And men shall be blessed in Him: (IX. Doxology.) 18 Blessed be the Lord God, The God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things. 19 And blessed be His glorious Name for ever: And let the whole earth be filled with His glory; Amen, and Amen. 20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended. REFLECTIONS. 1. Here we see the nature of Christ's kingdom: it is a kingdom of righteousness and peace: and such it is both with regard to the temporal and spiritual life. Diffuse the Gospel, and oppression ceases, and the cause of the poor is maintained: and the righteousness and peace revealed in the Gospel are also the great blessings in which the true believer rejoices. 2-4. Other kingdoms rise, flourish, and decay: but the kingdom of Christ is everlasting: no power, no lapse of time, affects it. Its happy subjects are partakers of the best blessings, and particularly of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, by which they flourish in righteousness and peace. And further, this kingdom shall increase until it comprehend the whole world. Hasten, O Lord, the advent of that happy and glorious period! 5, 6. Verses 12, 13, and 14, are a repetition and enlargement of the fourth verse. Our Redeemer lives: let us pray continually for the prosperity of His kingdom, and daily praise Him for all His good ness to us. 7, 8. The images of temporal prosperity may remind us of that which is spiritual, when Christians shall be numerous and flourishing in every district of every land. The seventeenth verse is a repetition and amplification of the fifth verse. As Christ shall endure for ever, so all those who are blessed in Him shall be blessed for ever. PRAYER. Great and glorious Lord God, the God of Israel, so enlighten our minds, that we may understand the wondrous things of Thy word; and so further in our hearts the good work of religion, that we may bless Thy glorious Name. Grant, we beseech Thee, that the kingdom of Christ may increase and flourish in the world, and that the whole earth may be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen. PSALM LXXIII. DAY 14.] EVENING PRAYER. Instructive, as Psalm i. Author, Asaph: argument similar to that of Psalms xxxvii. xxxix. and xlix. (I. Perplexity at seeing the wicked prosper.) 1 Truly God is good to Israel, Even to such as are of a clean heart. 2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; Р My steps had well nigh slipped. 3 For I was envious at the foolish, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. (II. The wicked described.) 4 For there are no bands in their death: But their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men; Neither are they plagued like other men. 6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; Violence covereth them as a garment. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness; They have more than heart could wish. 8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly Concerning oppression; they speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth. 10 Therefore His people return hither : And waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. 11 And they say, "How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?" (III. Suggestions of nature.) 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, Who prosper in the world; 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, (IV. These corrected by grace.) 15 If I say, I will speak thus ; Behold, I should offend against the generation of Thy children. (V. This difficult subject cleared up.) 16 When I thought to know this, It was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; 18 Surely Thou didst set them in slippery places; They are utterly consumed with terrors. (VI. Ignorance cause of distress.) 21 Thus my heart was grieved, And I was pricked in my reins. 22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee. (VII. Confidence in the divine goodness.) 23 Nevertheless, I am continually with Thee; Thou hast holden me by my right hand. 24 Thou shalt guide my with Thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth : But God is the strength of my heart, And my portion for ever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from Thee shall perish ; Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from Thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: REFLECTIONS. : This Psalm (as well as the 37th) is admirably calculated to compose our minds amidst the perplexing dispensations of Providence in the present world. We might wish to see goodness and prosperity, sin and adversity, invariably united: but this is very far from being the case. "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." There is upon earth much apparent inequality and if our faith be weak, and our views superficial and partial, we are too apt to be offended; to repine and murBut examine revealed truth: study this Psalm: and learn how to think and feel. Who can envy the wicked; flourishing, but soon to fade; exalted, but soon to be degraded? They boast, and rule, and prevail: but consider their end; desolation and destruction. Thus, guided by the light of Scripture, we ought to banish our ignorance, and to see that we have no just reason either to envy the ungodly, whatever prosperity they may enjoy upon earth, or to be dispirited and dismayed at our own trials. mur. PRAYER. O Lord our God, Thou art true and just in all Thy ways; give us grace to put our trust in Thee, and |