and let all the people say: "Amen!"

Praise JEHOVAH!

NOTES.

Ver. 7. While marching toward the Red-fea. The present text has "at the fea, even at the Red fea," as our tranflators render: but a word has been badly divided into two in the Hebrew; and the true reading is preferved in Sep. See C. R.-Ver. 26. So be raised his band. This may have been, be fwore: and in that fenfe it is generally taken by interpreters. I think it means here, as in fome other places: he fet Eins felf against them.

PSALM CVII.

This psalm, which is the first of the fifth division, appears to bave been composed soon after the return from the Babylonish captivity.

GIVE thanks to JEHOVAH; for good is HE: for his bounty endureth for ever!

So fhould fay, the redeemed by JEHOVAH;
whom he hath redeemed from their oppreffors,
and gathered out of the various countries;
from the eaft, the weft, the north and the fouth.

2

3

4

They were wandering in folitary deserts :

they could find no city to dwell in.

From hunger and thirst, their fouls fainted in them.

5

But, in their diftrefs, they invoked JEHOVAH:

6

and from their diftreffes he delivered them.

By a direct path he conducted them,

7

until they came to an habitable city:

Let them, then, praise JEHOVAH, for his goodness, and his wonderful deeds to mankind:

8

fince the thirsty foul he hath fully fatisfied;

9

and the hungry foul he hath filled with plenty :

those who fat in darkness, and in the fhade of death,
bound faft in the irons of affliction.

Because they had disobeyed the commands of
God,

and contemned the counsel of the Most-High,
he humbled their hearts with hardship;

they fell down, and there was none to help up!
But, in their diftrefs they invoked JEHOVAH;
and from their diftreffes he delivered them:

brought them out of darkness and the shade of death,
and their bands he broke asunder.

Let them praise JEHOVAH, for his goodness;

for his wonderful deeds to mankind!

16

For the gates of brass he hath broken,

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

and the bars of iron he hath cut afunder.
Fools, because of their tranfgreffions,

and because of their iniquities, were afflicted:
all forts of food their fouls abhorred;

and they were touching on the gates of death!
But, in their diftrefs, they invoked JEHOVAH;
and from their diftreffes he delivered them.

He fent his word—and healed them:

and refcued them from their destruction.

Let them praise JEHOVAH, for his goodness;
for his wonderful deeds to mankind:
let them facrifice facrifices of thanksgiving,
and with joy rehearse his doings.

Thofe, who traverse the fea in fhips,
who negotiate on the mighty waters-
Those fee the works of JEHOVAH;
and his wonders on the great deep!

they reel and stagger, like one drunk : and all their skill faileth them.

27

28

But in their distress they invoke JEHOVAH;

and from their diftreffes he delivereth them. The ftorm he turneth into a calm :

29

and the waves are hufhed into filence!

At their ftillness, the mariners rejoice:

30

for he bringeth them to their wifhed-for port!

Let them praise JEHOVAH for his goodness; for his wonderful deeds to mankind.

31

Again, he turneth the wilderness into ponds of water; 35

and the thirsty foil into water-fprings :

which to the famished he giveth for a dwelling-place, 36

where they may rear an habitable city:

where they may fow fields, and plant vineyards; which shall yield a fruitful produce:

for he bleffeth, and greatly increaseth them; and permitteth not their cattle to diminish.

Others, again, decrease, and are humbled,

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

through oppreffion, affliction and forrow.
He poureth out contempt on princes,
and maketh them wander in a pathless desert:
while the deftitute he raiseth from affliction,
and augmenteth his family, like a flock!
The righteous fhall fee this, and rejoice:
while all iniquity fhall be tongue-tied !

Let him who is wife, attend to these things;
and learn the loving-kindneffes of Jehovah!

NOTES.

The beauties of this psalm are many and striking; and need not be pointed out to the least intelligent. Ver. 8, 15, 21, 31, are the burden, or bob, of the fong; and correfpond with ver. 6, 13, 19, 28. Both may have been choruses.-Ver. 23. This tranfition to ships and the dangers of mariners is admirable. I doubt if all antiquity can produce a better picture.—Ver. 42. All iniquity. Iniquity is here perfonified, and denotes the iniquitous: but the abstract is more poetical. Ib. tongue-tied, lit. mouth-fhut: which, perhaps, might be not improperly vernaculized.

PSALM CVIII.—al. CVII.

This psalm is composed of parts of two other psalms; namely, psalm 57. 8-12, and psalm 60. 7-14. Venema thinks, not improbably, that it was occasionally compiled in the time of the Machabees it has for title,

I

2

3

A PSALM-SONG OF DAVID.

MINE heart is ready, O GOD! († mine heart is ready :)

to thee I will fing and pfalmodize.

Awake, my glory! awake, my lyre and harp!

I will awake the early morning!

I will praise thee, JEHOVAH! among the peoples:
I will pfalmodize to thee among the nations.
For magnified is thy bounty, unto the heavens ;
thy veracity, unto the ethereal skies.
Exalt thyfelf, O GOD! above the heavens;
manifeft thy glory over all the earth:

That thy beloved may yet be rescued,

hear and by thy right hand fave us.

4

5

6

7

8

GOD answereth, in his fanctuary! joyful am I !
I fhall yet divide Sichem into lots;
and measure out the vale of Suchoth:
mine shall be Gilead, and mine Manaffeh :
Ephraim fhall be the helmet of mine head:
Judah fhall be my chieftain:

Moab fhall be my washing-pot:

at Edom I fhall throw my flipper: over the Philistines I fhall triumph!

Who will conduct me to that strong city?

who will conduct me to Edom?

Wilt thou, O God, ftill reject us?

9

ΙΟ

ΙΙ

12

and not go out with our hofts?

Grant thine aid, after our distress:

for vain is the affiftance of man. Through GOD we shall act valiantly: for he will tread down our enemies.

NOTES.

13

14

Ver. 2. This addition is in Sep. and Syr. and in 5 Mss. and alfo in p. p. Pf. 57, 8.-For the rest, see the notes on that pfalm and on Pfalm 60.