1. David's thanksgiv
ing to God, with prayer, to perfeet the work he had began.
2. See 2 Sam. 1.& c.
3. Spoken in rapture on the consideration of human life, prophetical also of Mes siah.( Heb. 2. 6.)
4. Them; that is, mine enemies.
5.A Scripture phrase, meaning deliver me from many people, Idolaters, as the Philistines,& c.
Day 30.
THE PSALMS.
MORNING PRAYER.
PSALM 144.( z) Benedictus Dominus.
( 1) BLESSED be the Lord my strength who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight;
2 My hope and my fortress, my castle and deliverer, my defender in whom I trust: who subdueth my people that is under me( 2).
3 Lord, what is man, that thou hast such respect unto him or the son of man, that thou so regardest him( 3)?
4 Man is like a thing of nought his time passeth away like a shadow.
5 Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down touch the mountains, and they shall
smoke.
6 Cast forth thy lightning, and tear them: shoot out thine arrows, and consume them( 4).
7 Send down thine hand from above: deliver me, and take me out of the great waters, from the hand of strange children( 5);
8 Whose mouth talketh of vanity( 6): and
6. Professeth idolatry.
7." Of falsehood;" their right hand is a right hand of wicked.
ness( 7).
in the form of oath, the Juror held his right hand towards heaven.( Gen.14.22.) 8. St. Chrysostom explains this an illustrious Hymn for great victories.
9 I will sing a new( 8) song unto thee, O God and sing praises unto thee upon a tenstringed lute.
10 Thou hast given victory unto kings: and hast delivered David thy servant from the peril of the sword.
z. This Psalm appears to have been composed by David after his accession to the throne of Israel, but before all his. enemies were subdued. He seeks the further manifestation of Omnipotence, in their total overthrow, and in the prosperity of his people. It resembles the 8th Psalm, and, like it, may be truly considered an Evangelical Hymn.
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