2. Confusion will be the portion of all idolaters. How careful should we be to keep ourselves from idols; to give our hearts to God; and to worship Him in spirit and in truth!

3. It is the duty of the Church and of each of her members to study and observe the righteous ways of God, and to rejoice in Him "as the blessed and only Potentate of heaven and earth."

4. Our duty, as those who love God, is to hate evil. Our blessedness is, to be assured of the divine preservation and goodness. Our proper feeling is gratitude and joy.

PRAYER.

Grant, O Lord, that we may rejoice in Thee as the Ruler of all things; that we may love and serve Thee with all the heart; that we may hate evil, and walk before Thee in uprightness of heart and conduct; and that we may praise and magnify Thee for all Thy gracious dealings with us; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer and Intercessor. Amen.

PSALM XCVIII.

DAY 19.]

EVENING PRAYER.

Thanksgiving, as Psalm xlvi. Perhaps written by David after his victory over the Jebusites.

(I. Exhortation to praise.)

1 O sing unto the Lord a new song; For He hath done marvellous things:

His right hand, and His holy arm,
Hath gotten Him the victory.

2 The Lord hath made known His salvation:
His righteousness hath He openly showed
In the sight of the heathen.

3 He hath remembered His mercy and His truth Toward the house of Israel:

All the ends of the earth

Have seen the salvation of our God.

4 Make a joyful sound unto the Lord, all the earth : Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 5 Sing unto the Lord with the harp;

With the harp, and the voice of a psalm. 6 With trumpets and sound of cornet

Make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King. 7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.

8 Let the floods clap their hands:

Let the hills be joyful together

9 Before the Lord;

For He cometh to judge the earth:

With righteousness shall He judge the world,
And the people with equity.

REFLECTIONS.

Marvellous things, victory, salvation, righteousness, mercy, and truth-these are the subjects here mentioned as furnishing matter for lofty and animated praise. Such is the case as to the past; and as concerns the future, we are reminded of the day when the Lord will judge the world in righteousness. If we meditate on the past history of the Church; if we con

sider the life and death, the resurrection and ascension of our blessed Lord; and if we contemplate the last day, when it shall be rendered to every man according to his works; we shall enter into the spirit of this Psalm; and we shall see what great reason we have to "sing unto the Lord a new song;" a song of peculiar excellence; a song of joy, thanksgiving, and triumph.

PRAYER.

O Lord our God, help us to meditate on all Thy dealings with Thy Church; and, whilst we see Thy mercy and love, Thy power and justice, may we praise Thy holy Name, and so live in faith and obedience, that in the last day we may be unreproveable in Thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer and Intercessor. Amen.

PSALM XCIX.

Displaying the divine perfections, as Psalm viii. Some refer this Psalm to the removal of the Ark to mount Zion, others to the dedication of the second temple.

(I. Exhortation to worship.)

1 The Lord reigneth ;

Let the earth tremble:

He sitteth between the cherubim;

Let the earth be moved.

2 The Lord is great in Zion;

And He is high above all the people.

3 Let them praise Thy great and terrible Name; For it is holy.

4 The king's strength also loveth judgment;
Thou dost establish equity,

Thou executest judgment and righteousness in
Jacob.

5 Exalt ye the Lord our God,

And worship at His footstool;
For He is holy.

6 Moses and Aaron among His priests,

And Samuel among them that call upon His Name; They called upon the Lord and He answered them. 7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar : They kept His testimonies,

And the ordinance that He gave them. 8 Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: Thou wast a God that forgavest them,

Though Thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.

9 Exalt the Lord our God,

And worship at His holy hill;
For the Lord our God is holy.

REFLECTIONS.

The Lord ruleth over all, and especially He is great in His Church. We are to praise Him as One who is awful in majesty, unspotted in holiness, and righteous in all His dealings. We thus reflect on the holy, glorious, and gracious God; and then it is our duty to magnify Him and to worship at His footstool. The faithful believers in old time acted thus; they prayed, and their prayers were answered. He gave them instruction; they kept His word; and when they offended they were pardoned in mercy, though they

suffered punishment for their transgressions: and thus in them we have examples for our direction, encouragement, and warning.

PRAYER.

O great and glorious God, help us to meditate on Thy perfections and ways with adoring minds. Thou art holy, and all Thy ways are righteous. We bless Thee for having in these last days spoken unto us by Thy Son. Give us grace, we beseech Thee, to hear His voice, and to keep His commandments. Suffer us not at any time to follow our own inventions, and to incur Thy righteous displeasure. And may we always worship Thee with faith and humility, with joy and gratitude; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

PSALM C.

General acknowledgment, as Psalm xxiii. Author uncertain. (I. Exhortation to worship and praise.)

1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness:

Come before His presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the Lord He is God:

It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise:

Be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name. 5 For the Lord is good;