and enable us to bring up our children in the knowledge of Thy works and will. While we see Thy righteous and gracious ways with Thy people of old time, may we fear to offend Thee, and be careful to please Thee both in faith and practice, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. DAY 16.] PSALM LXXIX. MORNING PRAYER. Prayer, as Psalm xliv. The argument is the same as that of Psalm lxxiv. (I. Complaint.) 1 O God, the heathen are come into Thine inhe ritance; Thy holy temple have they defiled: They have laid Jerusalem on heaps. 2 The dead bodies of Thy servants have they given To be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, The flesh of Thy saints Unto the beasts of the earth. 3 Their blood have they shed like water Round about Jerusalem; And there was none to bury them. 4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and derision to them that are round about us. (II. Prayer for Redress.) 5 How long, O Lord? wilt Thou be angry for ever? Shall Thy jealousy burn for ever? 6 Pour out Thy wrath upon the heathen That have not known Thee, And upon the kingdoms That have not called upon Thy Name. 7 For they have devoured Jacob, And laid waste his dwelling-place. (III. Prayer for forgiveness.) 8 O remember not against us former iniquities: Let Thy tender mercies speedily prevent us : For we are brought very low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Thy Name: And deliver us, and purge away our sins, (IV. For removal of reproach and misery.) 10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? Let Him be known among the heathen in our sight By the revenging of the blood of Thy servants which is shed. 11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before Thee; According to the greatness of Thy power Preserve Thou those that are appointed to die; 12 And render unto our neighbours Sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, (V. Profession of gratitude.) 13 So we Thy people and sheep of Thy pasture Will give Thee thanks for ever: We will show forth Thy praise REFLECTIONS. 1. How painful to the Jews was the desolation of their temple, city, and country! How often may the Church under persecution have uttered the same language! How thankful ought we to be for exemption from similar trials! 2. God is He whom we are to acknowledge in our troubles to Him we look to deliver us from our adversaries; and to Him must our prayer be poured forth, that we may be restored to His favour. 3. Here is a beautiful specimen of prayer: we implore pardon, holiness, and deliverance: we look to God, the God of our salvation, for these blessings, not for any worthiness in us, but according to His tender mercies, and for the glory of His name. 4. We are to pray, that God would make Himself known as the preserver and comforter of His afflicted people, and as restraining or punishing the malice and cruelty of their enemies. If we wait upon Him in faith and prayer, we may be assured that He will regard the sigh of the distressed, and put their enemies to shame. 5. The mercy and power of God, shown in His gracious and righteous measures, in the preservation of His people and in the overthrow of the ungodly, are matters that demand unceasing gratitude and praise. PRAYER. • Whatever, O Lord, be the trials of Thy Church, may she look up to Thee in faith and prayer. Mercifully forgive us our sins; and by Thy power may we be evermore defended and delivered from all our enemies, to the glory of Thy Name, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. PSALM LXXX. Prayer, as Psalm xliv. Occasion unknown. (I. Prayer of the Church in distress.) 1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that dwellest between the cherubim, 2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up Thy strength, And come and save us. 3 Turn us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine; And we shall be saved. (II. Her complaint.) 4 O Lord God of hosts, How long wilt Thou be angry Against the prayer of Thy people? 5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; And givest them tears to drink in great measure. 6 Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours; And our enemies laugh among themselves. 7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause Thy face to shine; And we shall be saved. (III. Her past and present state.) 8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt; And didst cause it to take deep root, And it filled the land. 10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, And the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars : 11 She sent out her boughs unto the sea, And her branches unto the river. 12 Why hast Thou then broken down her hedges, So that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? 13 The boar out of the wood doth waste it, And the wild beast of the field doth devour it. (IV. Her prayer for deliverance.) 14 Return, we beseech Thee, O God of hosts: Look down from heaven, and behold, And visit this vine; 15 And the vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted, And the branch that Thou madest strong for Thyself. 16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down: They perish at the rebuke of Thy countenance. 17 Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, Upon the son of man whom Thou madest strong for Thyself. 18 So will not we go back from Thee: |