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I will praise Thee among much people.

19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully

rejoice over me:

Neither let them wink with the eye

that hate me without a cause.

(VI. Conduct of the wicked.)

20 For they speak not peace:

But they devise deceitful matters

against them that are quiet in the land. 21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, And said, "Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it."

(VII. Renewed Supplication.)

22 This Thou hast seen, O Lord:

Keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. 23 Stir up Thyself, and awake to my judgment. Even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Thy righteousness;

And let them not rejoice over me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so would we have it:"

Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up."

(VIII. The end of the wicked.)

26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at my hurt:

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour
that magnify themselves against me.

(IX. The joy of the good.)

27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad,

that favour my righteous cause:

Yea, let them say continually, "Let the Lord be magnified,

"Which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His

servant."

28 And my tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness And of Thy praise all the day long.

REFLECTIONS.

1. We have various enemies: but whoever they may be, God is our refuge: to Him we should look for help: to Him we should present our earnest prayer.

2. Injustice, craft, and cruelty frequently mark the conduct of the ungodly. But in the awful language of the Psalmist they may see what lies before them,— shame, confusion, and destruction.

3. Stedfast faith and humble prayer will soon lead to joy and thanksgiving: for if we trust in God and call upon Him, He will be our deliverer from all our

enemies.

4. Falsehood, ingratitude, and cruel mockery are here mentioned as marking the conduct of the wicked. Such things the Holy Jesus suffered from His enemies. We must not account it strange if we experience a measure of the like treatment.

5. From the injustice of men we must look to God; expostulate with Him, pray to Him, and encourage our hearts in Him.

6, 7. Here we see more of the conduct of the wicked; their strife, deceit, and clamour. And here we see the conduct of the good: they do not aim to avenge them

selves, but they look to God, implore His presence and help, and rely upon Him to frustrate the devices of all their foes.

8, 9. Such are the different ends of the ungodly and of the righteous: shame and dishonour await the former, if they continue in their evil course; but joy and gladness await the latter; they shall praise God all the day long for His goodness, and others also shall magnify Him on their account.

PRAYER.

Whoever our enemies may be, O Lord, be Thou our defender; and may we patiently endure the cruelty and mockery of the wicked, and commit ourselves and our affairs into Thy hands, beseeching Thee to support us in trouble, and to deliver us out of it. Thus, in all cases and at all times, may we suffer as Christians, promoting, by our spirit and conduct, Thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSALM XXXVI.

Instructive, as Psalm i. "A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord." The occasion unknown.

(I. Principles and practice of the wicked.)

1 The transgression of the wicked saith in my heart, That there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes. Until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: He hath left off to bewise, and to do good.

4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed;

He setteth himself in a way that is not good;
He abhorreth not evil.

(II. God's mercy, righteousness, and lovingkindness.) 5 Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens;

And Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. 6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; Thy judgments are a great deep:

O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. 7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.

8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house;

And Thou shalt make them drink of the river of

Thy pleasures.

9 For with Thee is the fountain of life;

In Thy light shall we see light.

(III. Prayer for the godly.)

10 O continue Thy lovingkindness unto them that know Thee;

And Thy righteousness to the upright in heart. 11 Let not the foot of pride come against me ; And let not the hand of the wicked remove me.

(IV. Ruin of the ungodly.)

12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: They are cast down and shall not be able to rise.

REFLECTIONS.

1. What a dark picture of the wicked! Without the fear of God; self-deceivers; corrupt in language

and in purpose; walkers in an evil way. O what is man when he is left to himself, under the dominion of sin and of all his enemies!

2. What a striking and delightful transition from the corruption of man to the perfection of God! Here is glory and goodness; all that is calculated to fill our minds with lofty thoughts, and our hearts with happy feelings. Boundless mercy, unchangeable faithfulness, immoveable righteousness, and unfathomable judgments; these are subjects for our meditation. But, in addition to this, we see the lovingkindness of God. He is the Preserver of all His creatures; and those who know Him put their trust in Him: and surely no language but that of inspiration can describe their blessedness : verse 8, 9. What blessings are theirs here! What blessings will be theirs hereafter !

3, 4. It becomes us always to pray for the continuance of the divine goodness to us, and for deliverance and preservation in an evil world. The end of the ungodly is awful. It is our duty to pray for their conversion and for our own edification in godliness.

PRAYER.

O merciful and gracious God, may it please Thee to convince the wicked of their sin and folly, and to bring them to true repentance, that iniquity may not be their ruin and grant, we beseech Thee, that Thy faithful people may meditate on Thy perfections, be satisfied with the communications of Thy mercy and grace, and always experience the continuance to them of Thy lovingkindness. From Thee, the Fountain of living waters, may we derive life and happiness; and