13 I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people: right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

14 Behold, O Lord, how that I am thy servant: I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid; Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder.

15 I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the Name of the Lord.

16 I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the sight of all his people, in the courts of the Lord's house, even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord.

PSALM CXVII.,

A CALL UPON THE HEATHEN TO PRAISE JEHOVAH.

PRAISE the Lord, all ye heathen; praise Him, all ye nations.

2 For his merciful kindness is ever more and more towards us, and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.

the cup of Holy Communion is the appropriate thank-offering, or Eucharist, of Christians.

13. My vows] The vows which I made in danger or sickness.

Right dear, &c.] God sets such value on the life of his servants, that He will not abandon them to their enemies, nor

Praise the Lord.

suffer them to be cut off before their time. Ps. lxxii. 14.

Ps. CXVII. is regarded by some as a doxology, and may, perhaps, have been used at the close of the Temple service. The first verse is quoted by St. Paul, (Rom. xv. 11,) as an intimation of God's purpose to bring the Gentiles into the Church.

PSALM CXVIII.

A SONG OF NATIONAL THANKSGIVING.

Proper Psalm for Easter Day.

GIVE thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, because his mercy endureth

for ever.

2 Let Israel now confess, that He is gracious, and that his mercy endureth for ever.

3 Let the house of Aaron now confess, that his mercy endureth for ever.

4 Yea, let them now that fear the Lord confess, that his mercy endureth for ever.

5 I called upon the Lord in trouble, and the Lord heard me at large.

6 The Lord is on my side, I will not fear what man doeth unto me.

7 The Lord taketh my part with them that help me, therefore shall I see my desire upon

mine enemies.

Ps. CXVIII. appears to suit almost equally the time when David was anointed king over Israel at Hebron (2 Sam. v.), and the period of deliverance from the Babylonish captivity. It is, indeed, a most appropriate Psalm of thanksgiving on various occasions. Luther's words are too remarkable not to be quoted: "This is my Psalm, the one which I love. Although the whole Psalter, and, indeed, the whole Sacred Volume, is dear to me, as that which is my only_consolation and my life, yet I am particularly pleased

with this Psalm; so that it must be called and must be mine, for it has often served me well, and has helped me out of many great troubles."

1. His mercy endureth for ever.]" And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord, because He is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel." Ezra iii. 11.

5. Heard me at large.] "The Lord answered me, and set me in a large place;" i.e. delivered me from my strait, or difficulty. See Ps. xviii. 19.

8 It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man.

9 It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in princes.

10 All nations compassed me round about, but in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them.

11 They kept me in on every side, they kept me in, I say, on every side; but in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them.

12 They came about me like bees, and are extinct even as the fire among the thorns; for in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them. 13 Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall, but the Lord was my help.

14 The Lord is my strength, and my song, and is become my salvation.

15 The voice of joy and health is in the dwellings of the righteous, the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass.

16 The right hand of the Lord hath the pre-eminence, the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass.

17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

18 The Lord hath chastened and corrected me, but He hath not given me over unto death.

10. All nations] All the heathen nations round about encompassed me.

In the name of the Lord] By the power and authority of

Jehovah.

12. Are extinct] Are extinguished as rapidly as a blaze of

fire among thorns.

13. Thou] The Psalmist here addresses his enemy.

14. My song,] The subject of my praise.

16. Pre-eminence,] the superiority and rule over others.

19 Open me the gates of righteousness, that I may go into them, and give thanks unto the Lord.

20 This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it.

21 I will thank Thee, for Thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

22 The same stone which the builders refused, is become the head-stone in the

corner.

23 This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Help me now, O Lord; O Lord, send us now prosperity.

26 Blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord, we have wished you good luck, ye that are of the house of the Lord.

27 God is the Lord who hath shewed us light; bind the sacrifice with cords, yea, even unto the horns of the altar.

19. The gates of righteousness,] The gates of the Lord's sanctuary.

22. The same stone] This passage is claimed by our Lord as applicable to Himself. Matt. xxi. 42; Mark xii. 10; Luke xx. 17. It is quoted also in the same sense by St. Peter, (Acts iv. 11; 1 Pet. ii. 7,) and by St. Paul, (Ephes. ii. 20.)

24. The day which the Lord hath made,] The day of the celebration of Israel's triumph, and, to us, the day of our Lord's triumph over the grave.

25. Help me now,] Here, and in verse 26, we have the words used by the multitudes who welcomed our Lord into Jerusalem; for "Hosanna" signifies, Help us now-save us-send us prosperity. Matt. xxi. 9.

27. Hath shewed us light;] Hath shone upon us, and hath lifted up the light of his countenance upon us, during our night of darkness and misery.

Bind the sacrifice] Fasten to the horns of the altar the victim whose blood is to be sprinkled upon it.

28 Thou art my God, and I will thank Thee; Thou art my God, and I will praise Thee.

29 O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and his mercy endureth for ever.

Evening.]

PSALM CXIX.

THE EXCELLENCY OF GOD'S WORD.

ALEPH.

[Day 24.

BLES

LESSED are those that are undefiled in the way, and walk in the law of the

Lord.

2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and seek Him with their whole heart.

3 For they who do no wickedness walk in his ways.

4 Thou hast charged, that we shall diligently keep thy commandments.

5 O that my ways were made so direct, that I might keep thy statutes!

Ps. CXIX. The subject of this Psalm, from beginning to end, is the excellency of God's Word; the blessedness of those who observe, and the misery of those who disregard it. The Word of God is spoken of under various terms, as Law, Testimonies, Commandments, Statutes, Precepts, Judgments, Ordinances, Ceremonies, Truth, Way, Righteousness; and one or other of these terms is found in every verse, except the 122d. The Psalm is divided into twenty-two equal portions, that

being the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet. To each portion its own letter is prefixed, and every verse in that portion commences with that same letter.

1. Undefiled in the way,] Upright in their course. 3. For they who do, &c.] "They also do no iniquity; they walk in his ways."

4. Thou hast charged] "Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently."

5. Made so direct,] Were so fixed and decided.