Matt.

of it, according to their own blind prayer. xxvii. 25.-remembereth] God remembereth his people, and them that trust in him. Ver. 10. When He punisheth His enemies.

Ver. 13. from the gates of death.] From the entrance to the grave and the unseen world.

Ver. 14. within the ports] Within the gates of Jerusalem. The daughter of a city or place means the people, the inhabitants; the city being, as it were, their parent.

Ver. 15, 16.] See on Psal. vii. 15, 16.

Ver. 17. into hell:] The word hell, in this, as in many other passages, probably means the grave, or the state of the dead. It is true, that all the wicked, who repent not, will "go away into everlasting punishment." Matt. xxv. 46. But here David seems to foretel that all the people, or nations, that forget God and serve him not, shall be destroyed. There might be some good people amongst them; and they would be singled out and saved.

Ver. 18. not alway] That is, shall never be forgotten-shall never perish.

Ver. 20. to be but men.] To be but weak and helpless men, who cannot stand against Thee, the Almighty God; and therefore had better submit to thy teaching and law.

All our mercies should be acknowledged before God in heartfelt praises; the whole glory of every deliverance and blessing belongs to Him; we should take delight in showing forth His marvellous works done to ourselves and to all his people; and no words can be more suitable than the beginning of this Psalm. And seeing what God has hitherto done for us and His Church,

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at all times, we must entirely depend upon Him for evermore. His enemies may stand their ground for a season; but they will not triumph at last; they never did, and never will. The eternal God has already prepared his throne for judgment, and every man shall be rewarded according to his deeds." The unbeliever and ungodly shall be brought to shame, and perish; the believer and the righteous shall lift up their heads with joy, and be saved. "Trust ye in the Lord, for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." Isa. xxvi. 4.

QUESTIONS.

What is marvellous?-What do you mean by destructions coming to a perpetual end?-What is a memorial?-How shall God judge the world?-They that know Thy name?-Which dwelleth in Sion?-What is it to make inquisition ?-When will God make inquisition?—The gates of death?-The ports of the daughter of Sion?-Shall not perish for ever?-To be but men?

PSALM X.

The former part of this Psalm describes the character of some wicked and cruel enemy, or enemies, who persecuted David and the Church in his day; and, no doubt, was intended to describe the enemies of Christ and His Church. The psalmist then proceeds to commit the cause to the Lord, in prayer and praise.

1 Why standest Thou so far off, O Lord; and hidest Thy face in the needful time of trouble? 2 The ungodly for his own lust doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the crafty wiliness that they have imagined.

3 For the ungodly hath made boast of his own heart's desire : and speaketh good of the covetous, whom God abhorreth.

4 The ungodly is so proud, that he careth not for God: neither is God in all his thoughts.

5 His ways are always grievous: Thy judgments are far above out of his sight, and therefore defieth he all his enemies.

6 For he hath said in his heart, Tush, I shall never be cast down there shall no harm happen unto me.

7 His mouth is full of curs- 14 Wherefore should the ing, deceit, and fraud; under wicked blaspheme God: while his tongue is ungodliness and he doth say in his heart, Tush, vanity. Thou, God, carest not for it.

8 Нe sitteth lurking in the thievish corners of the streets: and privily in his lurking dens doth he murder the innocent; his eyes are set against the poor.

9 For he lieth waiting secretly; even as a lion lurketh he in his den: that he may ravish the poor.

10 He doth ravish the poor: when he getteth him in his net. 11 He falleth down, and humbleth himself: that the congregation of the poor may fall into the hands of his captains.

12 He hath said in his heart, Tush, God hath forgotten: He hideth away his face, and he will never see it.

13 Arise, O Lord God, and lift up thine hand: forget not the poor.

15 Surely Thou hast seen it : for Thou beholdest ungodliness and wrong.

16 That Thou mayest take the matter into Thine hand: the poor committeth himself unto Thee; for Thou art the helper of the friendless.

17 Break Thou the power of the ungodly and malicious: take away his ungodliness, and Thou shalt find none.

18 The Lord is King for ever and ever: and the heathen are perished out of the land.

19 Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the poor: Thou preparest their heart, and Thine ear hearkeneth thereto.

20 To help the fatherless and poor unto their right: that the man of the earth be no more exalted against them.

Ver. 1. Why standest thou so far off,] As if Thou wouldest neither see, nor help: as if Thou didst hide Thy face, that Thou mightest not behold the suffering of Thy people.

Ver. 2. For his own lust] In his wicked passion, to gratify his proud and cruel desires.—the poor :] The weak and helpless man.—in the crafty wiliness] In the cunning devices.

Ver. 3.] This verse contains two marks of a very wicked man: he not only desires evil, but makes a boast of it, "glorying in his shame." Phil. iii. 19. not only does what is wrong, but delights in and praises

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ungodly people, whom the Lord abhorreth or hateth. Rom. i. 32.

Ver. 5. alway grievous:] Always offensive and hurtful.-therefore deficth he] Since he fears no judgment, he fears no enemy, and behaves himself in a proud and insulting manner.

Ver. 6. Tush,] A word of contempt.

Ver. 7. under his tongue]

Concealed and ready

to be shot forth, like the poison of a serpent.

Ver. 8. in the thievish corners] In the dark and secret corners, where thieves lie hid.-privily,] Privately, secretly.

Ver. 9. that he may ravish] That he may catch and destroy the innocent.

Ver. 11. humbleth himself:] Pretends to be humble and to flatter them, that he may ensnare them the more easily. How continually did the proud Scribes and Pharisees act thus towards our Lord! Luke xx. 19-23.

Ver. 12. God hath forgotten:] Because God doth not punish immediately, they conclude that he does not observe, and will never punish at all. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore, &c." Eccl. viii. 11.

Ver. 13. If such be the deceitfulness of the wicked, what resource have we against them but in prayer?

Ver. 17. and thou shalt find none.] "Till," or, "until thou find none."-Bible version. Take his ungodliness away, more and more, till there be none remaining.

Ver. 18. the heathen are perished] As the inhabitants of Canaan had been destroyed before the face

of Israel; so should all the enemies of the Lord and of His Church perish for evermore.

Ver. 19. Thou preparest their heart,] These words are very striking: God gives His people the grace to pray, and then, listens to their prayer. He inclines their heart to Him, and then blesses their godly desires : So true are the words of the Apostle, "It is God that worketh in you," &c. Phil. ii. 13. So true is the language of our Church at evening prayer, "O God from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed," &c.

The Church, situated as it is in an evil world, must suffer affliction for a season; and every member thereof must expect his share. The wicked hate the godly, because they hate God; and satan, their master, puts it into their hearts, to oppose, and revile, and injure, every faithful servant of the Lord. Thus said Jesus to His disciples: "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." John xv. 19. This is our trial; but God, if we heartily pray to Him and depend upon Him, will support us under it and carry us safely through. He may sometimes, for the sake of proving our faith, "hide His face from us," may withdraw the comfort of His holy spirit, and appear as if he had left us, alone in the world; even the blessed Jesus was left to cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Mait. xxvii. 46. But the Lord does never forget those who trust in him; the cloud will pass away, and his grace will shine more brightly upon them. He sets bounds to every enemy, and every trial. He says to the wicked, "Hitherto shall ye go, and no farther;" and when they have run the course permitted them, they perish: their joy, and the sorrows of the righteous, are alike but for a moment: their misery, and the happiness of the righteous, are alike eternal.

QUESTIONS.

What do you mean by God's standing far off and hiding His face?-Who are meant by the poor?—Crafty wiliness?-What is meant by tush? What is under the tongue of the wicked?