3. For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter: and from the noisome pestilence.

4. He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe under his feathers: his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5. Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night: nor for the arrow that flieth by day.

6. For the pestilence that walketh in darkness: nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day.

7. A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand but it (t) shall not come nigh thee.

names. This is made highly probable by verse 11. and by the reference to it upon our Saviour's temptation.

(q) v. 1. "Abide, &c." or "be safe "under the protection." The meaning is, whoever trusts in God, will be sure to find security.

(2) "Shadow," or "covering," as effectually protected as if covered, or surrounded by the Almighty Power. The expression is figurative, from the protection a hen affords her chickens, by covering them with her wings. See post, verse 4. and ante, 268. note on Ps. xvii. 8.

"

(s) v. 2. "I will say," or "saying," as to be able to say," making it the speech of those who dwell under God's defence. In several of Dr. Kennicott's MSS. the participle is used: not the first future.

(t) v. 7. "It," i. e. "the destruction "by which others fall."

(u) v. 8. "With thine eyes, &c." i. e. (perhaps)" thou shalt see it only, in its "coming upon others; it shall not reach "thee. It shall be within thy sight, yet "shalt thou be safe."

8. Yea, with thine eyes (u) shalt thou behold: and see the reward of the ungodly.

9. For thou, Lord, art my hope: thou hast set thine house of defence very high. (v)

10. There shall no evil happen unto thee: neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11. For (w) he shall give his angels charge over thee: to keep thee in all thy ways.

12. They shall bear thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy

foot against a stone.

13. Thou shalt go upon the () lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.

14. "Because he hath set his "love upon me, therefore will I "deliver him I will set him up, because because he hath known my Name.

15." He shall call upon me,

(v) v. 9. "Thine house of defence very "high," i. e. figuratively, "thou puttest "them whom thou protectest beyond the "reach of danger."

(w) v. 11. 12, This is the passage Satan mentioned to our Saviour during his temptation in the wilderness, to induce him to throw himself from the pinnacle of the temple, that, by being miraculously preserved, he might satisfy himself he was what he assumed to be, the Son of God. Matt. iv. 6. See ante, 90. And if this verse referred prophetically to the Messiah, the whole Psalm must look forward to him.

(x) v. 13. "The lion and adder, &c." put (perhaps) figuratively for "all the "powers of darkness," including "the "dragon, that old serpent, which is the "devil. Rev. xx. 2." The object probably is to foretell the spiritual success of Christ. St. Chrysostom, in his homily this Psalm, says, "And who was this "adder, but that serpent the devil, who "imposed upon the innocence and igno"rance of our first parent?" 1. Chrysostom. Basil edition, 945.

upon

Ir is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy Name, O Most Highest ;

and

2. To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning of thy truth in the night-season; 3. Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the lute: upon a loud instrument, and upon the harp.

4. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy works and I will rejoice in giving praise for the operations of thy hands.

5. O Lord, how glorious are thy works thy thoughts are very deep!

6. An unwise man doth not well consider this: and a fool doth not understand it.

7. When (z) the ungodly are

(y) A spirited invocation to the praise of God, noticing the punishments he brings upon the wicked, and the exaltation to which he advances the righteous. It was used by the Jews on their Sabbath.

(z) v. 7. "When, &c." The certain downfall of the wicked is the subject of the 37th and 73d Psalms, and how ex

green as the grass, and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish then shall they be destroyed for ever; but thou, Lord, art the Most Highest for ever

more.

8. For lo, thine enemies, O Lord, lo, thine enemies shall perish and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed.

9. But mine horn shall be exalted like the horn of an unicorn: for I am anointed with fresh oil.

10. Mine eye also shall see his lust of mine enemies and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked, that arise up against me.

11. The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree and shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.

12. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord: shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.

13. They also shall bring forth more fruit (a) in their age shall be fat and well-liking;

and

(c) A spirited hymn on the transcendency of God's power.

(d) v. 1. "The Lord, i. e. (perhaps) "the "Messiah." Dr. Hamm. says of it, "It "is resolved by the Jews" (R. Saad Gaon, Rasi, and Kimchi) "to have its fullest "completion in the Messiah."

