her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way, do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine." Here there is no circumstance (except perhaps one phrase at the beginning," thou hast cast out the heathen,") that does not strictly agree to a vine, whilst, at the same time, the whole quadrates happily with the Jewish state represented by this figure. -BLAIR'S Lectures.

PSALM LXXXI.

THE eighty-first psalm is characterised by an exquisite union of sublimity and sweetness. It is an ode composed for the feast of trumpets in the first new moon of the civil year.* The exordium contains an exhortation to celebrate the praises of the Almighty with music and song, and (as is frequent in these productions of the Hebrews) is replete with animation:

*See Reland. Antiq. Heb. iv. 7.

"A song of triumph to the God of Jacob."

The different instruments of music are named, as is common in the lyric compositions of all other nations:

"Take the psaltery, bring hither the timbrel, "The pleasant harp, with the lute."

The trumpet is particularly alluded to, because. the solemn use of it on their great festivals was prescribed by the Mosaic law. The commemoration of the giving of the law, associated with the sound of the trumpet (which was the signal of liberty)* introduces, in a manner spontaneously, the miseries of the Egyptian bondage, the recovery of their freedom, and the communication with God upon Mount Sinai (the awfulness of which is expressed in a very few words, "the secret place of thunder"), and finally the contention with their Creator at the waters of Meribah. The mention of Meribah introduces another idea, namely, the ingratitude and contumacy of the Israelites, who appear to have been ever unmindful of the favours and indulgence of their heavenly Benefactor. The

See Lev. xxiii. 24. Num. xxix. 1. and Lev. xxv. 9, 1Q.

remainder of the ode, therefore, contains an affectionate expostulation of God with his people, a confirmation of his former promises, and a tender complaint, that his favourable intentions towards them have been so long prevented by their disobedience. Thus the object and end of this poem appears to be an exhortation to obedience from the consideration of the paternal love, the beneficence, and the promises of the Deity; and we have seen with how much art, elegance, variety, and ingenuity, this is accomplished. In order to complete the beauty of this composition, the conclusion is replete with all the graces of sentiment, imagery, and diction. The sudden and frequent change of persons is remarkable; but it is by no means harsh, or obscure. Some allowance is however to be made for the Hebrew idiom, as well as for the state of the author's mind: he is not under the influence of art but of nature; through the impetuosity of passion, therefore, his transitions are frequent from figure and allusion to plain language, and back again with a kind of desultory inconstancy.

In the last lecture I treated in general of the disposition and arrangement of lyric composition, and endeavoured, in some degree, to define its usual symmetry and outline. But on abstruse and difficult subjects, example is of more avail than the

utmost accuracy of description. To him, therefore, who wishes to form a correct idea of this kind of poem, I will venture to recommend the psalm which we have just examined; not doubting, that if he can make himself master of its general character, genius, and arrangement, he will feel perfectly satisfied concerning the nature and form of a perfect ode. LoWTH, Lect. 26.

PSALM LXXXII.

In this psalm, of uncertain date, God is poetically introduced, as chief judge among the judges of the earth, and giving them a charge to administer justice uprightly.-GEDDES.

PSALM LXXXIV.

O LORD, how beauteous are thy courts!
Thither my longing soul resorts;

Fainting to see that blest abode,

Wherein resides th' Almighty God.

The sparrow finds a place to rest,
The untun'd swallow builds her nest;
Within thy walls their young they breed,
And them before thy altar feed.

How blest are they who there may dwell,
Thy wonders, and thy works to tell!
How blest are they, whose strength abides
In God! for these he safely guides.

These in the thirsty vales are fill'd
With springs, or show'rs from clouds distill'd;
Passing along from strength to strength,
Till they Mount Sion reach at length.

The God of Jacob lends his ear,

The Lord of hosts my pray'r will hear,
Thou art my shield, and, Lord, thy grace
Inlightens thy anointed's face.

One day which in thy courts I spend,
A thousand others does transcend;
Thy temple-gates I'll rather keep,
Than in the tents of princes sleep.

God, like a shield, gives strong defence,
And as the sun, whose influence