40. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, infomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. 41. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen, and they that hated them ruled over them. 42. Their enemies alfo oppressed them, and they were brought into fubjection under their hand. 43. Many times did he deliver them, but they provoked him with their counfel, and were brought low for their iniquity. 44. Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry. 45. And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies. 46. He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them away captives.

This is an epitome of the hiftory of the Ifraelites, from the time when they took poffeffion of Canaan, downwards. Tranfgreffions brought on chastisements; chaftisements produced repentance; and repentance obtained mercy. For their laft and grand rebellion against the Son of God, and their King Meffiah, whom they murdered, the fore burden of heaven's displeasure hath now refted upon the nation, these feventeen hundred years; but their eyes are not yet opened; their hearts have not, hitherto, relented. How hath the "wrath of Jehovah been kindled

against his people, infomuch that he hath abhor"red his own inheritance!" How hath he "given "them into the hand of the heathen, and caused them "that hated them to rule over them!" How have "their enemies oppreffed them;" how have they been brought into fubjection under their hand! Never

"theless,

theless, O Lord, regard their affliction, when thou "heareft their cry;" grant them repentance first, and then pardon; " remember for them thy covenant;" let them change their mind, and do thou" change thy "purpose, according to the multitude of thy mercies; "make them alfo. to be pitied of all those that have "carried them captives;" caufe them, upon their converfion, to find favour in the eyes of the nations; and do Thou, who hast so long been " a light to lighten the Gentiles," become once more "the glory of thy people Ifrael."

47. Save us, O LORD, our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praife.

It appears from this verfe, that the Pfalm was written at a time when Ifrael was in captivity among the heathen." Such will be the petition of the Jews hereafter to him whom they crucified; and fuch is now the petition of the christian church, that the elect may be finally gathered together, and united in one congregation, "to give thanks unto the name, "and triumph for ever in the praises of JESUS."

48. Bleed be the LORD God of Ifrael from everlafting to everlasting, and let all the people fay, Amen. Praife ye the LORD.

、

At all times, in all places, and by all perfons, on earth and in heaven, in profperity and adversity, peace or perfecution, "the LORD God of Ifrael," the Saviour and Redeemer of his church, is to be "bleffed;" nor can any fituation exempt a believer from faying, "Amen, Hallelujah," that is, from bleffing God, himself, and exciting others to do the fame. XXII DAY.

The Redeemed of the Lord are exhorted, in this Pfalm, 1-3. to praife him for his goodness in redceming, and gathering them from the four quarters of the world. Their danger and their deliverance are reprefented under the four ftriking images, 4-9. of travellers loft in a wilderness, but directed and conducted home; 10-16. of prisoners rescued from captivity; 17-22. of sick and dying men restored to health; 23-32. of mariners preserved in a storm at sea, and brought fafe into port. 33-41. Some other inftances of God's Providence in the government of the world, and of the church, are adduced and infifted on, for 42. the confolation of the righteous, and 43. the inftruction of all.

1. O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. 2. Let the redeemed of the LORD fay fo, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy: 3. And gathered them out of the lands, from the caft and from the weft, from the north and from the fouth.

Eternal

Eternal mercy is the theme here propofed; and they who have tafted it's sweets, are invited to join in fetting forth it's praifes. The members of the Christian church are now, in the moft proper and emphatical fenfe of the words, "the redeemed of

Jehovah, whom he hath redeemed from the hand "of the enemy, and gathered them," by the Gofpel, out of all lands, and from all the four quarters of the world, to form a church, and to fupply the place of the apoftate Jews: whofe forefathers experienced, in type and fhadow, the good things prepared for them and for us, in truth and fubftance.

Many," faith our Lord to the Jews, "thall come "from the east, and from the weft, and from the north, and from the fouth, and fhall fit down in "the kingdom of God-and you yourselves fhall be "thruft out." Matt. viii. 11. Luke xiii. 29. We, converted Gentiles, are the happy people, and we are taught in this Pfalm to celebrate that mercy which made us fo.

4. They wandered in the wilderness, in a folitary way, they found no city to dwell in. 5. Hungry and thirfty, their foul fainted in them. 6. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 7. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

The fpiritual bletfings of Redemption are represented by the Pfalmift under four exquifitely beautiful and expreffive images; which images are themTelves four special acts of God's providential care and love, fhewn toward the bodies of men in the world; corresponding with as many works of grace, wrought

3

on

on the fouls of believers, in the church. The first of these pictures exhibiteth to our view a fet of tra vellers loft in a pathlefs defert, and well nigh famished, through want of neceffary provifions. They make their diftreffes known by prayer to Jehovah, and lo, he appears, as their guard, and their guide; he fupplies all their neceffities upon the journey, and conducts them in fafety to their place of abode. Thus he dealt with Ifrael of old, in their paffage, through the waste and howling wildernefs, from Egypt to Canaan. And thus he is ready to deal with us all. "The world," faith Lord Bolingbroke*, " is a "great wilderness, wherein mankind have wandered "about from the creation-We are not only paf

66

fengers, or fojourners, but abfolute strangers at "the first steps we make in it." We are fo, indeed; and too often, through our own fault, continue fuch, to the last; we find not the way which leads to hea ven, nor, if we did find it, have we ftrength to travel in it, without the viaticum which cometh from thence, and which alone can bring us thither. Fervent and importunate prayer to the God of our falvation will procure, from above, knowledge to difpel our ignorance, and grace to help our infirmities; the former will difcover to us our road, the latter will enable us to walk in it, and both together will carry us, in due time, to "the city of our eternal "habitation."

8. O that men would praife the LORD for his goodnefs, and for his wonderfulworks to the children of men!

• Reflections on Hiftory, Vol. I. P. 244, and 171.