And a fear to mine acquaintance:

They that did see me without fled from me. 12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.

13 For I have heard the slander of many:

Fear was on every

side:

While they took counsel together against me,
They devised to take away my life.

(IV. Prayer in faith.)

14 But I trusted in Thee, O Lord: I said, "Thou art my God."

15 My times are in Thy hand :

Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies,
And from them that persecute me.

16 Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant:
Save me for Thy mercies' sake.

17 Let me not be ashamed, O Lord;
For I have called upon Thee:
Let the wicked be ashamed,

And let them be silent in the grave.
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence:
Which speak grievous things proudly
And contemptuously against the righteous.

(V. God's mercies to His people.)

19 O how great is Thy goodness,

Which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; Which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in

Thee

Before the sons of men!

20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy presence from the pride of man:

Thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion

from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord:

For He hath showed me His marvellous kindness

in a strong city.

22 For I said in my haste,

"I am cut off from before Thine eyes: Nevertheless Thou heardest the voice of my suppli

cations

When I cried unto Thee.

(VI. Exhortation.)

23 O love the Lord, all ye His saints: For the Lord preserveth the faithful,

And plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. 24 Be of good courage,

All

and He shall strengthen your heart,
ye that hope in the Lord.

REFLECTIONS.

1. Our troubles, dangers, and sorrows may be many: but God is our strength and defence: in Him we always have a refuge. But we must pray to Him, and commit ourselves to Him; for thus only shall we be redeemed from all evil. Thus acted our blessed Redeemer thus all His true followers act.

2. Faith and prayer soon lead us to the experience of the divine goodness; soon lead us to rejoice in the mercy of Him who has considered our trouble, known our souls in adversity, delivered us from our enemies, and put us in the enjoyment of liberty and peace. Thus was our blessed Lord triumphant over all evil: and thus shall His people triumph through Him.

3. The "Man of sorrows" might have used such language. What love and gratitude do we owe to Him for all that He suffered for us!-But this world is a vale of tears; and at some seasons, and to some persons, it is peculiarly so. We pass through tribulation

to the world where tribulation is unknown. We must not repine or complain; but look to our Forerunner in the same path, and trust in Him, and follow Him in patience.

4. In our troubles faith must not fail, and prayer must abound. Our times, and the events of life, are in the hand of God: in Him we trust; and to Him we pray for deliverance, for His favour, and for final triumph.

5. When the prayer of faith is answered, how great is the joy and satisfaction of God's servants. In their haste they felt painfully, and spoke despondingly; but when faith prevails, and their souls are composed, they can speak of preservation, and bless the Lord for His marvellous kindness to them, in discomfiting their enemies, and in giving them security and peace.

6. Those who have known the divine goodness will exhort, comfort, and animate others in the way of godliness. The Lord is righteous: He preserves His people, and punishes their adversaries. Persuaded of this we look to Jesus and to the cloud of witnesses; and our hearts are strengthened, and our hope is made stedfast.

PRAYER.

O blessed God, we are Thine, and our times are in

Thy hands: whatever our troubles and sorrows, our enemies and dangers may be, may we always look unto Jesus; pray without ceasing; maintain our confidence; wait with patience; and persevere in well doing. Thus may we walk before Thee, until the sorrows of the present time are exchanged for the everlasting joy and rest which remain for Thy people, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

DAY 6.]

PSALM XXXII.

EVENING PRayer.

Penitential. A Psalm of David, written, probably, after he had obtained pardon of his sins in the matter of Uriah.

(I. True blessedness.)

1 Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no guile.

(II. Concealment and Confession of sin.)

3 When I kept silence my bones waxed old Through my roaring all the day long.

4 For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me: My moisture is turned into the drought of summer. 5 I acknowledged my sin unto Thee,

And mine iniquity have I not hid.

I said, "I will confess my transgressions unto the
Lord;"

And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.

(III. Mercy for all who seek it.)

6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee

In a time when Thou mayest be found:
Surely in the floods of great waters
They shall not come nigh unto him.

(IV. Confidence in God.)

7 Thou art my hiding place;

Thou shalt preserve me from trouble;

Thou shalt compass me about with songs of delive

rance.

(V. A promise.)

8 I will instruct thee and teach thee

in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

(VI. Warning.)

9 Be ye not as the horse,

Or as the mule, which have no understanding: Whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, Lest they come near unto thee.

10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked:

But he that trusteth in the Lord,
Mercy shall compass him about.

(VII. Exhortation to joy.)

11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: And shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

REFLECTIONS.

1. We are truly blessed when through faith in Christ, we are pardoned, justified, and sanctified.

This