16 When the Lard shall build 26 They shall perish, but thou up Sion : and when his glory shall shalt endure : they all shall wax appear;

old, as doth a garment; 17 When he turneth him unto 27 And as a vesture shalt thou the prayer of the poor destitute : change them, and they shall be and despiseth not their desire. changed : but thou art the same,

18 This shall be written for and thy years shall not fail. those that come after : and the 28 The children of thy ser. people, which shall be born, shall vants shall continue : and their praise the Lord.

seed shall stand fast in thy sight. 19 For he hath looked down from his sanctuary : out of the heaven

Psalm ciii. (r) did the Lord behold the earth; Praise the Lord, O my soul(s):

20 That he might hear the and all that is within me, praise mournings of such as are in cap his holy Name. tivity : and deliver the children 2 Praise the Lord, O my soul: appointed unto death;

and forget not all his benefits ; 21 That they may declare (9) 3. Who forgiveth all thy sin : the Name of the Lord in Sion : and healeth all thine infirmities; and his worship at Jerusalem ; 4 Who saveth thy life from

22 When the people are ga destruction : and crowneth thee thered together : and the king with mercy and loving-kindness ; doms also to serve the Lord.

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth 23 He brought down my with good things : making thee strength in my journey : and young and lusty as an eagle (t). shortened my days.

6 The Lord executeth right24 But I said, “O my God, eousness and judgment : for all or take me not away in the midst them that are oppressed with “ of mine age : as for thy years, wrong. “ they endure throughout all 7 He shewed his ways unto “ generations."

Moses : his works unto the chil25 Thou, Lord, in the begin dren of Israel. ning hast laid the foundation of 8 The Lord is full of compasthe earth : and the heavens are sion and mercy : long-suffering, the work of thy hands.

and of great goodness.

9 He will not alway be chid- || place thereof shall know it no ing: neither keepeth he his anger more. for ever.

19 But the merciful goodness 10 He hath not dealt with us of the Lord endureth for ever. after our sins : nor rewarded us and ever upon them that fear according to our wickednesses. him : and his righteousness upon

11 For look, how high (u) the children's children; heaven is, in comparison of the 18 Even upon such as keep earth : so great is his mercy also his covenant : and think upon toward them that fear him.

his commandments to do them." 12 Look, how wide also the 19 The Lord hath prepared east is from the west : so far hath his seat in heaven : and his kinghe set our sins from us.

dom ruleth over all. 13 Yea, like as a father pitieth 20 O praise the Lord, ye anhis own children : even so is the gels of his ; ye that excel in Lord merciful unto thern that fear strength : ye that fulfil his comhim. was

mandment, and hearken unto the 14 For he knoweth whereof voice of his words. we are made : he remembereth 21 O praise the Lord, all ye that we are but dust.

his hosts : ye servants of his, that 15 The days of man are but do his pleasure. as grass : for he flourisheth as a 22 O speak good of the Lord, flower of the field.

all ye works of his, in all places 16 For as soon as the wind l of his dominion ; praise thou the goeth over it, it is gone : and the l| Lord, O my soul.

Lessons for the Twentieth Day of the Month throughout the rear.
January 20. February 20. March 20. April 20.
| Morn. Gen. xxxviii. Morn. Numb. xxxi. Morn. Judges viii. Morn. 2 Sam. xii.
Matt. xviii. (1) Luke iii.

John vii.

Acts xvii.
Even. Gen. xxxix. Even. Numb.xxxii. Even. Judges ix. Even. 2 Sam. xiii.
1 Cor. ij.
Gal. iii. (2) 1 Tim. iv.

1 Pet. iv. (3)

EVENING PRAYER.

7 At thy rebuke they flee : Psalm civ. (x)

at the voice of thy thunder they Praise the Lord, O my soul :

are afraid. O Lord my God, thou art be

8 They go up as high as the come exceeding glorious, thou hills, and down to the valleys beart clothed with majesty and ho

neath : even unto the place nour.

which thou hast appointed for 2 Thou deckest thyself with them. light, as it were with a garment : 9 Thou hast set them their and spreadest out the heavens like bounds (a), which they shall not a curtain.

pass : neither turn again to cover 3 Who layeth the beams of his the earth. chambers in the waters : and

10 He sendeth his springs (6) maketh the clouds his chariot,

into the rivers : which run among and walketh upon the wings of

the hills. the wind.

