PSALM XXVI.

The Pfalmift afferts his innocence and integrity, and appeals to God as the judge of his fincerity, who was privy to his moft fecret intentions. Venema thinks David wrote this Pfalm when Abner, captain of Saul's hoft, and Ifbbofheth, the heir of the kingdom, being cruelly murdered, he acquired certain hopes of fucceeding to the Crown; at which time, he laboured under heavy fufpicions of the murder of thefe perfons, and of evil and ambitious defigns against Saul.

1. BE thou my judge, O Lord, for I have walked innocently; my truft hath alfo been in the Lord, therefore I fhall not fall.

2. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes, and I have walked in thy truth.

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4. I have not fat with vain perfons, neither will in with diffemblers.

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5. I have hated the congregation of evil doers, and will not fit among the wicked.

6. I will wafh my hands in innocency; and will compafs thy altar, O Lord;

7. To fing with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

8. Lord! I have loved the habitation of thine houfe, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

9. O take not away my foul with finners, nor my life with bloody men;

10. In whofe hands is mifchief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

II. But as for me I will walk in mine innocence, deliver me and be merciful unto me.

12. My foot standeth in the straight path; in the congregation will I blefs the Lord.

FIFTH EVENING.

Evening Prayer.'

PSALM XXVII,

This Pfalm feems to have been written foon after the death of Saul, when David had been anointed king by the boufe of Judah, and was on the point of being engaged in war with the family of Saul, and the neighbouring nations.

1. The Lord is my light and my falvation, whom then fhall I fear? the Lord is the ftrength of my life, of whom fhall I be afraid?

2. When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they trembled and fell.

3. Though an hoft should encamp against me, my heart fhall not fear; and though war fhould rise up against me, I will be confident in it.

4. One thing have I asked of the Lord, which fhall be my defire, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to visit in his temple.

5. For in the time of trouble, he shall hide me in his pavilion; in the fecret place of his tabernacle fhall he hide me, he fhall fet me up upon a rock.

6. Even now fhall he lift up mine head above mine enemies, round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle facrifices of joy; I will fing, yea I will fing praifes unto the Lord.

7. Hearken unto my voice O Lord when I call; have mercy upon me, and hear me.

8. My heart faid unto thee, when thou faid'ft, "feek

ye my face;" "thy face, O Lord, will I feek:" 9. Hide not thy face from me, nor turn away from thy fervant in difpleasure; thou haft been my help, leave me not, neither forfake me, O God of my falvation.

10..Though my father and mother forfook me; yet did the Lord take me up.

11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in the straight path, because of those that hate me:

deliver me not over unto the will of mine ene

mies.

12. For falfe witneffes rofe up against me, and fuch as breath out violence;

13. Nevertheless I believed that I fhould fee the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14. Truft in the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; truft, I say, in the Lord.

PSALM XXVIII.

David now in quiet possession of the kingdom, freed from all perils, and acquitted of all the crimes of which he bad been unjustly fufpected, calling to mind the many dangers from which God had delivered him, returns thanks for thefe bleffings, and prays that he will continue to be the protector of him and his people.

1. UNTO thee do I call, O Lord, my ftrength, hold not thy peace; left if thou be filent, I become like them that go down into the pit.

2. Hear the voice of my humble petitions, when I cry unto thee; when I lift up my hands towards thy holy fanctuary.

3. O pluck me not away with the wicked, and with evil doers, who fpeak peace to their neighbour, when mifchief is in their hearts.

4. Reward them according to their deeds, and according to the wickednefs of their inventions; recompence them after the work of their hands; pay them that they have deferved.

5. Because they regard not the work of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall pull them down, and never fhall build them up.

6. Praised be the Lord; for he hath heard the voice of my humble petitions.

7. The Lord is my ftrength and my fhield, my heart trusted in him, and I was helped; therefore will my heart greatly rejoice, and in my song will I praise him.

8. The Lord is the ftrength of his people, and he is the faving strength of his anointed.

9. O fave thy people and blefs thine inheritance; feed them alfo, and lift them up for ever.

PSALM XXIX.

The Pfalmift, from the awful circumftances of a tempeft, takes occafion to celebrate the majesty of God.

1. ASCRIBE unto the Lord, O ye mighty, afcribe unto the Lord glory and strength.

2. Afcribe unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, worship the Lord with holy reverence.