After him Mr. Edwards gave us a verfion from the Hebrew, reduced to metre by the Learned Bishop Hare. In this tranflation he has adopted fuch emendations of the text, as were pointed out by the Hebrew metre, as fancied by the ingenious Bishop. After him followed Mr. Green; but the valuable additions which have been made to the materials for the rightly understanding of the Pfalms, by the collations and remarks of Dr. Kennicott, Archbishop Secker, and Bishop Lowth, are fo numerous, as fully to justify a new attempt of the fame kind. The great ftores above referred to have indeed been made use of by Mr. Street; but he has not only departed, in fo many instances, on mere conjecture, from the text, but has likewise fo entirely abandoned the phrafeology of the ancient versions, that he has by no means anticipated the prefent defign; the object of which is to remove, as far as may be, the blemishes of thefe verfions, without receding from the fimplicity of their diction; and thus preserving uninjured that sensation of venerable respect, which by long habit and afsociation, we feel at the recitation of every paffage from this wonderful book, in its antique, fimple and majestic language. A difficult task truly it is and in some cases perhaps impoffible, to repair the injuries which the works of the Royal Bard have sustained in the lapfe of fo many centuries. Nevertheless, the end to beobtained is fo important, and fo intimately connected with the interests of religion, as to have encouraged the author of the following attempt, who hopes, that a due refpect to the labours of our moft learned critics and beft divines will render it not entirely unworthy of regard. And truly happy will he be, if he can in any degree contribute to render these inimitable poems better understood, which in all the changes and chances of this mortal life, will be found to afford us the moft wholefome leffons of moderation in profperity, and the trueft confolation, coming home to the heart, under the preffure of every wordly vexation and misfortune. THE PSALMS OF DAVID. FIRST MORNING. Morning Prayer. PSALM I. This Pfalm, from its briefly touching on the grand doctrines that are inculcated throughout the reft, the happiness of good men, the mifery of the wicked, and the righteous judgments of God, is generally fuppofed to have been intended as a preface to the whole collection. 1. BLESSED is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor ftandeth in the way of finners, nor fitteth in the affembly of the fcornful. 2. But whofe delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3. He fhall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that bringeth forth its fruit in due season, A |