pel, produced a saving "fear" of God among the nations, dwelling in the uttermost parts of the earth." "The isles," saith

Isaiah on the same occasion, "saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid; they drew near and came," Isai. xli. 5. And then it was, that "the outgoings of the morning and evening,” all the inhabitants of the earth, as many as experienced the sweet vicissitudes of day and night, of morning and evening, were made to rejoice" in God their Saviour; whose name was praised from the rising to the setting sun.

66

9. Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it; or, for so thou hast established, or, constituted it.

Under the beautiful image of a once barren and dry land, rendered fruitful by kindly showers of rain, turning dearth into plenteousness, are represented here (as in Isai. xxxv. and nuniberless other places) the gracious "visitation" of the church by the Spirit; the "riches" of grace and mercy, poured upon the hearts of men, from the exhaustless "river of God:" and the bountiful provision made thereby, for the relief of that spiritual famine, which have been sore in all lands. See Isai. lv, 10. Rev. xxii. 1. Amos viii. 11.

10. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly; thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers, thou blessest the springing thereof.

After the ground is ploughed up, the former rain, descending upon the "ridges," and into the "furrows," dissolveth the parts of the earth, and so fitteth it for the purposes of vegetation, whenever the seed shall be cast into it: then cometh the latter rain to assist, and to "bless the springing" and increase thereof unto a joyful harvest. Thus doth the good Spirit of God both prepare the hearts of his people, for the reception of the word, and also enable them to bear fruit, bringing forth " some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty," Matt. xiii. 23.

11. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths, or, clouds, or, heavens, drop fatness.

The herbs, fruits, and flowers, produced by the earth, are here finely represented as a beautifully variegated "crown," set upon her head by the hands of her great Creator; at whose command, the heavens, by collecting and distilling the drops of rain, impregnate her, and make her the parent of terrestrial blessings. It is the same God, who will crown with everlasting goodness the acceptable year, the year of his redeemed;

when the Spirit shall have accomplished his work; when God shall be glorified in his saints; and heaven, as well as earth, shall be full of the goodness of Jehovah.

12. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness; and the little hills rejoice on every side: or, are girded about with gladness.

As the rain which descendeth from heaven causeth even the barren wilderness to become a green pasture, and investeth the naked hills with the garments of joy and gladness; so the Spirit, when poured out from on high on the Gentile world, converted that "wilderness" into a "fruitful field;" while the churches, there rising on all sides, like little fertile "hills, rejoiced" with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. See Isai. xxxii. 15. xxxv. 1, 2.

13. The pastures are clothed with flocks: the vallies also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

The happy effects of God's visiting the earth with rain, are vallies covered with corn, verdant meads, and thriving flocks. All these ideas, in the prophetical Scriptures, are frequently transfered to the times of refreshment and consolation of peace and fruitfulness, in the church; which breaks forth into joy, in the one case, as the world is always ready to do in the other. Manifold and marvellous, O Lord, are thy works, whether of nature or of grace; surely, in wisdom and loving-kindness hast thou made them all; the earth, in every sense, is full of thy riches!

PSALM LXVI.

ARGUMENT.

In this Psalm, the prophet, 1, 2. exciteth all the world to sing the praises of God; 3, 4. the power and universality of his kingdom; 5-12. the deliverance of the church from various afflictions and temptations: for which, 13-15. we are to offer the sacrifices which had been vowed; 16—19. to declare the mercies and loving-kindnesses of the Lord towards us; and, 20. to bless his holy name continually.

1. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands, or, all the earth : 2. Sing forth the honour of his name; make his praise glorious.

"The holy church, throughout all the world," is here called upon to lift up her voice, like the jubilee trumpet of old, in thanksgiving; to celebrate that NAME which is above every name; and to make the praise of JEsUs glorious, both by word and deed; that so, others, hearing our voices, and seeing our works, may be led to glorify him in like manner.

3. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

The subjects proposed are the various and awful manifestations of divine "power;" of that power which made, and which continues to support the world; which overthrows, and raises up empires; which subverted the kingdom of Satan, established that of Christ, and caused its enemies either to relinquish, or dissemble their hostility. Happy the man, whose heart and affections " unfeignedly submit themselves" to the sceptre of Messiah.

4. All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee, they shall sing unto thy name.

What David spake in the future, the church now speaketh in the present tense" All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting-Day by day we magnify thee; and we worship thy name ever world without end." A day is coming, when this shall be the case, in an unlimited sense of the words; when Jews and Gentiles, quick and dead, heaven and earth, shall compose one perfect and truly harmonious choir.

5. Come, and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. 6. He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot; there did we rejoice in him.

