16 Let death come haftily upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

17 As for me, I will call upon God: and the Lord fhall fave me.

18 In the evening, and morning, and at noon-day will I pray, and that inftantly: and he fhall hear my voice.

19 It is he that hath delivered my foul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.

20 Yea, even God, that endureth for ever, fhall hear me, and bring them down: for they will not turn, nor fear God.

21 He laid his hands upon fuch as be at peace with him and he brake his covenant.

22 The words of his mouth were fofter than butter, having war in his heart: his words were smoother than oil, and yet be they very fwords.

23 O caft thy burthen upon the Lord, and he fhall nourish thee; and fhall not fuffer the righteous to fall for ever.

24 And as for them: thou, O God, fhalt bring them into the pit of deftruction.

25 The blood-thirsty and deceitful men fhall not live out half their days: nevertheless, my truft fhall be in thee, O Lord.

MORNING PRAYER.

Pfalm lvi. Miferere mei, Deus.

B devour me: he is daily fighting, and troubling me.

E merciful unto me, O God, for man goeth about to

2 Mine enemies are daily in hand to fwallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most Higheft.

18 Morning, evening, and noon, were three of the hours of prayer in the Jewish church. Daniel obferved them in Babylon, when the royal decree made it death for him to do fo: "continuing inftant in prayer.”

Pfalm lvi.] David compofed this pfalm in remembrance of his great deliverance out of the hand of Saul, and of the time when he was with the Philistines.

3 Nevertheless, though I am fometime afraid: yet put I my trust in thee.

4 I will praise God, because of his word: I have put my trust in God, and will not fear what flesh can do

unto me.

5 They daily mistake my words: all that they imagine is to do me evil.

6 They hold all altogether, and keep themselves close: and mark my steps, when they lay wait for my foul.

7 Shall they escape for their wickedness: thou, O God, in thy difpleasure fhalt caft them down.

8 Thou telleft my flittings; put my tears into thy botdle are not these things noted in thy book?

9 Whenfoever I call upon thee, then shall mine enemies be put to flight this I know; for God is on my fide. 10 In God's word will I rejoice: in the Lord's word will I comfort me.

11 Yea, in God have I put my truft: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

12 Unto thee, O God, will I pay my vows: unto thee will I give thanks.

13 For thou haft delivered my foul from death, and my feet from falling: that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

Pfalm lvii. Miferere mei, Deus.

E merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my foul trufteth in thee: and under the fhadow of thy wings fhall be my refuge, until this tyranny be over-past.

2 I will call unto the most high God: even unto the God that shall perform the caufe which I have in hand. 3 He fhall fend from heaven: and fave me from the reproof of him that would eat me up.

is

4 God fhall fend forth his mercy and truth: my foul among

lions.

& Flittings] The word to fit is in ufe in the North, for a removal from one place to another.

Pfalm lvii.] This pfalm was compofed by David on occafion of what happened in Saul's purfuit of him, when David finding Saul in the cave might have killed, if he would, but fpared him. I Sam. xxiv. 3.

5 And I lie even among the children of men, that are fet on fire whofe teeth are fpears and arrows, and their tongue a fharp fword.

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6 Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth.

7 They have laid a net for my feet, and preffed down my foul: they have digged a pit before me, and are fallen into the midft of it themselves.

8 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will fing, and give praise.

9 Awake up, my glory; awake, lute and harp: I my felf will awake right early.

10 I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people and I will fing unto thee among the nations. I For the greatnefs of thy mercy reacheth unto the heavens and thy truth unto the clouds.

12 Set up thyself, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth.

ye

Pfalm lviii. Si vere utique.

RE your minds fet upon righteousnefs, O ye congregation and do ye judge the thing that is right, fons of men?

2 Yea, ye imagine mischief in your heart upon the earth and your hands deal with wickednefs.

3 The ungodly are froward, even from their mother's womb as foon as they are born, they go aftray, and fpeak lies..

4 They are as venomous as the poifon of a ferpent: even like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ears;

5 Which refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer: charm he never fo wifely.

6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouths; fmite the jaw-bones of the lions, O Lord: let them fall away

5] "The ftroke of a sword is lighter than the stroke of a tongue, for that wounds the body, but this the foul."-Pythagoras.

