in Thy light may we see light both here and for ever; through Jesus Christ our only Saviour. Amen. DAY 7.] PSALM XXXVII. EVENING PRAYER. Instructive, as Psalm i. A Psalm of David, written, as it would appear, in his old age. (I. On Divine Providence.) 1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the And wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; grass, And He shall give thee the desires of thy heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. 6 And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, And thy judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: But those that wait upon the Lord, 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 12 The wicked plotteth against the just, And gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13 The Lord shall laugh at him : For he seeth that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, And to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, And their bow shall be broken. 16 A little that a righteous man hath Is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: But the Lord upholdeth the righteous. 18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright; And their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20 But the wicked shall perish, And the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: They shall consume; into smoke shall they con sume away. 21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: But the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. 22 For such as be blessed of Him shall inherit the earth; And they that be cursed of Him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; And He delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, 26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth ; 27 Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell for evermore. 28 For the Lord loveth judgment, And forsaketh not His saints; They are preserved for ever: But the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell therein for ever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, And his tongue talketh of judgment. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; None of his steps shall slide. 32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, And seeketh to slay him. 33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, And He shall exalt thee to inherit the land: When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: Yea I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: For the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: The end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, REFLECTIONS. This Psalm and the seventy-third may be viewed as pious and consolatory meditations on Divine Providence. We may often see the good afflicted, and the wicked prosperous; the good depressed, and the wicked triumphant. Hence the pious need consolation. The ways of God may seem dark and perplexing; but they are always in righteousness. We cannot form a right view of them if we only look to the visible and the present. The ungodly may abound in temporal prosperity; but we do not know the disquietude, vexation, and bitterness of spirit which they may experience. Whatever be their pomp and mirth, it is only the pageant of an hour: their pleasures are only those which are for a season: and what are the riches, splendour, and delights of the world, if God look upon us with displeasure? But if the pious are tried and afflicted, they are rich in spiritual blessings, they have the true enjoyment of this life; the divine favour rests upon them; and they are safe in the divine protection. Their sorrow will soon pass away as a morning cloud; and it will be succeeded by the sunshine of eternal joy. They ought to be most fully persuaded of all this: and then they will guard with jealous care against a repining and murmuring spirit, and against complaining language : and they will patiently wait on God, endure trouble with calmness, maintain a right frame of mind and heart, and look with delightful anticipation to the righteous issue of all things. If their cup be bitter, it has much sweetness in it; and it will be soon exchanged for the cup of unmingled bliss. Let them, by divine grace, only maintain in their cloudy and thorny pilgrimage a right spirit, and walk in the right way; and they will have ample proof, in their present happiness and future hopes, that godliness is the good cause-profitable unto all things. PRAYER. O Lord our God, whatever be the darkness and confusion, the perplexity and sorrow of the present world, may we be fully persuaded of Thy righteousness and faithfulness, of Thy wisdom and goodness. Enable us in all circumstances to acknowledge Thee; and may we commit ourselves and our affairs into Thy gracious hands; delight in Thee; proceed in well |