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incline thine ears to us that have made now our prayers and supplications unto thee; and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy

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"WHEREAS it is ordained in this Office for the Administration of the Lord's Supper, that the Communicants should receive the same kneeling; (which Order " is well meant, for a signification of our humble and grateful acknowledgement of "the benefits of Christ therein given to all worthy Receivers, and for the avoiding "of such profanation and disorder in the Holy Communion as might otherwise "ensue :) Yet, lest the same kneeling should by any Persons, either out of ignorance and infirmity, or out of malice and obstinacy, be misconstrued and depraved; "it is hereby declared, That thereby no Adoration is intended, or ought to be done, " either unto the Sacramental Bread or Wine there bodily received, or unto any Corporeal presence of Christ's natural Flesh and Blood. For the Sacramental Bread and Wine remain still in their very natural substances; and therefore may "not be adored; (for that were Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians:) " and the natural Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ are in Heaven, and not "here; it being against the truth of Christ's natural Body to be at one time in more places than one."

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PSALMS OF DAVID (a),

POINTED AS THEY ARE TO BE SUNG

OR SAID IN CHURCHES.

THE FIRST DAY.

MORNING PRAYER.

Psalm i. (b)

BLESSED is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of

(a) The book of Psalms is a collection of hymns or holy songs. Many of them were written by David, who lived about 1000 years before our Saviour's time; and those are more antient than the works of any classic writer now extant. Homer, one of the earliest classic writers, wrote about 840 years before the birth of Christ, above 100 years after the death of Solomon, David's son.

Their character is various; some triumphant, others penitential; some prophetical, others merely narrative, &c.: but in stile, energy, and classic elegance, they all rank amongst the best compositions; they are animated with the sublimest strains of devotion, and express the justest notions of God's providence and attributes.

They are all in metre; were used in the service at the tabernacle and temple; were generally learnt by heart by the people; and the ministers of every gradation were expected to be able at all times to repeat them from memory.

They are supposed to have been collected by Ezra, in their present arrangement, and to have been deposited in the temple, with the other books of the Old Testament, about 500 years before the

sinners and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful;

2 But (c) his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law will he exercise himself day and night.

birth of Christ and they were translated into Greek, with the rest of the Old Testament, about 270 years before our Saviour's time.

This Greek translation is now extant. It is called the Septuagint.

The English translation in the Prayer Book was made by Tyndall, in the time of Henry the Eighth ; and was revised by Archbishop Cranmer, about 1548. The translation in the Bible was made, when the last translation of the whole Bible was made, in 1607. There had been an intermediate translation of the whole Bible in Queen Elizabeth's time. Where the translations therefore in the Prayer Book and the Bible differ, it may reasonably be supposed that that in the Bible (as being the later) is to be preferred.

(b) Upon the different fate of good and bad men: the prosperity of the former, and the failure of the latter. It is supposed to have been written by Ezra, who collected all the Psalms; and it may be considered as a spirited poetical proposition, the result of what the collection would prove.

(c) Read "whose delight," &c. and v.2. "who exercises himself in his law," &c.

2.3.

2.3.

3 And (d) he shall be like a tree(e) planted by the water-side: that will bring forth his fruit in due season.

4 His leaf also shall not wither : and look, whatsoever he

doeth, it shall prosper (

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5 As for the ungodly, it is not so with them: but they are like the chaff, which the wind scattereth away from the face of

the earth.

(d) Omit "and."

(e) "Like a tree," &c. In Jer. xvii. 5 to 8. is this passage: "Thus saith the "Lord, Cursed be the man that trusteth " in man, and maketh flesh his arm," (i. e. his dependance) " and whose heart "departeth from the Lord: for he shall "be like the heath in the desert, and shall "not see when good cometh, but shall " inhabit the parched places in the wilder

ness, in a salt land, and not inhabited. "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the " Lord, and whose hope the Lord is: for he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her "roots by the river; and shall not see " when heat cometh, but her leaf shall " be green; and shall not be careful in "the year of drought, neither shall cease " from yielding fruit." This was written about 600 years before Christ; and from hence the author of this Psalm probably borrowed his idea. The force of this passage would be striking, where the country was subject to great drought, as Judea was, and where they were in the habit of digging canals and, trenches to keep the water by their plantations... See Bp. Lowth's note on Isaiah i. 30.

.4. (f)" Shall prosper." There are numberless assurances in Scripture that goodness leads to prosperity and wickedness to adversity. "All things work together

for good to them that love God," Rom. viii. 28.10 There is no peace, "saith the Lord, to the wicked," Isaiah xlviii. 22. lvii. 21. "Remember, I pray " thee, who ever perished, being inno"cent? or where were the righteous cut " off? Even as I have seen, they that "plow iniquity, and sow wickedness,

reap the same by the blast of God "they perish, and by the breath of his

6 Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judge.

ment: neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

7 But the Lord knoweth (g) the way of the righteous: and the way off the ungodly shall perish.

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forty years the Lord thy God hath "been with thee: thou hast lacked "nothing." So Ps. xxxi 8. Thou " hast t considered my trouble, and known " my soul" (i. e. saved my life) " in ad"N versities." Again, Ps. xxxvii. 18. "The Lord knoweth the days of the

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godly, and their inheritance shall e"dure for ever." And Ps. cxlii. 3 "When my spirit was in heaviness, thou " knewest my path."

