And blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. And my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy 15 O Lord, open Thou my lips; And my mouth shall show forth Thy praise. 16 For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. (V. Prayer for the Church.) 18 Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion: Build Thou the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices With burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering: REFLECTIONS. 1. See here, that a true penitent has a deep sense of his sins; he earnestly prays for pardon: and he expects pardon only through the tender mercies of God in Christ Jesus. May we see and feel our sinfulness, and hasten to the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness! 2. The true penitent does not conceal his sins, but confesses them; he does not forget them, but keeps them in his view; he does not extenuate them, but looks upon them with their aggravation. Whatever he may suffer or apprehend, he justifies the divine dealings. Oh that we may thus humble ourselves before the throne of grace! 3. We may here learn, that a true penitent has a deep sense of his natural corruption, and of the necessity, not only of pardon, but also of inward holiness. He has clear apprehensions of divine things; and his prayer is most earnest and urgent. It is to God in Christ Jesus that he looks for every blessing; for pardon and renovation; for restoration and comfort; for strength and joy. Thus he prays; and thus he looks to the time when he shall magnify the divine goodness, and praise the God of his salvation. Happy is the Christian who seeks this true piety, and is enabled to praise and glorify God for His mercy and grace. 4. The true penitent cannot rest satisfied with outward services: he is fully convinced, that what God requires in man is a broken spirit and a contrite heart; true humility and godly sorrow: and he earnestly prays, that the stony heart may be taken away, and that a heart of flesh may be given him. 5. A true penitent does not confine his attention to himself, but prays for the prosperity of the Church; that God would be gracious to it, and pour upon it the influences of His blessed Spirit, in order that its courts may be crowded with believers and converts, who shall worship Him with holy worship. PRAYER. O gracious God and Father, give us true repentance, that we may bewail and confess our sins, and seek the pardon of them through faith in the precious blood of Thy Son. Make us duly sensible of our corruption, and grant us the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, that we may be pure in heart. Being washed, and justified, and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God, may we enjoy the consolation of true religion, and rejoice in Thee and praise Thy holy name. Thus, we beseech Thee, be merciful to us and to Thy whole Church, through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. PSALM LII. Instructive, as Psalm i. David is supposed to have written this Psalm when Doeg betrayed him to Saul, and Saul slew the priests at Nob. 1 Sam. xxi. xxii. (I. The wicked man described.) 1 Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The goodness of God endureth continually. 2 Thy tongue deviseth mischief; Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3 Thou lovest evil more than good; And lying rather than to speak righteousness. 4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. (II. His doom foretold.) 5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling-place, 6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, And shall laugh at him: 7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness. (IV. Their happiness.) 8 But I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. 9 I will praise Thee for ever, because Thou hast done it: And I will wait on Thy Name; REFLECTIONS. 1. Ungodly men abuse the divine goodness; glory in their shame; make a perverse use of their faculties; and thus prove and exhibit the corruption of human nature. 2. Those who persist in their wickedness will infal libly bring awful ruin upon themselves. The patience of God will not endure for ever. unpunished. Sin will not be left 3. God sometimes displays His righteous judgments in this world; and the wicked are suddenly cast down in the midst of their prosperity. Think, ye workers of evil, on what lies before you. 4. What a delightful contrast! The good man flourishes as a true worshipper of God, in whom he trusts, as his merciful and reconciled Father. He praises Him for His goodness, and waits upon Him in faith and patience. PRAYER. O blessed and gracious God, purify and renew our corrupt nature by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may keep far from the works and ways of evil-doers. May we worship Thee in Thy house of prayer, trust in Thy mercy, wait upon Thee, and praise Thee for ever; to Thy honour and glory, through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen. PSALM LIII. DAY 10.] EVENING PRAYER. Instructive, as Psalm i. Author, David: see Psalm xiv. (I. Corruption of natural men.) 1 The fool hath said in his heart, "There is no God." Corrupt are they, |