(IV. Destruction of their enemies foretold.) 7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom In the day of Jerusalem; Who said, Rase it, rase it, Even to the foundation thereof. 8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; Happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee As thou hast served us. 9 Happy shall he be that taketh And dasheth thy little ones against the stones. REFLECTIONS. 1. In one point of view this world is a Babylon to us; a land of captivity. Yet we are God's people, and should remember the heavenly Zion. here often suspended on the willows. of tears. Our harps are This is a land 2. The ungodly see not, and feel not, as we do. They may wonder at our sorrow and heaviness, and require of us songs and mirth. But songs are not always for heavy hearts. There are seasons in which we cannot sing even the Lord's song. For her we wake 3. Never can we forget the Church: her sorrow is our sorrow, and her joy is our joy. our harps. Whatever be our joy on the spiritual Jerusalem far above it. earth, we prefer 4. However the Church may suffer, a day of wrath will come, and bring an awful desolation upon the enemies of Zion. Think, ye deriders and persecutors! and avert your ruin by timely repentance; by becoming the children of her whom ye seek to destroy. PRAYER. Defend, O Lord, and bless Thy Church: and may we, and all her faithful children always remember her and consult her welfare; and may we, pilgrims and sojourners in a strange land, sing Thy songs and praise Thy Name for ever and ever; through Jesus Christ. Amen. PSALM CXXXVIII. Thanksgiving, as Psalm xviii. A Psalm of David. 1 I will praise Thee with my whole heart: And praise Thy Name for Thy lovingkindness and For Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy 3 In the day when I cried Thou answeredst me, And strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. (II. Prediction that kings shall glorify Him.) 4 All the kings of the earth shall praise Thee, O Lord, When they hear the words of Thy mouth. 5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: For great is the glory of the Lord. (III. Of the humble and the proud.) 6 Though the Lord be high, yet he hath respect unto the lowly: But the proud He knoweth afar off. (IV. Confidence in God.) 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of mine enemies, And Thy right hand shall save me. 8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: Forsake not the work of Thine own hands. REFLECTIONS. 1. It is our duty to worship and praise God, who is merciful and great, faithful to His word, and the giver of strength and comfort. 2. We anticipate with confidence and joy the time when the mighty of this world shall praise God, and acknowledge His glory. 3. How delightful is the thought, that the great and glorious God regards the humble. The proud are only known by Him to be abhorred and rejected. 4. Here is faith. The believing soul is assured of the divine goodness and mercy; pours out its prayer; and calmly reposes on God. PRAYER. Help us, O Lord, to praise and magnify Thee for Thy lovingkindness and truth; and hasten the time when the high and low of all nations shall sing in Thy ways, and celebrate Thy great glory. Make us to be truly humble, and may we rejoice in Thy favour. Whatever our troubles may be, help us to trust in Thee with sure confidence. Forsake us not; but perfect that which Thou hast begun in us; for the sake of Thy Son Jesus Christ. Amen. PSALM CXXXIX. DAY 29.] MORNING PRAYER. Displaying the divine perfections, as Psalm viii. A Psalm of David. (I. God's Omniscience.) 1 O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting, and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, And laid Thy hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it. (II. His Omnipresence.) 7 Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there: 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall Thy hand lead me, And Thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; Even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; But the night shineth as the day: The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee. (III. The formation of Man.) 13 For Thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14 I will praise Thee; For I am fearfully and wonderfully made: And that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from Thee, When I was made in secret, And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being And in Thy book all my members were written, When as yet there was none of them. (IV. Excellence of God's purposes.) 17 How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, They are more in number than the sand: When I awake, I am still with Thee. |