(b) This psalm was written by David, and on account of its supposed reference to the Messiah, is selected as one of the proper psalms for Easter Day. The occasion of writing it, was (probably) some attempt against him, perhaps that of the Ammonites and Syrians, mentioned 2 Sam. x. 6. He foretells in a spirited way their discomfiture, and the certainty that God would establish him in his throne, by referring to an assurance God had made him, that he (that is, (probably) a descendant from him) should be to God a Son, &c. &c. The assurance might be that which is mentioned in Ps, lxxxix. 20, &c. which is probably the same as that in 2 Sam. vii. 14, &c. See Sykes on Hebr. Pref. and Appendix 1. David is recognized as the author, Acts iv. 25. and the first and second verses are there applied (probably by way

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of accommodation) to the treatment our saviour experienced from the Jews. Peter and John had stated to the Christian converts what the chief priests and pelders had said unto them, forbidding them to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus, upon which the converts, "lifted up their voice to God with one "accord, and said, Lord thou art God, "which hast made heaven and earth and "the sea, and all that in them is; who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, "Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord, and against his Christ." For of a truth against thy holy child "Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both #Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together," &c.

1i) "Anointed." The words "Mes"sh" and "Christ" mean nothing more than the anointed." In John i. 41. Andrew saith unto his brother Simon Peter, "We have found the Messias, which is, "being interpreted, the Christ." (4)These are the words of "the kings of the earth and the rulers," mentioned

verse 2.

(1) This is spoken by God.

)" I will preach the law," &c. i.e. will publish or make known the assurce God has communicated to me, which as certain and immutable as any law, and after this assurance to me, their threats must be in vain.

(n) "Thou," &c. This is the assurence God had made: and it is applied to th the Messiah (of whom indeed David was many respects a type or figure) Acts . 33. Heb. i. 5. and

V. 5.

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you glad tidings, how that the promise "which was made unto the fathers, God " hath fulfilled unto us, their children, " in that he hath raised up Jesus again:

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as it is also written in the second psalm, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begot"ten thee." Acts xiii. 33. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, after speaking of Jesus Christ as having obtained a more excellent name than any of the angels, puts the question, Heb. i. 5. " Unto which of the angels saith he at

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any time, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?" And Heb. v. 5. is this passage, "Christ glorified not " himself to be made an high priest, but " he that said unto him, "Thou art my "Son, this day I have begotten thee."

(0)

"The heathen," &c. This mav v.8.

refer prophetically to the extent to which Christianity and the worship of the true God would prevail, which is also foretold in other passages. In Isaiah ii. 2. the prophet predicts in his figurative language, that " it shall come to pass in "the last days, that the mountain of the "Lord's house" (that is, the worship of the true God) "shall be established in "the top of the mountains, and shall be "exalted above all hills: and all nations " shall flow unto it." In speaking of the Messiah, Zech. ix. 10. it is said, "His dominion shall be from sea even to

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When

" tiles: and in every place incense shall

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v. 9.

ข. 12.

" most parts of the earth for thy || defender: thou art my worship, " possession.

9 "Thou shalt bruise (p) them " with a rod of iron: and break "them in pieces like a potter's " vessel."

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be learned, ye that are judges of the earth.

11 Serve the Lord in fear: and rejoice unto him with reverence.

12 Kiss (q) the Son, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the right way: if his wrath be kindled, (yea, but a little) blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Psalm iii. (r) LORD, how are they increased that trouble me: many are they that rise against me.

2 Many one there be that say of my soul : " There is no help " for him in his God."

3 But thou, O Lord, art my

" be offered unto my Name, and a pure " offering: for my Name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of "Hosts." See also Isaiah xlv. 23.Ps. xxii. 27.-lxxxvi. 8.

(p) "Bruise," &c. It was one of the characteristics of the Messiah, that he should take severe vengeance upon the wicked. See ante 25. note on Rom. xiii. 11. and 29. note on Luke xxi. 25. And it is said of him in the prophetic psalm, Ps. cx. 5, 6. "The Lord upon thy right " hand shall wound even kings in the "day of his wrath: he shall judge among "the heathen, he shall fill the places with "the dead bodies: and smite in sunder "the heads over divers countries."

(q) "Kiss," i. e. reverence, acknowledge a subjection to; kissing being the ceremony by which this was expressed in the East. Thus, I Kings xix. 18. "Yet have I left me seven thousand " in Israel, all the knees which have not " bowed unto Baal, and all the mouths " which have not kissed him."

(r) This psalm is supposed to have been written by David, when he fled from

and the lifter up of my head.

4 I did call upon the Lord with my voice and he heard me out of his holy hill.

5 I laid me down (s) and slept, and rose up again: for the Lord

sustained me.

6 I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people: that have set themselves against me round about (t).

7 Up, Lord, and help me, O my God: for thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek. bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

8. Salvation belongeth (u) unto the Lord: and thy blessing is upon thy people.

Psalm iv. (x) HEAR me when I call, O God of my righteousness : thou hast set me at liberty when I was in

Absalom, which was in the 33d year of his reign, and about 1023 years before our Saviour's birth. After noticing the number of his enemies, and the inference drawn from thence that God had deserted him, he expresses in a sanguine and animated manner his confidence in God's protection.

(s) "Laid me down," &c. A strong proof of his reliance on God's care of him, that he was not deterred by his dan ger from laying himself down to sleep. So Ps. iv. 9.

"

(1) David expresses similar confidence in God's protection, Ps. xxvii.3. "Though "an host of men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid." (u) " Belongeth." Emphatically: it is peculiarly his: agreeably to Isaiah xliii. 11. and Hos. xiii. 4. I am the "Lord: beside me there is no Saviour."

(x) Is supposed to have been written by David. It contains a devout address to God, and a spirited assurance to his enemies, "that his innocence had already engaged God in his behalf, and would " continue to insure his protection."

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