his statutes, and keep his laws.' Israel was delivered by Moses, and the church redeemed by Christ, that God might' purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.' Tit. ii. 14.

Twenty-first Day.—Evening Prayer.
PSALM CVI.

ARGUMENT.-The Psalmist here again commemorates the divine benefits, upbraiding withal the ingratitude of those who received them. 1, 2. He exhorteth men to the praise of Jehovah; 3-5. proclaimeth the blessedness, and longeth for the felicity of the saints; 6. confesseth the sins of Israel, and giveth a detail of their rebellions; 7-12. at the Red Sea ; 13-15. when they lusted for flesh in the wilderness; 16-18. in the matter of Korah; 19-23. in that of the golden calf; 24-27. at the report of the spies; 28-31. in the affair of Baal-peor; 32, 33. at the waters of Meribah; 34-39. in not destroying idolatry, but being seduced by it. 40-46. God's frequent judgments, and as frequent mercies, are related; 47. a prayer is made, that Jehovah would gather Israel from among the heathen, which shows the Psalm to have been written during some captivity or dispersion. The last verse contains an act of blessing and praise.

1. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.

In the person of a penitent nation, the prophet invites mankind to give thanks unto Jehovah,' for that goodness' which preventeth us with blessings, and for that mercy' which forgiveth our transgressions; that mercy which was shown to our forefathers upon their repentance, and will 'ever' be shown, upon the same condition, to us and our posterity; that mercy which will bring sin and

misery to an end, itself continuing eternal and unchangeable.

2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord ? who can show forth all his praise ?

But who is sufficient for a work that demandeth the tongues and harps of angels? When you glorify the Lord,' saith the son of Sirach, 'exalt him as much as you can; for even yet will he far exceed; and when you exalt him, put forth all your strength, and be not weary, for you can never go far enough.' Ecclus. xliii. 30.

3. Blessed are they that keep judgment; and he that doeth righteousness at all times.

Next to angels, they are blessed and qualified to praise God with the voice, who glorify him in their lives; who having experienced in themselves the 'mighty acts' of mercy, pardoning the guilt, and breaking the power of sin, are become the servants of Jesus, and render to their Saviour at all times,' in adversity no less than in prosperity, the due tribute of unfeigned love and obedience.

4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation. 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen : that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation; that I may glory with thine inheritance.

The Psalmist offereth a prayer for himself, or rather for the church of Israel, that she, with himself, might partake of such blessedness. The words might have a reference to a temporal restoration and felicity; but they certainly extend much fur

ther, and form the most spiritual and heavenly petition that the devoutest Christian can prefer to the throne of grace. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour' which thou hast always shown to 'thy people,' in whom thou hast delighted from the foundation of the world, and on whom it is thy good pleasure to confer a glorious kingdom. 'O visit me with thy salvation,' with which so many patriarchs, prophets, and kings have desired to be visited, the salvation of thy Christ, the justifier of all them that believe, and the rewarder of his saints: that I may see the good of thy chosen,' their felicity in beholding thy countenance, and living for ever in thy presence; 'that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation,' the unspeakable gladness of those who enter into the joy of their Lord; and glory with thine inheritance,' singing hallelujahs before thine everlasting throne, in the Jerusalem which is above. The Israelitish church, when in peace and tranquillity serving her God, and chanting the songs of Sion, afforded a very lively representation of this eternal felicity.

6. We have sinned with our fathers: we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedly.

They who have joined with the prophet in his affectionate aspiration after the divine favour, may here learn the surest way to attain it; namely, by confessing their own sins, and those of their ancestors. We have sinned with our fathers,' that is, after their example of unbelief and disobedience, of which an account immediately followeth. The fathers' sins are often reflected in their children; and each new reflection, instead of being weaker,

is stronger than the foregoing; as in the case of the Jews.

7. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt: they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea.

The Israelites did not profit, as they should have done, by the miracles wrought for them in Egypt; they increased not in the wisdom and knowledge of God their Saviour; but when they saw themselves pursued by Pharaoh, their faith failed, they murmured against Moses, and wished themselves again in the bondage from which they were just delivered: Exod. xiv. 10, &c. Thus, when the penitent findeth himself beset with difficulties and dangers; when he seeth before him that death unto sin, through which he must pass to a life of righteousness, while the devil and the world follow hard after him, to destroy or bring him back to a more cruel bondage, how apt is he to forget all that Christ hath done for him! Fear puts out the light of faith, and hides the prospect of the promised land; imagination recalls the former gratifications of sense; he is tempted to regret the desertion of Egypt, and to wish for a return to it again.

8. Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake; that he might make his mighty power to be known. 9. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. 10. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11. And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them

left. 12. Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

Comforted and encouraged by Moses, the armies of Israel advanced to the shore; and, lo, the waves, at the lifting up of the powerful rod, instantly parted, and, like so many well-disciplined troops, arranging themselves in two columns, disclosed a new and strange path, by which the people of God were conducted, in perfect security, to the opposite shore; when the waters, falling down, and reassuming their ancient habitation, overwhelmed the infidel host, and left not a man to carry the news to Egypt. Through all the difficulties and dangers of the Christian course, faith will ever find a way opened, by the power of Jesus, from sin to righteousness, and from death to life : the enemies of our salvation, how formidable soever, shall disappear, and be no more; and we shall sing, like Israel, a song of triumph to the Lord our God.

13. They soon forgat his works, Heb. They made haste, they forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel. 14. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their souls.

Soon after the Israelites had experienced the power and goodness of Jehovah, at the Red Sea, we find them murmuring against him, Exod. xv. 24. They grew impatient, they looked upon themselves as forgotten, and given over to destruction. They loathed manna, and required flesh: flesh was sent them, on which they surfeited themselves; the wrath