to be exalted to heaven to him we attribute the glory of that strength, with which, in time of temptation, we may find ourselves happily endued; and in his favour, or grace, our horn, or the efforts of our power, shall be exalted, and crowned with victory; our defence in all dangers is from Jehovah, who was ever the shield of his ancient people; and the Holy One of Israel is our Redeemer and our King.

19. Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid, or, placed, help upon, or, in, one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

The covenant made with David was mentioned in general terms above, at verses 4, 5. But a more particular account is now given of God's dispensations relative to the son of Jesse, and his posterity. We are presented with the substance of the revelation made upon this subject, 'in vision,' to one of the prophets, perhaps Samuel, or Nathan, here styled an 'holy one,' or religious person, one favoured and accepted by God, who is introduced as manifesting to this his prophet the divine counsels concerning David: 'I have placed help upon, or in one, who shall become an eminent and mighty Saviour of Israel; from among all the people I have chosen, and determined to exalt him, for that

purpose, to the throne.' Thus was Messiah foretold, in prophetical visions and revelations, as the person designed to be the mighty Redeemer of his church; thus, in the fulness of time, was he chosen from among the children of men, and exalted, through sufferings, to an eternal throne.

20. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: 21. With whom my hand shall be established; mine arm also shall strengthen him.

David was the servant of God; he was, by the prophet Samuel, anointed with oil; he was strengthened and established in his kingdom, by the hand and arm of Jehovah. But never let Christians fail, in this eminently figurative character, to contemplate that true David, (for so he is called, Ezek. xxxiv. 23, xxxvii, 25,) the beloved Son of God; 'the servant and elect of Jehovah, in whom his soul delighted, and on whom he put his Spirit;' Isa. xlii. 1; whom he anointed with his holy oil, with the oil of gladness, with the Holy Ghost and with power;' Ps. xiv. 7; Acts, x. 38; whom he strengthened, and established in his spiritual kingdom, with his hand and arm, and the might of his omnipo

tence.

22. The enemy shall not exact upon, or, deceive, him nor the son of wickedness afflict, or, subdue, him. 23. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. 24. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

These promises were fulfilled to David, when God delivered him out of the hand of Saul, and of all