Pfalm lviii.] This is a meditation of David on the injuftice and incorrigible wickedness of men, efpecially of his enemies, who exafperated Saul against him, together with the unexpected speedy vengeance of the Almighty on them.

like water that runneth apace; and when they shoot their arrows, let them be rooted out.

7 Let them confume away like a fnail, and be like the untimely fruit of a woman: and let them not fee the fun. 8 Or ever your pots be made hot with thorns: fo let indignation vex him, even as a thing that is raw.

9 The righteous fhall rejoice when he feeth the vengeance: he fhall wafh his footsteps in the blood of the ungodly;

10 So that a man fhall fay, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: doubtlefs there is a God that judgeth the earth.

DEL

EVENING PRAYER.

Pfalm lix. Eripe me de inimicis.

ELIVER me from mine enemies, O God: defend me from them that rife up against me.

2 O deliver me from the wicked doers: and fave me from the blood-thirsty men.

3 For lo, they lie waiting for my foul the mighty men are gathered against me, without any offence or fault of me, O Lord.

4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault : arife thou therefore to help me, and behold.

5 Stand up, O Lord God of hofts, thou God of Ifrael, to vifit all the heathen: and be not merciful unto them that offend of malicious wickedness.

6 They go to and fro in the evening: they grin like a dog, and run about through the city.

6] "When he bendeth his bow to fhoot his arrows, let them be cut in pieces." Bib. trans.

8 Or ever your pots be made hot] This is to denote the fuddennefs of his punishment." Before your pots can feel the thorns, (ufed in the Eaft for fuel) he fhall take them away as with a whirl-wind," alive, in his wrath. Bib. tranf. in part.

Pfalm lix.] The occafion of this pfalm is thought to be this: Saul threw his javelin at David, who fled to his own houfe, and Saul fent perfons to watch the house during the night, that they might flay him in the morning; but David, by Michal's help, being let down by a window, escaped. He here celebrates his deliverance.

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7 Behold, they speak with their mouth, and swords are in their lips: for who doth hear?

8 But thou, O Lord, shalt have them in derifion : and thou shalt laugh all the heathen to scorn.

9 My ftrength will I afcribe unto thee: for thou art the God of my refuge.

10 God fheweth me his goodnefs plenteously: and God fhall let me fee my defire upon mine enemies.

11 Slay them not, left my people forget it: but fcatter them abroad among the people, and put them down, O Lord, our defence.

12 For the fin of their mouth, and for the words of their lips, they fhall be taken in their pride: and why? their preaching is of curfing and lies.

13 Confume them in thy wrath; confume them, that they may perish: and know that it is God that ruleth in Jacob, and unto the ends of the world.

14 And in the evening they will return: grin like a dog, and will go about the city.

15 They will run here and there for meat: and grudge if they be not fatisfied.

16 As for me, I will fing of thy power, and will praise thy mercy betimes in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

17 Unto thee, O my ftrength, will I fing: for thou, O God, art my refuge, and my merciful God.

again.

Pfalm lx. Deus, repulifti nos.

GOD, thou haft caft us out, and scattered us abroad: thou haft alfo been difpleased; O turn thee unto us

2 Thou haft moved the land, and divided it: heal the fores thereof, for it shaketh.

3 Thou haft fhewed thy people heavy things: thou haft given us a drink of deadly wine.

7] "For who, fay they, doth hear." Bib. tranf.

12] "And for curfing and lying which they speak." Bib. tranf.

Pfalm lx.] This pfalm is thought to have been compofed by David, when after his coming to the throne, the tribes of Ifrael had fubmitted to his fceptre, and he was engaged in the reduction of the adjacent countries. 2 Sam. v. and viii.

3] "Thou haft made us to drink the wine of astonishment.” Bib. tranf.