My praise shall be continually of Thee. 7 I am as a wonder unto many : But Thou art my strong refuge. 8 Let my mouth be filled with Thy praise And with Thy honour all the day. (III. Prayer: prediction.) 9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; Forsake me not when my strength faileth. 10 For mine enemies speak against me; And they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, 11 Saying, God hath forsaken him : Persecute and take him, For there is none to deliver him. 12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help. 13 Let them be confounded and consumed That are adversaries to my soul; Let them be covered with reproach and dishonour (IV. Faith and prayer.) 14 But I will hope continually, And will yet praise Thee more and more. For I know not the numbers thereof. 17 O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth: And hitherto have I declared Thy wondrous works. 18 Now also when I am old and grey headed, O God, forsake me not; Until I have showed Thy strength unto this generation, And Thy power to every one that is to come. 19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, O God, who is like unto Thee? 20 Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles, Shall quicken me again, And shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. 21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side. 22 I will also praise Thee with the psaltery Even Thy truth, O my God: Unto Thee will I sing with the harp, O Thou Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto Thee; And my soul, which Thou hast redeemed. 24 My tongue also shall talk of Thy righteousness All the day long : For they are confounded, For they are brought unto shame, That seek my hurt. REFLECTIONS. 1. The devices of our enemies will be vain, if we make God our refuge; if we trust in Him and call upon Him. Whatever, then, be our danger and sorrow, we know where to look for comfort and safety. 2. The recollection of past mercies may well strengthen present confidence. When we look back upon our preservation, temporal and spiritual, through a series of years, what reason shall we find to praise God! 3. Life will be a warfare to the last. Our enemies are many, and our strength is weakness. But He who preserved us in youth, will preserve us in old age. The young and old must look to God in faith and prayer; and then all will be well with them. 4. Here is a most beautiful delineation of faith and prayer: : it deserves our closest study and constant remembrance. What gratitude for the past; what joy for the present; what confidence for the future! 5. In these verses we see how the principles and affections already described lead to the elevated strains of praise and joy. With what delight does the Psalmist speak of the goodness of God! With what transport does he speak of his own happiness! PRAYER. O blessed and glorious God, in youth and age may we trust in Thee; and be Thou mercifully our Preserver from all our enemies. May we remember the past with gratitude, dwell on the present with joy, and look to the future with confidence. May we go forward in Thy strength, and make mention of Thy righteousness, of Thine only. Leave us not, neither forsake us, but be with us, and enable us to rejoice in Thee, and to praise Thee for ever; through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Advocate. Amen. PSALM LXXII. Prophetical. Probably the last Psalm which David wrote. Literally viewed, it relates to Solomon; spiritually, to Messiah. (I. Messiah's righteous administration.) 1 Give the king Thy judgments, O God, And Thy righteousness unto the king's son. 2 He shall judge Thy people with righteousness, And Thy poor with judgment. 3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, And the little hills, by righteousness. 4 He shall judge the poor of the people. He shall save the children of the needy, And shall break in pieces the oppressor. (II. Its perpetuity.) 5 They shall fear Thee As long as the sun and moon endure, (III. Its blessings.) 6 He shall come down like rain upon the As showers that water the earth. 7 In His days shall the righteous flourish; And abundance of peace So long as the moon endureth. (IV. Its extent.) 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before Him; 1 And His enemies shall lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him: All nations shall serve Him. (V. The redemption wrought in it.) 12 For He shall deliver the needy when He crieth; The poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13 He shall spare the poor and needy, And shall save the souls of the needy. 14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: And precious shall their blood be in His sight. (VI. Prayer and praise in it.) 15 And He shall live, And to Him shall be given the gold of Sheba: (VII. Its increase and fruitfulness.) 16 There shall be a handful of corn in the earth The fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: Like grass of the earth (VIII. Its perpetuity and universality.) 17 His name shall endure for ever: His name shall be continued as long as the sun : |