tions, may we be fully persuaded of Thy goodness; persevere in prayer; banish sin from our hearts; and then thankfully declare Thy lovingkindness, and magnify Thy power and mercy towards us; through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Prayer, as Psalm xx.

PSALM LXVII.

Author and occasion unknown. It may be

viewed as foretelling the conversion of the Gentiles.

(I. Prayer and praise.)

1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us;
And cause His face to shine upon us;
2 That Thy way may be known upon earth,
Thy saving health among all nations.
3 Let the people praise Thee, O God;
Let all the people praise Thee.

4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy:
For Thou shalt judge the people righteously,
And govern the nations upon earth.
5 Let the people praise Thee, O God;
Let all the people praise Thee.

6 Then shall the earth yield her increase;

And God, even our own God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us;

And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

REFLECTIONS.

In ver. 1, 2, we see one branch of our duty. We are to pray; to pray for the divine mercy, blessing, and favour, and also for the universal diffusion of the

Gospel. In ver. 3-5, we see another branch of our duty. We are to praise God; to praise Him as the righteous Judge, and as the Ruler who presides over all nations. His government over all, and His righteous administration, furnish matter for constant admiration and praise.

In ver. 6, 7, we see the result of prayer and praise. We shall enjoy temporal and spiritual blessings; and true religion, with all its happy fruits, shall abound in the world.

PRAYER.

Be merciful unto us, O Lord, and bless us, and visit us with Thy favour. Send forth Thy Gospel, we beseech Thee, into all the world, that the way of life and salvation may be universally known: and while we contemplate Thy righteous government and gracious dealings, may we praise and magnify Thy Holy Name. May it please Thee thus to prosper and extend Thy Church, to Thy honour and glory, and to the happiness of mankind, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

DAY 13.]

PSALM LXVIII.

MORNING PRAYER.

Prophetical. David wrote this Psalm, probably, at the removal of the ark to mount Zion from the house of Obed-edom. In a spiritual view it relates to the ascension of Christ and to the victories of truth.

(I. Messiah rising and conquering.)

1 Let God arise; let His enemies be scattered: Let them also that hate Him flee before Him.

2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them As wax melted before the fire,

away:

So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

(II. Joy and consolation.)

3 But let the righteous be glad;

Let them rejoice before God:

Yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

4 Sing unto God, sing praises to His Name:
Extol Him that rideth upon the heavens
By His name JAH, and rejoice before Him.
5 A father of the fatherless,

And a judge of the widows,

Is God in His holy habitation.

6 God setteth the solitary in families:

He bringeth out those which are bound with chains:
But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

(III. God's care of His Church.)

7 O God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people,

When Thou didst march through the wilderness; 8 The earth shook,

The heavens also dropped at the presence of God:
Even Sinai itself was moved

At the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain Whereby Thou didst confirm Thine inheritance, when it was weary.

10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein :

Thou, O God, hast prepared of Thy goodness

for the poor.

11 The Lord gave the word:

Great was the company of those that published it. 12 Kings of armies did flee apace:

And she that tarried at home divided the spoil. 13 Though ye have lien among the pots,

Yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove
covered with silver,

And her feathers with yellow gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it,
It was white as snow in Salmon.

(IV. Messiah's ascension.)

15 The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; A high hill as the hill of Bashan :

16 Why leap ye, ye high hills!

This is the hill which God desireth to dwell in,
Yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever.

17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand,
Even thousands of angels:

The Lord is among them,

As in Sinai, in the holy place.
18 Thou hast ascended on high,
Thou hast led captivity captive:
Thou hast received gifts for men ;
Yea, for the rebellious also,

That the Lord God might dwell among them.

19 Blessed be the Lord,

Who daily loadeth us with benefits,

Even the God of our salvation.

20 He that is our God is the God of salvation;

And unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.

(V. His enemies punished.)

21 But God shall wound the heart of His enemies,

And the hairy scalp of such a one
as goeth on still in his trespasses.
22 The Lord said,

I will bring again from Bashan,
I will bring my people again
from the depths of the sea:

23 That thy foot may be dipped

in the blood of thine enemies, And the tongue of thy dogs in the same. (VI. Order of the Church in her services.) 24 They have seen Thy goings, O God; Even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.

25 The singers went before,

The players on instruments followed after; Among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.

26 Bless ye God in the congregations,

Even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. 27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, The princes of Judah and their council,

The princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali. 28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: Strengthen, O God, that which Thou hast wrought

for us.

(VII. Conversion of the nations.)

29 Because of Thy temple at Jerusalem Shall kings bring presents unto Thee. 30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, The multitude of the bulls,

with the calves of the people,