(e) v. 4. "The floods," i. e. (perhaps) "the great men of the earth." In 2 Sam. xxii. 5. and in the Bible translation of Ps. xviii. 4. David speaks of "the floods "of ungodly men," as making him afraid; and in that fine passage, Is. lix. 19. the

Lord, the floods their voice their waves.

the

2 Pet. i.

(5) ante, 216. (10) ante, 51. 95.

have lift up floods lift up

5. The waves of the sea are

mighty and rage horribly: but yet the Lord, who dwelleth on high, is mightier.

6. Thy testimonies, O Lord, are very sure: holiness becometh thine house for ever.

Psalm xciv. (g) O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth (h): thou God,

impetuosity of an enemy is compared to a flood; "when the enemy shall come in "like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall "lift up a standard against him."

(g) An earnest prayer to God for deliverance from the persecutions and unjust decisions of the wicked, and a confident assurance in his protection.

(h) v. 1. "To whom vengeance be"longeth." In the Song of Moses, Deut. xxxii. 35. God is represented as saying, "To me belongeth vengeance and re

compence ;" and St. Paul refers to it,

to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.

2. Arise, thou Judge of the world and reward the proud

after their deserving.

3. Lord, how long shall the ungodly how long shall the ungodly triumph?

4. How long shall all wicked doers speak so disdainfully and make such proud boasting? 5. They smite down thy people, O Lord and trouble thine heritage.

6. They murder the widow and the stranger and put the fatherless to death.

:

(Rom. xii. 19. ante, 62.) " It is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith "the Lord." Before man then taketh upon himself revenge, it is worth considering whether he is not encroaching upon one of God's peculiar prerogatives, what God hath said shall belong wholly to himself.

(i) v. 10. "Teacheth :" and if he is at the pains to teach, shall not he punish those who will not learn?

(k) v. 13. "That thou mayest give him," i. e. (perhaps)" so as to give him." (4) v. 15. "Until, &c." i. e. (perhaps)

thou chastenest, O Lord and teachest him in thy law;

13. That thou mayest give him (k) patience in time of adversity until the pit be digged up for the ungodly.

14. For the Lord will not fail his people neither will he forsake his inheritance;

15. Until() righteousness turn again unto judgment: all such as are true in heart shall follow it.

16. Who will rise up with me against the wicked or who will take my part against the evil doers?

17. If the Lord had not helped me: it had not failed, but my soul (m) had been put to silence. 18. But when I said, My "foot hath slipped :" thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.

19. In the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart: thy comforts have refreshed my soul.

20. Wilt thou have any thing to do with the stool of wickedness (n) which imagineth (0) mischief as a law?

21. They gather them together against the soul (p) of the righte ous and condemn the innocent blood.

"until the righteous again prevail; until "righteousness again possesses the seat "of judgment, and gives its recompence "to every act.

(m) v. 17." My soul, &c." i. e. "my life "had been taken away."

(n) v. 20. "The stool of wickedness," i. e. (probably) "the judgment-seat of "wicked judges."

(o) "Imagineth, &c." i. e. (perhaps) "treateth mischief as a law, a rule of " conduct."

(p) v. 21. "Soul," i. e. " life."

22. But the Lord is my refuge and my God is the strength of my confidence.

23. He shall recompense them their wickedness, and destroy them in their own malice : yea, the Lord our God shall destroy them.

MORNING PRAYER.

Psalm xcv. (p)

O COME, let us sing unto the Lord let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

2. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and shew ourselves glad in him with psalms.

3. For the Lord is a great God and a great King above above all gods.

4. In his hand are all the corners of the earth and the strength of the hills is his also.

5. The sea is his, and he made it and his hands prepared the dry land.

6. O come, let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our Maker;

7. For he is the Lord our God and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

8. To-day if ye I will hear his voice, harden not your hearts :

(p) See ante, p. 3. where this Psalm also occurs.

(9) A spirited invocation to the praise of God. It is part of the hymn delivered by David to Asaph and his brethren, on the day he brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom to Mount Sion. See 1 Chron. xvi. 7. and 23 to 34. The former part of the hymn is to be found in Ps. cv. "" By common consent of "Jews and Christians," (say Doyley and Mant,)" it is applied to the times of the

O SING unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the whole earth.

2. Sing unto the Lord, and praise his Name: be telling of his salvation (r) from day to day.

3. Declare his honour unto the heathen: and his wonders unto all people.

4. For the Lord is great, and cannot worthily (s) be praised: he is more to be feared than all gods.

5. As for all the gods of the heathen, they are but idols (t): but it is the Lord that made (u) the heavens.

6. Glory and worship are before him power and honour are in his sanctuary.

7. Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people : ascribe