3 stretchest out the heavens like a curtain, or canopy : Who lay. eth the beams of his chambers in the waters; the clouds in the firmament are the floor of his stately palace: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: Who maketh his angels spirits, or winds: his angels and his ministers a flaming fire, or, flaming fire his ministers; which may refer either to the quick motion of angels from place to place to execute his orders, or to their being instruments in raising 5 storms and tempests, or darting lightnings to the earth: [Who] laid the foundations of the earth, [that] it should not be removed 6 for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as [with] a garment: 7 the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they filed; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away; probably referring to what was done at the creation, when the waters stood above the earth,, but retired at the divine command to their appointed beds. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys, or, the mountains ascend, the valleys descend, unto the place which thou hast founded for them; that is, the mountains were raised, the valleys were sunk, and the water, were gathered into their 9 proper places. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass 10 over; that they turn not again to cover the earth. He sendeth

the springs into the valleys, [which] run among the hills; nevertheless, by thy providence they are raised up to the highest 11 hills, and break out in springs. They give drink to every beast 12 of the field the wild asses quench their thirst. By them

shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, [which] sing 13 among the branches. He watereth the hills from his chambers: 14 the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. He causeth

the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth, by means of the 15 rain; And wine [that] maketh glad the heart of man, [and] oil to make [his] face to shine, and bread [which] strengtheneth 16 man's heart. The trees of the LORD are full [of sap ;] the ce

dars of Lebanon, which he hath planted, though it be not culti 17 vated by man. Where the birds make their nests: [as for] the 18 stork, the fir trees [are] her house. The high hills [are] a ref

uge for the wild goats; [and] the rocks for the conics, or moun19 tain mice, which are there secure from their enemies. He appoint

ed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. 20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts 21 of the forest do creep [forth.] The young lions roar after their 22 prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they

gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. 23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening, savage beasts are led by instinct to seek their prey by night, so that men generally work and travel securely in the day time. This is 24 an instance of the wisdom and goodness of God. O LORD, how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all : 25 the earth is full of thy riches. [So is] this great and wide sea, wherein [are] things creeping, or swimming, innumerable, both

26 small and great beasts, that is, animals or living things. There go the ships: [there is] that leviathan, the whale, or, as the word rather signifies, all large fishes, [whom] thou hast made to play 27 therein, which sport there without fear. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give [them] their meat in due season. 28 [That] thou givest them they gather thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good; an allusion to our manner of feeding -29 the creatures which are dependent upon us. Thou hidest thy face, withdrawest those influences, which, though they know it not, are the support of their life, and they are troubled; thou takest away 30 their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth; though so many creatures die, yet every species continue; and though propagated by the common laws of nature, it is here expressly referred to a divine agency, so that every birth is a 31 new creation. The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: 32 the LORD shall rejoice in his works. He but looketh on the

earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke, 33 like Sinai, or in volcanos. I will sing unto the LORD as long as I

live; all my life shall be employed in his praise; yea, I will sing praise unto my God, while I have my being; when I go to the other world, and as long as I have any existence, it shall be my de34 lightful work. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be 85 glad in the LORD. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth; and let the wicked be no more; he shall destroy impenitent sinners, and bring awful judgments upon them, how prosperous soever they now are. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul; my soul shall ever praise him; therefore let me now begin my hallelujahs. Praise ye the LORD.

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REFLECTION.

HIS psalm scarcely admits of any particular reflections. All centers in one grand design, to fill our souls with great and exalted thoughts of God; his wisdom and majesty, his power and goodness and if the very reading and hearing this psalm does not excite them, our hearts must be cold and stupid indeed. Let us commit these noble descriptions to memory, and apply them to any of the works of nature and providence which may offer themselves to our view. We should accustom ourselves to such meditations as these; look about us, and see how wonderfully God provides for his great family, and how kind and bountiful he is to us. Let the adoration and praise of God be the business of our whole lives, then it will be the delightful business of eternity. Nobler scenes will open upon us in the future world, and we shall have more enlarged faculties wherewith to contemplate and adore. In the mean time, let us do our best, and may God give us eyes to see and hearts to feel that wisdom and goodness, which he is daily causing to pass before us.

PSALM CV.

It appears from 1 Chron. xvi. 7. that this psalm was composed by David, and part of it at least, used on occasion of his bringing up the ark to the tabernacle he had pitched for it. Some additions might be made to it afterward. It was probably intended to be learned by children, as a short summary of their history, and would be of great use to them in that view, as they had few opportunities of attending religious worship, and might have but few copies of the law. It might likewise be of great service to their proselytes and heathen neighbours.

