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2. But in the law of Jehovah is his delight, and in his law will he meditate day and night.

3. For then he fhall be like a tree that was planted by the ftreams of waters, which will yield its fruits in their season, and its top-fhoot fhall never fade, but whatsoever he fhall take in hand he fhall be able to make it profperous.

4. It shall not be fo with tranfgreffors, but they shall be like the chaff which the wind blows away.

5. Because the tranfgreffors fhall not be fet up in judgment, nor finners in the congregation of the righteous.

6. For Jehovah acknowledgeth the way of the righteous, but the way of finners fhall be destroyed.

This pfalm is a general defcription of the fuccefs of Jefus in his work, fhewing what steps he was to take for the salvation of his people: He was to be a man like us in all things, excepting fin; from which he was perfectly free: No thought of it ever entered his mind, not one moment did he decline from the way of duty, but always acted under the influence of divine love, in his life, and by his example reproving thofe who made a mock at fin. He was holy, harmless and undefiled

undefiled in his nature, and separate from finners in his practice: For

He was perfectly acquainted with the divine law: It was his continual study, and to obey it was his continual delightIt was his meat and drink-"Lo I come, "fays he, to do thy will, O God :" He rejoiced to fulfil its precepts by his life, and he was a willing facrifice to fuffer its penalties in his death. In both he magnified the law, and made it infinitely ho nourable. And

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Thus it became him to bring many fons unto glory. Whatfoever he undertook for them had perfect fuccefs. He was the tree of life watered with abundant streams of grace, the Spirit being given not by measure unto him; a tree fubject to no change, but always growing and flourishing, always bearing forth fruit, and making every branch in it a partaker of the heavenly influences of the ftock upon which it grows.

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But, the tranfgreffors, who are not grafted into him by faith, have no spiritual life, nor fruit- they are lighter than vanity itfelf: And they fhall be driven from the judgment feat of God, as eafily as any light chaff is driven about by a strong wind, and they fhall be justly banifhed for evermore from the general

general affembly and church of the first born:

For Jehovah always approved of the way of the righteous, whom he chofe and called, and juftified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jefus, but the way of tranfgref fors he disapproves, and they fhall foon utterly perish.

In this fenfe the Pfalm is true of Christ, but believers have their share in the bleffings of which it treats: For in his fuccefs they partake. They have fellowfhip with him in every ftep which he took to work out their falvation. When they have redemption through faith in his blood, and free acceptance through faith in his righteoufnefs, then they walk humbly with him, and he puts his fear within them. He teaches them to depart from evil, they do not walk in the council of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of finners, nor fit in the feat of the fcornful:

But he puts his law in their inward. parts and writes it in their hearts: In their renewed mind they are brought to delight in it; they make it their continual study, and through grace to walk in it is their continual practice. Yea, they live by the faith of the Son of God, as

branches

branches in the tree of life: Because he lives they fhall live alfo; drawing from their life-giving root every thing needful to mortify fin in them, and to enable them to bring forth fruit unto God:

Thus he feparates them from tranf greffors, who live and die in their fins, thefe are like chaff, which the wind driveth away.

Because they shall not ftand in the judgment of God, nor come into the church of Chrift.

For the Lord with his loving kindness regarded the way of the righteous, but the way of tranfgreffors fhall perish.

Thus believers look upon the pfalms. They confider them as treating of the glorious perfon and work of the Godman, and confidering themselves in him, as members under him their head, quickened by his Spirit and receiving all the bleffings of fpiritual life out of his fulness, they can understand and fing the praises of Immanuel, with melody in their hearts For they can apply to themselves the benefits of his atonement and righteousness, of his interceffion and glory, and this renders the pfalms precious, and finging them an high ordinance. Their God does meet them and bless them in finging pfalms. While they express their

love

love to him, he communicates his love to them, and they have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift by the Spirit.

But this will be more evident from confidering fome particulars relating to the fubject; fuch as

CHA P. II.

The fcripture names of the Pfalms.

THERE are three Hebrew names of

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ten used in the titles of the psalms,. which the Septuagint have tranflated pfalms, hymns, and fongs. The word rendered by them hymns is Thebilim, which is the running title to this book, expreffive of the general defign, and is an abridgment of the whole matter. It comes from a Hebrew word that fignifies the brisk motion of light, fhining and putting its splendor upon any object, and this makes it bright and illuftrious. Hence comes the propriety of the word, as it is used to praife, which is to set an object in the light; that the rays fhining upon it may render it fplendid and beautiful, and thereby glorious and praiseworthy. Such are the Pfalms. They

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