8 They are brought down, and fallen; but we are risen, and stand upright.

9 Save, Lord, and hear us, O King of heaven, when we call upon Thee.

PSALM XXI.

PRAYER ANSWERED. THANKSGIVING FOR VICTORY.

Proper Psalm for Ascension Day.

THE King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord: exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation.

2 Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not denied him the request of his lips.

3 For Thou shalt prevent him with the blessings of goodness, and shalt set a crown of pure gold upon his head.

4 He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest him a long life, even for ever and ever.

5 His honour is great in thy salvation: glory and great worship shalt Thou lay upon him.

Ps. XXI. This Psalm is the voice of thanksgiving to God for answering the prayers of his people, as contained in Ps. XX. It has further reference to the reign of the Messiah.

3. Thou shalt prevent] that is, Go before him with blessings, granting before he asks.

4. He asked life of Thee,] Here we have the petition, as contained in the preceding Psalm, granted.

4. Thou gavest him a long life, &c.] Length of days to David, and the establishment of his throne in his posterity. See Ps. lxxxix. 4; Dan. vii. 14.

5. His honour is great in thy salvation;] It is his glory to have been saved and delivered by Thee; his especial glory that the salvation to be wrought for men will be in his seed.

6 For Thou shalt give him everlasting felicity, and make him glad with the joy of thy countenance.

7 And why? because the King putteth his trust in the Lord; and in the mercy of the Most Highest he shall not miscarry.

8 All thine enemies shall feel thy hand: thy right hand shall find out them that hate thee.

9 Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven in time of thy wrath: the Lord shall destroy them in his displeasure, and the fire shall consume them.

10 Their fruit shalt thou root out of the earth, and their seed from among the children of men.

11 For they intended mischief against thee, and imagined such a device as they are not able to perform.

12 Therefore shalt thou put them to flight; and the strings of thy bow shalt thou make ready against the face of them.

13 Be Thou exalted, Lord, in thine own. strength; so will we sing, and praise thy power.

6. Everlasting felicity,] Verses 4-6 seem, by the largeness of their promises, to be prophetic of the Son of David, the Messiah. 2 Sam. vii. 16, 29.

7. Shall not miscarry.] "Shall not be moved."

9. Like a fiery oven, &c.] "For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and

all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch."Malachi iv. 1; see also Deut. iv. 24.

10. Their fruit] Their offspring, or children. Seed] Posterity.

Evening.]

PSALM XXII.

[Day 4.

CHRIST ON THE CROSS. THE CONVERSION OF THE GENTILES.

MY

Proper Psalm for Good Friday.

Y God, my God, look upon me; why hast Thou forsaken me, and art so far from my health, and from the words of my complaint?

2 O my God, I cry in the day-time, but Thou hearest not; and in the night-season also I take no rest.

3 And Thou continuest holy, O Thou worship of Israel.

4 Our fathers hoped in Thee; they trusted in Thee, and Thou didst deliver them.

5 They called upon Thee, and were holpen; they put their trust in Thee, and were not confounded.

6 But as for me, I am a worm, and no man; a very scorn of men, and the outcast of the people.

7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying,

8 "He trusted in God that He would

XXII.-1. My God, my God, &c.] Words used by our Lord on the cross. The reader is referred to St. Matthew xxvii. and St. John xix. for the fulfilment of the minute pro

phecies contained in verses 7, 8, 15-18.

3. And Thou continuest holy,] Holy and just, whether our prayers be granted or refused. See Matt. xxvi. 39.

deliver him: let Him deliver him, if He will have him."

9 But Thou art He that took me out of my mother's womb: Thou wast my hope, when I hanged yet upon my mother's breasts.

10 I have been left unto Thee ever since I was born: Thou art my God even from my mother's womb.

11 O go not from me, for trouble is hard at hand, and there is none to help me.

12 Many oxen are come about me: fat bulls of Basan close me in on every side.

13 They gape upon me with their mouths, as it were a ramping and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart also in the midst of my body is even like melting wax.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my gums; and Thou shalt bring me into the dust of death.

16 For many dogs are come about me, and the council of the wicked layeth siege against me.

12. Many oxen are come about me:]"Many bulls have compassed me," that is, Enemies strong and fierce as bulls. Bashan was a rich pasture country, famous for its large cattle.

14. Poured out] Joshua vii. 5. 15. Potsherd, An earthen vessel dried and baked in the furnace.

My tongue cleaveth to my gums;] Jesus said, "I thirst." John xix. 28.

16. For many dogs] Dogs in the East, not being domesticated, became wild and fierce. They were regarded_by_the Jews as unclean animals. Wicked and shameless men were called dogs. 2 Kings viii. 13; Phil. iii. 2.

17 They pierced my hands and my feet; I may tell all my bones: they stand staring and looking upon me.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

19 But be not Thou far from me, O Lord: Thou art my succour, haste Thee to help me. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion's mouth: Thou hast heard me also from among the horns of the unicorns.

22 I will declare thy Name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee.

23 O praise the Lord, ye that fear Him: magnify Him, all ye of the seed of Jacob; and fear Him, all ye seed of Israel;

24 For He hath not despised nor abhorred the low estate of the poor; He hath not hid his face from him; but when he called unto Him, He heard him.

25 My praise is of Thee in the great congregation; my vows will I perform in the sight of them that fear Him.

26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied:

17. I may tell] I can count, all my bones.

20. My darling] My life. 21. The horns of the unicorns.] The fury and violence of wicked and bloodthirsty

men.

22. I will declare thy Name] Passing on from the sufferings and death of Christ, the

Psalmist proceeds to foreshow their blessed consequences to all mankind.

26. The poor shall eat and be satisfied] When, on any occasion of thanksgiving for mercies received, an Israelite offered sacrifice, it was his custom to call together his poor neighbours to join in the