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19

Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail;
Let the nations be judged by thee!

20 Strike terror into them, O Lord!

Let the nations know, that they are but men.

V. 17. Driven into Hades, i. e. pursued by victorious enemies until they are destroyed.

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PSALM X.

A prayer against impious, deceitful, and blood-thirsty foreign enemies.

WHY standest thou afar off, O Lord?

Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

2 Through the haughtiness of the wicked the poor are in distress;

They are caught in the wiles, which are contrived

for them.

3 The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire;

The rapacious renounceth, and contemneth Jehovah. 4 The wicked [saith] in his haughtiness, "He careth not; "

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All his thoughts are, that God is nothing.

5 His course is always prosperous;

Thy judgments are far from him;

As for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

6 He saith in his heart, "I shall never fall; "I shall never be in adversity."

7 His mouth is full of perjury, deceit, and oppression ; Mischief and injustice are upon his tongue.

8 He sitteth in the lurking-places of the villages; In secret places doth he murder the innocent; His eyes are secretly fixed upon the poor.

9 He secretly lieth in wait, like a lion in a thicket; He lieth in wait to seize upon the helpless;

He catcheth the poor, drawing them into his net. 10 He croucheth, and lowereth himself,

And the poor fall into his paws.

11 He saith in his heart, "God doth forget;
"He hideth his face; he doth never see it."

12 Arise, O Lord! O God, lift up thine hand! Forget not the distressed!

13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God,

And say in his heart, "He careth not for it"?

14 Thou dost see it; yea, thou beholdest malice and oppression,

And markest it upon thy hand!

The poor committeth himself to thee;

Thou art the helper of the fatherless.

15 Break thou the arm of the unjust and wicked man ; Seek out his wickedness, till thou canst find none !

16

Jehovah is king for ever;

The gentiles shall perish out of his land.

17 Thou, O Lord, hearest the desires of the distressed; Thou strengthenest their hearts ;

Thou lendest a listening ear!

18 Thou maintainest the cause of the fatherless and the oppressed,

That none may henceforth be expelled from the land.

V. 4. He careth not, i. e. God careth not. — V. 5. Far from him, i. e. He thinks not of them.-V. 14. Markest it upon thy hand, i. e. for the purpose of remembering it. See Isaiah xlix. 16.

PSALM XI.

An expression of trust in God, as a security from the plots and assaults of enemies. It may have been composed by David during his persecution by Saul.

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For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.

IN Jehovah do I put my trust. Why say ye to me,

Flee, like a bird, to your mountain "?

2" For lo, the wicked bend their bow;

"They make ready their arrows upon the string,
"That they may shoot in secret at the upright in
heart.

3 "If the pillars be broken down,

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"What can the righteous do?"

Jehovah is in his holy palace;

Jehovah's throne is in heaven;

His eyes behold, his eyelids prove the children of men. 5 Jehovah trieth the righteous;

But the wicked, and the lover of violence, his soul hateth.

6 Upon the wicked he will rain lightning ;

Fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the

portion of their cup.

7 For Jehovah is righteous; he loveth righteousness; His countenance doth behold the upright.

V. 3. If the pillars, &c. i. e. If affairs are in a desperate condition. V. 4. Palace, i. e. heaven.

PSALM XII.

A prayer for protection against calumniating foes. By some supposed to have reference to the treatment of David from the courtiers of Saul; by others, to practices of demagogues during the rebellion of Absalom.

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For the leader of the music; to be accompanied with the eight-stringed instrument. A psalm of David.

HELP, Lord, for the good man ceaseth;

The faithful are failing amongst men.

2 They speak falsehood, one to another;

With flattering lips, with a double heart do they speak. 3 May Jehovah destroy all flattering lips,

And the tongue, which speaketh proud things!

4 Who say,

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"With our tongues will we prevail;

"Our lips are our reliance;

"Who is lord over us?"

For the oppression of the poor and the sighing of

the wretched,

Now will I stand up, saith Jehovah ;

I will place him in safety on whom they pour contempt.

6 The words of the Lord are pure ;

Like silver purified from earth in a furnace,

Seven times refined.

7 Thou, O Lord, wilt watch over them;

Thou wilt preserve them from this generation for ever.

8 The wicked walk on every side,

When the vilest of men are exalted.

PSALM XIII.

Supplication for deliverance from enemies, and confidence of obtaining it.

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For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.

How long, O Lord, wilt thou wholly forget me? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

2 How long shall I have anxiety in my soul,

And sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? 3 Look down and hear me, O Lord, my God! Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death! 4 Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him;" Lest my adversaries rejoice, when I am fallen.

5 Yet will I trust in thy goodness;

My heart shall rejoice in thy protection;

6 I will sing to Jehovah, that he hath dealt kindly with me.

V. 3. Enlighten my eyes, i. e. with thy countenance; i. e. revive me. When a person is faint and languishing, his sight is dim. When he is reviv ed or refreshed, his eyes are said to be enlightened. See 1 Sam. xiv. 27; Ezra ix. 8.

PSALM XIV.

The complaint of a pious man in exile concerning the wickedness of men : and supplication for the restoration of the Israelites from captivity. The last verse of this psalm cannot well be reconciled with the ascription of it to David, in the Hebrew title.

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For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.

THE fool saith in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt; their doings are abominable; There is none that doth good,

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