11 All beasts of the field 4. He maketh his angels spi.

drink thereof : and the wild asses rits ( ) : and his ministers a quench their thirst. flaming fire.

12 Beside them shall the fowls 5 He laid the foundations of of the air have their habitation : the earth : that it never should and sing among the branches. move at any time.

13 He watereth the hills from 6 Thou coveredst (2) it with | above (c): the earth is filled with the deep, like as with a garment :

the fruit of thy works. the waters stand in the hills.

14 He bringeth forth grass for

(3) On the wisdom, &c. of God in the formation and regulation of the world, so as to provide for the wants and comforts of all his creatures. Dr. Nichols says of this Psalm, it is one of the most exalted pieces of poetry extant in antiquity. It is one of the Psalms for Whit. sunday.

(g)“ His angels spirits, &c.” This may mean, " he maketh the wind and air “ his messengers, and a flaming fire his “ minister," using them as instruments to perform his wishes as in Ps. 148. viii.

" wind and storm fulfilling his word." 6. (z) « Thou coveredst, &c. This

perhaps refers to what was the case at the time of the creation, before God issued that command, Gen. i. 9. “ Let the

waters under the heaven be gathered 6 together unto one place, and let the « dry land appear;" and then we should read, as it is in the Bible translation, • The waters stood in the hills ;" and the verbs in the two following verses should be in the past tense, .fled,'. “ were afraid," and “ went.”

(a) “ Their bounds," &c. In Job xxxviii, 8. 11. God refers to this as an instance of his power, “ Who shut up “ the sea with doors, and said hitherto " shalt thou come, but no further, and " here shall thy proud waves be stayed." And in Jer. v. 22. he mentions it as a foundation why he should be feared: “ Fear ye not me, saith the Lord ? will “ ye not tremble at my presence? which “ have placed the sand for the bound of “ the sea, by a perpetual decree that it “ cannot pass it : and though the waves

“ thereof toss themselves, yet can they Il “ not prevail : though they roar, yet “ can they not pass over it.**

(6)“ His springs," &c. After point. ing out how the great body of water was removed, the Psalmist shews what provision was made for supplying what was necessary for the earth.

(c) “ Above," i.e. from the clouds. So Ps. cxlvii. 8. it is suggested as a ground for praising God, that he “co. ar vereth the heaven with clouds, and “ prepareth rain for the earth ; and

the cattle : and green herb for thy works : in wisdom hast thou
the service of men;

made them all ; the earth is full
15 That he may bring food of thy riches !
out of the earth, and wine that 25 So is the great and wide
maketh glad the heart of man : sea also : wherein are things
and oil to make him a cheerful creeping (b) innumerable, both
countenance, and bread to small and great beasts.
strengthen man's heart.

26 There go the ships, and
16 The trees of the Lord also there is that Leviathan : whom
are full of sap (d) : even the ce thou hast made to take his pas.
dars of Libanus, which he hath time therein.
planted;

27 These wait all upon thee :
17 Wherein the birds make that thou mayest give them meat
their nests : and the fir-trees are in due season (i).
a dwelling for the stork.

28 When thou givest it them,
18 The high hills (e) are a re they gather it : and when thou
fuge for the wild goats : and so openest thy hand, they are filled
are the stony rocks for the co with good.
nies.

29 When thou hidest thy
19 He appointed the moon for || face, they are troubled : when
certain seasons : and the sun thou takest away their breath,
knoweth his going down.

they die, and are turned again to
20 Thou makest darkness, that their dust.
it may be night : wherein (f) all 30 When thou lettest thy
the beasts of the forest do move. breath go forth, they shall be

21 (8) The lions roaring after made : and thou shalt renew the
their prey : do seek their meat face of the earth.
from God.

