PSALM XVII.

1 HEAR, O JEHOVAH, my just cause,

Attend unto my cry.

Incline Thine ear to my prayer,

Which proceedeth not from deceitful lips.

2 Let sentence in my favour go forth from Thy presence, Let Thine eyes regard equity.

3 THOU hast searched my heart, Thou hast visited me by night; THOU hast tried me, Thou findest no wicked device in me. 4 My mouth transgresseth not,

In compliance with the doings of men;
Agreeably to Thy command,

I take heed of the ways of the violent. 5 Sustain Thou my steps in Thy paths, Let not my feet be moved.

6 I call upon Thee, O God, for Thou art wont to answer me; Incline Thine ear to me, hear my words.

7 Display wonderfully Thy mercies,

THOU Saviour of those, who take refuge with Thee,

From them who set themselves up against Thy right hand. 8 Keep me as the pupil of Thine eye;

Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings,

Heb. righteousness.

3 visited me by night-inspected my con-
duct when I was least prepared for it;
and when, if ever, a man would act
wickedly, considering himself at such
season least liable to detection. The
following verse shews that the Psalmist
here particularly disclaims any partici-
pation in the practices of midnight
spoilers, of those who " dig through
houses which they had marked for them-
selves in the day-time." Job xxiv. 16.
4 in compliance with Heb. to.
- agreeably to Thy command Heb. by
the word of Thy lips.

9 From the wicked who would make me desolate

From my mortal enemies who beset me on every side. 10 They have inclosed themselves in their fat, With their mouths they speak haughtily.

11 Already have they encompassed us in our steps, They are intent upon casting us to the ground.

12 Every one of them is like a lion eager to tear in pieces, Even like a young lion couching in his hiding places.

13 Arise, JEHOVAH, confront them, lay them low;
Deliver me from the wicked, Thy sword-

14 From the men who are instruments in Thy hand, JEHOVAH-
From the men of worldly mind, whose portion is in this life,
And whose bellies are filled with Thy treasured ones,
Whose children are fed to the full with them,

And who leave what remains of them to their little ones.

15 As for me, through righteousness I shall see Thy face; I shall be fed to the full, when I awake, with beholding Thee.

14 treasured ones-hidden and preserved
like a treasure, meaning those who had
been especially protected by God as
dear to Him. Compare Ps. Lxxxiii. 3.
their little ones- -Thus the wicked even
to the third generation are fed upon
the spoils of God's peculiar people.
See Ps. xiv. 4.
15 As for me—'
-The present life does not
constitute the Psalmist's portion, as it
does that of the wicked. ver. 14. He
looks forward to a happier state of ex-
istence hereafter.

- awakei. e. from the sleep of death.
See Ps. xiii. 3.

PSALM XVIII.

1 I LOVE Thee, O JEHOVAH, my strength!

2 JEHOVAH is my strong hold and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, He with whom I take refuge;

My shield and my horn of salvation, my lofty tower! a He is worthy to be praised!

I call upon JEHOVAH, and am saved from mine enemies!

4 The snares of death hemmed me in,

And the floods of ungodliness made me greatly afraid.
The snares of Hades encompassed me;

The toils of death confronted me.

In my strait I called upon JEHOVAH,
And I cried aloud unto my God.

He heard my voice from His dwelling;

My cry was present unto Him; it entered into His ears.

7 The earth shook and trembled,

And the foundations of the mountains tottered,

Yea, they rocked, because He was wroth.

Smoke went up through His nostrils,

And devouring fire issued out of His mouth;
Burning coals flamed from Him.

HE bowed the heavens and came down,
And thick darkness was under His feet.

10 HE rode upon Cherubim and did fly,

And He soared upon the wings of the winds.

11 HE shrouded Himself in darkness;

His pavilion round about Him

Was the dark watery vapour, clouds heaped upon clouds.

12 By reason of the brightness before Him,

His clouds dispersed.

There were hailstones and coals of fire!

13 JEHOVAH thundered in the heavens,
And the most High uttered His voice.
There were hailstones and coals of fire!
14 HE sent forth His arrows and scattered them,
HE hurled His lightnings and melted them;
15 The channels of the waters were seen,

The foundations of the world were laid bare,
At Thy rebuke, O JEHOVAH—

At the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils.

16 HE put forth his hand from on high, He took hold of me; He drew me out of mighty waters.

17 HE delivered me from my powerful enemies—

From those who hated me, when they were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in my day of calamity,

But JEHOVAH became my support.

19 HE brought me out into a wide place;

HE extricated me, because He regarded me with favour. 20 JEHOVAH hath repaid me, according to mine innocency; According to the cleanness of my hands, hath He rewarded me.

21 Because I have kept the ways of JEHOVAH,

And have not wickedly departed from my God;

22 Because all His judgments have been before me, And I have not removed His statutes from me;

10 Cherubim-God appears enthroned upon the same awful seat which He occupied in His earthly residence, the tabernacle, and afterwards the temple.

- wings of the winds- The Psalmist re

presents the winds as supplying the place of wings to the Almighty.

11 was the dark watery vapour-Heb. (was) the darkness of waters. See Ps. civ. 3. 14 themi. e. mine enemies.

D

23 Yea because I have been upright before Him, And have kept myself from iniquity;

24 Therefore JEHOVAH hath rewarded me

According to mine innocency,

According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

25 To the good man, Thou shewest Thyself benign;

To the man of integrity, Thou approvest Thyself perfect; 26 To the pure, Thou art pure;

But to the crooked, Thou appearest perverse.

27 For Thou savest the afflicted,

But humblest the eyes of the haughty;

28 For Thou lightest my lamp, O JEHOVAH, My God doth illumine my darkness;

29 For by Thee do I burst through the invading band, Through my God do I leap over the ramparts.

30 As for God, perfect is His way,

The word of JEHOVAH is tried;

HE is a shield unto all who take refuge with Him.

31 For who is a God, except JEHOVAH?

Or who a rock, beside our God?

32 God it is who girdeth me with might, And maketh plain my path.

33 HE maketh my feet swift like those of the hinds,