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GIVE thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. 3 Glory ye in his holy name : let the heart of them rejoice that 4 seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his 5 face overmore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath 6 done; his wonders and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. 7 He [is] the LORD our God; his judgments [are] in all the earth. 8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word [which] 9 he commanded to a thousand generations. Which [covenant] 10 he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac ; And con

firmed the same unto Jacob for a law, [and] to Israel [for] an 11 everlasting covenant: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of 12 Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: When there were [but] a

few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. 13 When they went from one nation to another, from [one] king14 dom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; as in the case of Abraham and Isaac, when Abimelech and Pharaoh were reproved for 15 their sakes; [Saying,] Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm; the prophets were said to be anointed, because an extraordinary measure of the Spirit was communicated to 16 them. Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake 17 the whole staff of bread. He sent a man before them, [even] 18 Joseph, [who] was sold for a servant : Whose feet they hurt 19 with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word 20 came the word of the LORD tried him. The king sent and loosed him; [even] the ruler of the people, and let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance : 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. It may be rendered, To instruct his princes like himself, and teach his senators wisdom;' referring to the pains Joseph took to teach them the knowledge of the true God, his works, and worship; and many learned men suppose that this rendered Egypt so famous 23 for literature. Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourn24 ed in the land of Ham. And he increased his people greatly; 25 and made them stronger than their enemies. He turned their VOL. IV.

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26 heart to hate his people, to deal subtilely with his servants. He sent Moses his servant; [and] Aaron whom he had chosen. 27 They showed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of 28 Ham. He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word. Some understand this of Moses and Aaron denouncing those judgments by the command of God: it rather refers to the elements themselves; God gave forth his word, and it took effect as regularly as darkness and light succeed one an29 other every day. He turned their waters into blood, and slew 30 their fish. Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the 31 chambers of their kings. He spake, and there came divers sorts 32 of flies, [and] lice in all their coasts. He gave them hail for 33 rain, [and] flaming fire in their land. He smote their vines also 34 and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts. He

spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without 35 number, And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured 36 the fruit of their ground. He smote also all the first born in their 37 land, the chief of all their strength. He brought them forth also with silver and gold and [there was] not one feeble [person] among their tribes; a most remarkable providence, that among 80 many thousands there was not one so sick and weak as to be unable 38 to travel. Egypt was glad when they departed for the fear of 39 them fell upon them. He spread a cloud for a covering; and 40 fire to give light in the night. [The people] asked, and he

brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock and the waters gushed out; they ran in the 42 dry places [like] a river. For he remembered his holy promise, 43 [and,] or to Abraham his servant. And he brought forth his 44 people with joy, [and] his chosen with gladness: And gave them the lands of the heathen and they inherited the labour 45 of the people: That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD,

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REFLECTIONS.

E are taught from hence to commemorate with pleasure and thankfulness the marvellous works of the Lord, and talk of them to others. The psalmist recommends this to the Israelites by various exhortations, in the beginning of the psalm. Pains should be taken by us to make God's wondrous works familiar to our minds; and they should be the subject of our discourse, as well as study, especially to our children. To talk of the history of our own or other nations, or the character and faults of our neighbours, while we forget God's dealings with his church and people, shows great weakness and folly. These things are written for our instruction; and to remember and talk of them is a duty we owe to God, and will afford us great pleasure and improvement. And beside these things, we have nobler wonders to think and talk of, even the grand facts, duties and privileges of christianity and all the great things of our redemption. Let the words of Christ dwell

richly in us; and let us from thence teach and admonish one another.

2. The great end of scripture histories and discoveries is, that we may learn obedience to God's will. Why did God perform all these things for Israel? not that they might live in ease and plenty, and make a figure in the world; but, as the psalmist observes, that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. In this view we are to consider all the discoveries of the New Testament, and every thing that God has done for us by his Son and his apostles; and unless we make this use of them, we might as well read a common history as the bible. Let us learn then from all, what is good, and what the Lord our God requires of us; namely, to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God.

PSALM CVI.

This is a proper appendix to the former psalm, and was probably added at the captivity. It is a short history of Israel's rebellion, to point out to the captives the cause of their calamity, and lead them to repentance, from a consideration of the patience and goodness of God, which was exercised to their fathers.

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RAISE ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for

can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? [who] can show forth 3 all his praise? Blessed [are] they that keep judgment, [and] 4 he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O LORD, with the favour [that thou bearest unto] thy people: O 5 visit me with thy salvation; That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I 6 may glory with thine inheritance. We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. 7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked 8 [him] at the sea, [even] at the Red sea. Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty 9 power to be known. He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up so he led them through the depths, as through the 10 wilderness. And he saved them from the hand of him that

hated [them,] and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of 12 them left. Then believed they his words: they sang his praise, 13 in the song of Moses at the Red sea. They soon forgat his 14 works; they waited not for his counsels: But lusted exceed15 ingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. 16 They envied Moses also in the camp, [and] Aaron the saint of 17 the LORD. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and