: 31 The glorious Majesty of
22 The sun ariseth, and they the Lord shall endure for ever ::
get them away together : and lay the Lord shall rejoice in his
them down in their dens.

works. .
23 Man goeth forth to his 32 The earth shall tremble(k)
work, and to his labour : until at the look of him : if he do but
the evening.

touch (1) the hills, they shall
24 O Lord, how manifold are smoke.

ar maketh grass to grow upon the moun

- tains, and herb for the use of man." v. 16. (d) “ Sap,” so that moisture is con

veyed to all the branches.
v. 18. (e) “ High hills” and “stony rocks,”

so that those parts from which man de.
rives no benefit, have their use in protect-
ing other creatures.

“Wherein,” &c. So that they
are not disturbed by man, nor man by

(b) For“ creeping" read “ moving," v.25. and for “ beasts” read “ creatures."

(0) So Ps. cxlv, 15. “ The eyes of 0.27. « all wait upon thee, O Lord, and thou “ givest them their meat in due season : " thou openest thine hand, and fillest all 66 things living with plenteousness."

(4) • Tremble," &c. This is highly v.32. poetical. So Ps.cxiv. 7. "Tremble thou Tv earth at the presence of the Lord, at “ the presence of the God of Jacob."

?!...33 I will sing unto the Lord, || wonders, and the judgements of
as long as I live : I will praise his mouth;
my God, while I have my being. 60 ye seed of Abraham his
n! 34 And so shall my words servant : ye children of Jacob
please him ; my joy shall be in his chosen.
the Lord.

7 He is the Lord our God:
35 As for sinners, they shall || his judgements are in all the
be consumed out of the earth, world.
and the ungodly shall come to an 8 He hath been alway mindful
end : praise thou the Lord, O of his covenant and promise': that
my soul, praise the Lord,

he made to a thousand generations ;

9 Even the covenant that he MORNING PRAYER.

made with Abraham : and the

oath that he sware unto Isaac; i ri Psalm cy. (m)

10 And appointed the same O GIVE thanks unto the Lord, unto Jacob for a law : and to and call upon his Name : tell the Israel for an everlasting testapeople what things he hath done. ment:

2 O let your songs be of him, u Saying, “ Unto thee will I and praise him ; and let your “ give the land of Canaan(n) : talking be of all his wondrous 66 the lot of your inheritance." works.

12 When they were yet but : 3 Rejoice in his holy Name : | a few of them; and they strangers let the heart of them rejoice that in the land; seek the Lord,

13 What time as they went 4. Seek the Lord, and his from one nation to another : from strength : seek his face ever one kingdom to another people; more.

14 He suffered no man to do 5 Remember the marvellous | them wrong : but reproved even works that he hath done ; his kings for their sakes ;

(m) A spirited inyocation to the praise 1 « the land of Canaan," Gen. xvii. 5.8. of God, enumerating many of his acts of And this prediction was most fully acfavour to the Jews, and of judgment upon complished : for without reckoning the their enemies, from Abraham's time to Ishmaelites and Edomites (the descendthe time of their settlement in the land ants of Ishmael and Esau) about 1490 of Canaan. The first fifteen yerses are years before the birth of Christ, the offpart of the hymn which Dayid delivered spring of Jacob alone (Abraham's grand. to Asaph and his brethren, the day he son) exclusive of the tribe of Levi, and removed the ark of God from the house reckoning of the pther tribes none but of Obed Edom to Mount Sion. See the males, and of them such only as were 1 Chron. xvi. 7 to 22. This occurred able to go out to war, amounted to about 1043 years before the birth of 603,550; the males of the tribe of Levi, Christ. The latter part of that hymn from one month old and upwards, were forms the 96th Psalm.

22,000 ; and in less than 50 years after. (n) “ Of Canaan.” When Abraham

wards the Israelites under the command was 99 years old, and before he had any of Joshua subdued the whole land of Ca

son, Gód said unto him, “I will make naan. See Numb. i. 46.--. 32.-XXXI. in thee exceeding fruitful, and I will give 39.

k unto thee and to thy seed after thee all

0.11.

S