The prophet, after inviting men to contemplate "the works of God," sets before them, for that purpose, two great miracles wrought for Israel; namely, the division of the Red Sea, and that of the river Jordan; by the former they escaped Egypt, by the latter they entered Canaan. Under these two figurative transactions, the christian church beholds, and in the words which describe them, she celebrates, two corresponding works of mercy wrought for her; namely, the deliverance of her children from the dominion of sin, by the waters of baptism; and their admission into the kingdom of heaven, through the grave and gate of death. If the Israelites rejoiced in God their Saviour, for the former blessings, much more, surely, ought we so to do for the latter.

7. He ruleth by his power for ever, his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious, or, the rebellious shall not, exalt themselves.

The uncontrollable sovereignty, and superintending providence of our God and King, are topics on which we should ever delight to dwell. Establish, O Lord, thy kingdom within us, and suffer not our "rebellious" passions to "exalt themselves" against it.

8. O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard; 9. Who holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

But chiefly are we bound to "bless" and "praise" God, for that goodness and mercy, by which our feet are turned back from the ways of death, placed in the path of "life," and enabled to walk therein, without falling into perdition; until, having finished our pilgrimage in the world, we lie down in peace, and our flesh resteth sweetly in hope.

10. For thou, O God, hast proved us; thou hast tried us, as silver tried.

Notwithstanding the mercy of God, and the salvation wrought for us, we are here taught to expect affliction and tribulation; which indeed are oftentimes necessary; for, having in our composition a mixture of the earth from whence we came, with a base alloy of concupiscence, we stand as much in need of adversity, as metals, in like circumstances, do of the fire, to refine and purify our tempers. Try us, O God; but enable us to stand the trial!

11. Thou broughtest us into the net, thou laidest affliction upon our loins. 12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads: we went through fire and water; but thou broughtest us into a wealthy place.

Various calamities are here mentioned, which God suffers to fall upon his people. As, first, their being "brought into the net," or ensnared and taken captive by their enemies, whom they had not power to resist or escape. Secondly, "afflictions upon the loins," or hard servitude under heavy burdens. Thirdly, "men riding over their heads," or the manifold oppressions of persecuting tyrants, trampling them under their feet, like war-horses in the day of battle. Fourthly, passing "through fire and water," or troubles of different and contrary kinds, though alike deadly and destructive. But he who brought Israel from among the brickkilns of Egypt, and through the waters of the Red Sea, and the river Jordan, into the promised rest, will bring us safely through every fiery trial, and through the waves of a troublesome world, to the land of everlasting peace and comfort.

13. I will go into thine house with burnt-offerings; I will pay thee my vows, 14. Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. 15. I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fallings, with the incense of rams: I will offer bullocks with goats.

Under the gospel, the obligation of" going to the house of God," and there" paying vows," still continues; but the "offerings" are changed. The legal sacrifices have been abolished by the oblation of the body of Christ, once for all. This oblation is commemorated in the eucharist: at the celebration of which, we now offer

up our prayers and praises, ourselves, our souls and bodies, a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice, acceptable to God, in the name and through the merits of the Redeemer. These offerings, if vowed in the seasons of sickness and sorrow, should be paid in the days of health and gladness.

16. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

Every man should be ready, like David, to celebrate the mercies of God vouchsafed to him. It is a debt of gratitude to his Saviour, who is glorified, and a debt of charity to his brethren, who are edified thereby; provided only, that it be done with sobriety and humility.

17. I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.

The mean by which we obtain salvation is faith; which, as it showeth us both our disease and our Physician, inclineth us to pray to the latter for a cure of the former. Prayer is one gift of God; and every other gift is obtained by it.

18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me. The prayer which is "heard," is the prayer of the penitent, heartily grieved and wearied with sin, hating, and longing to be delivered from it. For God heareth not hypocrites, who, while they outwardly disavow, yet inwardly "regard" and cherish "iniquity;" from which every one, who nameth the name of Christ, ought to depart.

19. But verily God hath heard me ; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

David was heard, when God delivered him from his enemies, and set him on the throne of Israel: Christ was heard, when God' raised him from the dead, and exhalted him to the right hand of the majesty in the heavens; and every man is heard, when God raises him from sin to righteousness, as an earnest of his future resurrection from dust to glory. Let every such man praise the Lord, and say, with David, in the last verse of our Psalm,

his

20. Blessed be God, who hath not turned away my prayer, nor mercy from me.

PSALM LXVII.

ARGUMENT.

In this evangelical Psalm, the Israelitish church is introduced, as partly praying for, and partly fortelling, the advent of Christ, and the conversion of the nations, with the joy and gladness that should be consequent thereupon. The Christian church.