his Saviour's righteousness. A paffage in the first epiftle of St. Peter doth moft admirably illuftrate this part of our Pfalm. "We are born again not "of corruptible feed, but of incorruptible, by the "WORD of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. "For all flesh is grafs, and all the glory of man as "the flower of grafs. The grafs withereth, and "the flower thereof falleth away; but the WORD of "the LORD endureth for ever. And this is the "WORD which by the Gofpel is preached unto you." 1 Pet. i. 23, &c.

19. The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

The glorious perfon who worketh all these wonders of mercy for his people, the wORD of God, and Saviour of the world, is triumphantly feated upon his" throne in heaven," and is poffeffed of all power to accomplish his will, even until all things fhall be fubdued unto him. The glories of his throne, the brightness of his excellent majefty, and the might of his irresistible power, are defcribed at large by St. John, Rev. iv. v. 19.

20. Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in ftrength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 21. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hofts, ye minifters of his, that do his pleasure. 22. Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion; bless the LORD, O my foul.

Joy is obferved to be of a diffusive and communiçative nature. The heart of the Pfalmift is full and overfloweth with it.. Unable worthily to praise Jehovah for his mercies vouchfafed to the church, he

inviteth heaven and earth to join with him, and to celebrate, in full chorus, the redemption of man. St. John faw the throne of Meffiah prepared; he beheld the universal band affembled; and he heard when" all the angels round about the throne, ten "thousand times ten thoufand, and thousands of "thousands, with every creature in heaven, earth, "and fea," lifted up their voices, and fang together, "Bleffing, and honour, and glory, and power be "unto him that fitteth upon the throne, and unto "the Lamb, for ever and ever."

XX DAY. EVENING PRAYER.

PSALM CIV.

ARGUMENT.

This is an euchariftic hymn, full of majesty and sweetness, addreffed to Jehovah, as Creator of the world. It fetteth forth his glory, wisdom, goodness, and power, difplayed 1-9. in the formation of the heavens and earth; 10-18. in the various provision made for beafts, and birds, and for man, the lord of all; 19---24. in the revolutions of the celeftial bodies, and the confequent interchanges of day and night, of labour and reft; 25, 26. in the fea, and every thing that moveth in, or upon the

waters.

waters. 21-30. The dependence of the whole creation upon God, for it's being and well being, is beautifully represented, with 31, 32. the glory, which the Creator receiveth from his works, the pleasure which he taketh in them, and the power which he hath over them. 33. The Pfalmift declareth his refolution ever to praise Jehovah, and 34. predicteth the deftruction of those who refuse, or neglect fo to do. As there is a fimilitude between the natural and the Ypiritual creation, allufions of that. fort are frequently made, in the enfuing comment, which may, perhaps, point out the reason why the church hath appointed this Pfalm, to be used on Whitsunday...

i, Blefs the LORD, O my foul: O LORD my God, thou art very great, thou art clothed with honour and majefty; Heb. with glory and beauty. 2. Who covered thyfelf with light as with a garment; who Aretches out the heavens like a curtain; i. e. of a tent, or, pavilion.

The fcriptures inform us, that the fame perfon, who redeemed the world, did alfo create it. In the ciid Pfalm, as we are affured by St. Paul, "to the SON "it is faid, Thou, Lord, in the beginning haft laid “the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are "the works of thy hands." To him, therefore, as Creator, is the civth Pfalm likewife addreffed. He is defcribed as invefted with the glory which he VOL II.

"had

"had with the Father, before the world was;" a glimpse of which he vouchsafed to the three disciples, who were prefent at his transfiguration, when " his

face did fhine as the fun, and his raiment was "white as the light." The first instance of his creating power is afforded us by the "heavens," which form a magnificent "canopy, or pavilion," comprehending within it the earth, and all the inhabitants thereof. It is enlightened by the celeftial orbs fufpended in it, as the holy tabernacle was, by the lamps of the golden candlestick. And it was originally framed, erected, and furnished by it's Maker, with more ease than man can conftruct and pitch a

tent," for his own temporary abode. Yet must this noble pavilion alfo be taken down; these refplendent and beautiful heavens must pass away, and come to an end. How glorious then thall be those "new heavens," which are to fucceed them, and to endure for ever!

3. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind.

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The divine architect is here reprefented as laying "the beams of his chambers, as compacting his lofts, 66 or ftories, in the waters." Some think the formation of the terreftrial ftrata in the waters, which at the be ginning covered all things, is here alluded to. If it be objected, that the Pfalmift, in the courfe of his description, is not yet arrived at the formation of the earth,--but is till in the upper regions of the air; may we not suppose, that the subject is, in this particular, a little anticipated, which is no uncommon

cafe

cafe in the facred writings? The generality of expofitors, however, interpret the paffage of thofe "dark waters, compacted into thick clouds of the

fkies," which the Almighty is elfewhere faid to make the "fecret place, or chamber" of his refidence, and a kind of "footftool" to his throne. Pf. xviii. 9, 11. And thus, indeed, the former part of our verfe is plainly and immediately connected with what follows; "who maketh the clouds his

chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the "wind." How aftonishingly magnificent and tremendous is the idea which these words convey to us, of the great King, riding upon the heavens, encom-paffed with clouds and darkness, attended by the lightnings, those ready executioners of his vengeance, and caufing the world to refound and tremble at the thunder of his power, and the noise of his chariot wheels! By these enfigns of royalty, thefe emblems of omnipotence, and inftruments of his displeasure, doth Jehovah manifeft his prefence, when he vifiteth rebellious man, to make him own and adore his neglected and infulted Lord. See and compare Pf. xviii. 10. and the context.

4. Who maketh his angels fpirits: his minifters a flaming fire.

From the manner in which these words are introduced, and the place where they ftand, one should conceive the meaning of them to be, that God employeth the elements of air and fire, the winds

מלאכיו and the lightnings, as his meffengers רוחות

and minifters, to execute his commands upon the

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earth.