(II. His dealings with the patriarchs.) 6 O ye seed of Abraham His servant, Ye children of Jacob His chosen. 7 He is the Lord our God: His judgments are in all the earth. 8 He hath remembered His covenant for ever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations. 9 Which covenant He made with Abraham, And His oath unto Isaac; 10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, And to Israel for an everlasting covenant: 11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance: 12 When they were but a few men in number; Yea, very few, and strangers in it. 13 When they went from one nation to another, From one kingdom to another people: 14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: Yea, He reproved kings for their sakes; 15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, And do my prophets no harm. 16 Moreover He called for a famine upon the land : He brake the whole staff of bread. 17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, Who was sold for a servant : 18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: He was laid in iron: 19 Until the time that His word came: The word of the Lord tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; Even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his substance: 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; And teach his senators wisdom. 23 Israel also came into Egypt; And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 24 And He increased His people greatly; And made them stronger than their enemies. 25 He turned their heart to hate His people, To deal subtilly with His servants. 26 He sent Moses His servant; And Aaron whom He had chosen. 27 They showed His signs among them, And wonders in the land of Ham. 28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; And they rebelled not against His word. 29 He turned their waters into blood, And slew their fish. 30 Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, In the chambers of their kings. 31 He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, And lice in all their coasts. 32 He gave them hail for rain, And flaming fire in their land. 33 He smote their vines also and their fig-trees; And brake the trees of their coasts. 34 He spake, and the locusts came, And caterpillars, and that without number. 35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, And devoured the fruit of the ground. 36 He smote also the first-born in their land, The chief of all their strength. 37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold; And there was not one feeble person among their tribes. 38 Egypt was glad when they departed : For the fear of them fell upon them. 39 He spread a cloud for a covering; And fire to give light in the night. 40 The people asked, and He brought quails, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; They ran in the dry places like a river. 42 For He remembered His holy promise, And Abraham his servant. 43 And He brought forth His people with joy, 44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: REFLECTIONS. 1. We have here a series of duties, so to speak, in the habitual performance of which we ought to live. God is revealed to us: we know His Name, Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We know His works and ways in creation and in providence. We know the judgments of His mouth; His instructions, com X mands, promises, and threats. And how ought we to act? We are here admonished to praise God; to call upon Him in prayer; to make known His will and ways to others; to speak of His works; to glory in His Name; to rejoice in Him; to seek His strength and His favour; and to remember His works and counsels. These are plain and important subjects: and happy is he who lays them to heart, and makes them the matters of constant practice ! 2. The Psalmist had spoken of God's "wondrous works;" His miraculous deeds: and he now unfolds his meaning by giving us a concise view of the history of the Israelites from the days of Abraham to their settlement in Canaan under Joshua. 1. We see the patriarchs before the descent into Egypt; ver. 6-23. 2. We then see the Israelites in Egypt, and their deliverance out of it; ver. 24-38. 3. We see them in the wilderness; ver. 39-42. And, 4. We see them established in Canaan; ver. 43-45. In the whole of this history we see the truth, the power, and the goodness of God towards His people; guarding them, guiding them, delivering them from their enemies, and pouring His blessings upon them. PRAYER. Help us, O Lord, to meditate with delight, with joy and gratitude, on Thy gracious and wonderful ways with Thy Church. May we seek Thy favour; observe Thy statutes, and keep Thy laws; rejoice in Thy faithfulness, goodness, and power; and glory in Thy holy Name, and praise Thee for ever, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. DAY 21.] PSALM CVI. EVENING PRAYER. Historical. This Psalm records the offences of the Israelites. (I. Praise.) 1 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: 2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? 3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, 4 Remember me, O Lord, With the favour that Thou bearest unto Thy people: O visit me with Thy salvation; 5 That I may see the good of Thy chosen, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation, (III. Confession.) 6 We have sinned with our fathers; We have committed iniquity, We have done wickedly. (IV. Rebellion at the Red Sea.) 7 Our fathers understood not Thy wonders in Egypt; They remembered not the multitude of Thy mercies; But provoked Him at the sea, even at the Red Sea. |