PRAYER. Grant, O Lord, that we may always value, love, and desire the holy ordinances of religion, and worship Thee in Thy house of prayer. Be Thou our sun and shield; strengthen and refresh us here with Thy grace; confer upon us every needful blessing; and may we so trust in Thee and serve Thee in this life as finally to obtain everlasting glory, through the merits and for the sake of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. PSALM LXXXV. Thanksgiving, as Psalm xlvi. Of the author and occasion of this Psalm nothing certain can be said. (I. Redemption from captivity.) 1 Lord, Thou hast been favourable unto Thy land : Thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. 2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy people, Thou hast covered all their sin; 3 Thou hast taken away all Thy wrath : Thou hast turned Thyself from the fierceness (II. Prayer for the divine mercy and favour.) 4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, And cause Thine anger toward us to cease. 5 Wilt Thou be angry with us for ever? Wilt thou draw out Thine anger to all generations? 6 Wilt Thou not revive us again; That Thy people may rejoice in Thee? 7 Show us Thy mercy, O Lord, And grant us Thy salvation. (III. Salvation.) 8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak: For He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints: But let them not turn again to folly. 9 Surely His salvation is near them that fear Him; That glory may dwell in our land. 10 Mercy and Truth are met together; Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth also shall spring out of the earth; And Righteousness shall look down from heaven. (IV. God's goodness.) 12 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good, 13 Righteousness shall go before Him; REFLECTIONS. 1. Here is gratitude. By our sins we incur the divine wrath, and bring misery upon ourselves. But on our repentance and faith our sins are forgiven, the divine displeasure ceases, and we can joyfully speak of redemption. 2. Here is devotion. When we are touched with a due sense of our sins, we humble ourselves before God; we pray to Him for mercy and salvation; we pray that we may be spiritually revived, and that we may rejoice in Him. 3. In the gospel we see the union of mercy and truth, of righteousness and peace: God is just and yet our Justifier. But if we receive this gracious record, we must keep far away from sin and folly, fear Him, and order our conversation aright. Happy are the individuals and the nations who attend to these things! 4. Temporal blessings are from God; and if we look to Him, He will give us all needful good, and especially He will give us grace by which we shall be enabled to walk in the way of righteousness. PRAYER. O God of our salvation, give us penitent and believing hearts, and mercifully pardon our sins, and visit us with Thy favour. Lead us by Thy Holy Spirit into the true knowledge of the Gospel of Thy Son; and grant that we may live as His true disciples, in holiness and obedience, to Thy honour and glory, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. DAY 17.] PSALM LXXXVI. MORNING PRAYER. Prayer, as Psalm iii. Written by David, probably, when persecuted by Saul. (I. Prayer.) 1 Bow down Thine ear, O Lord; hear me : For I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O Thou my God, save Thy servant 3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: For I cry unto Thee daily. 4 Rejoice the soul of Thy servant: For unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. (II. God's goodness and greatness.) 5 For Thou, O Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; And plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon Thee. 6 Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications. 7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon Thee; For Thou wilt answer me. 8 Among the gods there is none like unto Thee, O Lord; Neither are there any works like Thy works. 9 All nations whom Thou hast made shall come And worship before Thee, O Lord; And shall glorify Thy Name. 10 For Thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone. (III. Prayer and praise.) 11 Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth: Unite my heart to fear Thy name. 12 I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: And I will glorify Thy Name for evermore. 13 For great is Thy mercy toward me; And Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. (IV. Complaint; faith; prayer.) 14 O God, the proud are risen against me, And have not set Thee before them. 15 But Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, Long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. 16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; Give Thy strength unto Thy servant, And save the son of thine hand-maid. 17 Show me a token for good; That they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: Because Thou, Lord, hast holpen me, REFLECTIONS. 1. See the humility of the Christian: he feels that he is poor and needy. See his gratitude: he knows that through grace he is holy, and that he trusts in God. See his devotion: he prays for preservation, mercy, and joy. Happy is he who is familiar with this pious frame and exercise of soul. 2. We may here learn how a true Christian thinks of God; of His goodness and mercy, of His greatness and power. As to himself, he is fully persuaded that his prayers shall be answered. As to others, he is persuaded that God shall be acknowledged by all nations. 3. See true piety: it is divine instruction producing obedience: and, further, it is an abiding prin |