ites. Christ is our God, who hath saved us according to his covenant and promise; he is our King, who hath set up the universal and everlasting kingdom, foretold by Daniel, and the other prophets; who hath "all power in heaven and earth;" and who “must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet, and swallowed up death in victory." In the mean time it is the daily employment of us, his redeemed subjects and servants, to chant forth the praises of his saving and glorious name, with which the church, on earth, and in heaven, will resound for ever and ever.

3. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. 4. One generation shall praise thy works unto another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

The greatness of Jehovah, whether we consider it as relating to his essence, or his works, is never to be fully comprehended by his saints, whose delight it is to contemplate "the breadth, and length, and depth, and height," the extent and duration of his Being and his kingdom, the profundity of his counsels, and the sublimity of his power and glory. These are the inexhaustible subjects of divine meditation, transmitted from age to age. And as the greatness of God our Saviour has no bounds, so his praises should have no end, nor should the voice of thanksgiving ever cease in the church. As one generation drops it, another should take it up, and prolong the delightful strain, till the sun and the moon shall withdraw their light, and the stars fall extinguished from their orbs.

5. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty,

and of thy wondrous works. 6. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts and I will declare thy greatness. 7. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

Those works of God, which demand to be celebrated by the tongues of men, are here divided into three kinds. First, such as declare his glory, and excite our admiration, whenever we behold them. Of this sort are the shining frame of the heavens, and all the bodies which move therein; the earth, with its furniture without, and its contents within; the magnificent and stupendous ocean, which flows around it; the different tribes of animals inhabiting both the one and the other; and, above all, the construction of man, the lord of this lower world. Under the second class of God's works are ranged all those which the Psalmist styles his terrible acts, or the exertions of his power against his enemies; such as, the destruction of the old world by water; of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire; of Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea; of the Canaanitish nations by the sword; and the victory gained over sin and death by the resurrection of Christ. In the third rank stand those works which have proceeded from the goodness of God, and his righteousness in the performance of his promises. And among these we may reckon all the different species of provision, which have been made by providence for the bodies of men in the world, and by grace for their souls in the church. On any of these subjects medi

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tation cannot be long employed, without breaking forth into wonder, gratitude, and praise.

8. The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9. The LORD is

good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Mercy has misery for its object, and is that attribute, towards which the eyes of a fallen world must naturally be turned. The Psalmist has, accordingly, introduced her last, with great pomp and splendour, seated in her triumphal chariot, and invested with a supremacy over all the works of God. She is above the heavens, and over all the earth, so that the whole creation finds that refuge under the shadow of her wings, of which, by reason of man's transgression, it stands in need. The singular of the original word for "his tender mercies," signifies the "womb." The "mercies" of God towards man, are, therefore, represented, by this word, to be like those of a mother towards the child of her "womb." And this is the very similitude which he himself has made use of, in that most affecting and comforting passage of the prophecy of Isaiah: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee."-And now, what follows? Are such "tender mercies" in God? And are they "over all his works?" Why then,

10. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and Thy saints shall bless thee, 11. They shall speak of the

glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power: 12. To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. 13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

As all the works of God, in their several ways, make a due return for the mercy vouchsafed unto them, and set forth his glory; so more especially ought this to be done by man, who is the principal party concerned in the fall and redemption. The saints are the subjects of Messiah's kingdom; and of that kingdom it is their duty to publish to the world the blessings and the glories, to the end that, when these are made known, the nations may be thereby induced to submit their hearts to so gracious a sceptre, and the dominion of Christ may become as universal in its extent, as it is everlasting in its duration.

The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

After having proclaimed the glory and eternity of the kingdom, the prophet draws a character of the King, who, in the execution of his regal and pastoral office, is ever mindful of the necessities of his subjects. To those, who, like Peter on the water, are sinking under temptation, he stretches out his saving arm, supporting and upholding them by his grace; and to those who, like the woman in the Gospel, have long been bowed down with sin or sorrow, he holds forth a pardon, raising and setting them upright again by his mercy. The case is the same with regard to outward

distresses, from which God either preserves, or delivers his people, as he sees best for them.

15. The eyes of all wait upon thee: and thou givest them their meat in due season. 16. Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

What a just and beautiful picture is here presented to view! We see the whole animal world assembled before us, with their eyes fixed on the great King and Father of all things, like those of a flock on their shepherd, when he enters the field, in time of dearth, with provender for them. From the same divine person, as the Saviour of men, as the King, Father, and Pastor of the church, do believers, with earnest expectation, wait for the food of eternal life. And neither one nor the other look and wait in vain. To both he gives their meat in due season; he openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing.

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17. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy, or, good, merciful, in all his works.

Thus, in all his ways, or dispensations towards his creatures, whether in nature, or in grace, Jehovah is righteous, faithful, and just, in extending his promised care, by making due provision for their wants; and all his works, which, from the beginning of the world, he has wrought in behalf of the sons of men, are full mercy and loving kindness."

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15. He will

18. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. fulfil the desire of them that fear him: hear their cry, and will save them.

he also will