health: Thou hast covered my head in the salvation. Battle; lit. day of battle. 8 Let not the ungodly have his desire, O LORD let not his mischievous imagination prosper, lest they be too proud. 9 Let the mischief of their own lips fall upon the head of them that compass me about. : 10 Let hot burning coals fall upon them : let them be cast into the fire, and into the pit, that they never rise up again. 11 A man full of words shall not prosper upon the earth: evil shall hunt the wicked person to overthrow him. 12 Sure I am that the LORD will avenge the poor and maintain the cause of the helpless. 13 The righteous also shall give thanks unto Thy Name: and the just shall continue in Thy sight. PSALM 141. Domine, clamavi. [This Psalm, attributed to David, has been consid- But LORD, I call upon Thee, haste Thee unto me and consider my voice when I cry unto Thee. 2 Let my prayer be set forth in Thy sight as the incense and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. : 3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth: and keep the door of my lips. 4 0 let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing: let me not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work armour. Cf. the helmet of salvation. Eph. vi. 17. 8. Desire i. e. wickedness, lest I eat of such things as | please please them. 5 Let the righteous rather smite me friendly and reprove me. 6 But let not their precious balms break my head: yea, I will pray yet against their wickedness. 7 Let their judges be overthrown in stony places that they may hear my words, for they are sweet. : 8 Our bones lie scattered before the pit : like as when one breaketh and heweth wood upon the earth. 9 But mine eyes look unto Thee, O LORD God in Thee is my trust, O cast not out my soul. : 10 Keep me from the snare that they have laid for me and from the traps of the wicked doers. 11 Let the ungodly fall into their own nets together and let me ever escape them. : Evening Prayer. PSALM 142. Voce mea ad Dominum. 66 [In the Bible version David is said to have com- I CRIED unto the LORD with my voice yea, them; lit. their dainties, delicate The prayer is fare. against temptation to a sensual and luxurious life. Cf. Daniel refusing the portion of Nebuchadnezzar's meat and wine. 5. Friendly; the old adverb of friend. "Friend" comes from the A.S. freon, to free, honour, love. 6. The reproof shall be as precious oil, grateful to the head; in the midst of the wickedness of the un godly I will continue to pray. Such seems to be the intention of this verse. 1, 2. The verbs should be translated even unto the LORD did I make my suppli- in the present tense. cation. 2 I poured out my complaint before Him: and shewed Him of my trouble. 3 When my spirit was in heaviness Thou knewest my path: in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. 4 I looked also upon my right hand: and saw there was no man that would know me. 5 I had no place to flee unto : and no man cared for my soul. 6 I cried unto Thee, O LORD, and said: Thou art my hope, and my portion in the land of the living. 7 Consider my complaint: for I am brought very low. 8 O deliver me from my persecutors: for they are too strong for me. 9 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto Thy Name : which thing if Thou wilt grant me, then shall the righteous resort unto my company. PSALM 143. Domine, exaudi. [This Psalm of David is the last of the Penitential Psalms, see Psalm vi. If not actually written by David, it breathes his spirit, expressed in his own words.] HEAR my prayer, O LORD, and consider my desire hearken unto me for Thy truth and righteousness' sake. 2 And enter not into judgment with Thy servant for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified. : 3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground: he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead. 4 Therefore is my spirit vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate. 5 Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all Thy works: yea, I exercise myself in the works of Thy hands. 6 I stretch forth my hands unto Thee: my soul gaspeth unto Thee as a thirsty .e., my soul, as land. : 7 Hear me, O LORD, and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint hide not Thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. : my 8 O let me hear Thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning, for in Thee is trust shew Thou me the way that I should walk in, for I lift up my soul unto Thee. 9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies for I flee unto Thee to hide me. : 10 Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth Thee, for Thou art my God : let Thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of right eousness. 11 Quicken me, O LORD, for Thy Name's sake: and for Thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. 12 And of Thy goodness slay mine enemies and destroy all them that vex my soul; for I am Thy servant. a thirsty land [thirsteth] after Thee. [ SELAH. ] 7. "Lest, if Thou make as though Thou hearest not, I become like them that go down into the pit,' Ps. xxviii. 1. Morning Prayer. PSALM 144. Benedictus Dominus. [This is a triumph-Psalm of David, who founds it on the eighteenth and other Psalms.] 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. 3 LORD, what is man, that Thou hast such respect unto him or the son of man, that Thou so regardest him? : DAY 30. 2. In the last clause omit "that is;"-Who subdueth my people under me. 3. "What is man, that Thou art mind ful of him and the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" Ps. viii. 4. 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. : 7 Send down Thine hand from above : deliver me, and take me out of the great waters, from the hand of strange children; 8 Whose mouth talketh of vanity: and their right hand is a right hand of wicked ness. 9 I will sing a new song unto Thee, O God and sing praises unto Thee upon a ten-stringed lute. 10 Thou hast given victory unto kings: and hast delivered David Thy servant from the peril of the sword. 11 Save me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children whose mouth talketh of vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity. 12 That our sons may grow up as the young plants: and that our daughters may be as the polished corners of the temple. 13 That our garners may be full and plenteous with all manner of store that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets. 14 That our oxen may be strong to labour, that there be no decay: no leading into captivity, and no complaining in our streets. 8. Wickedness; Heb. falsehood. They raised their hand in taking a false oath. 9. A new song-i.e., a fresh outburst of praise. 11. Vanity; lit. evil; that which disappoints the hope reposed upon it, hence emptiness, vanity. hood, as in verse 8. Iniquity; Heb. false 12. The prayer is, that the sons may be sturdy, as plants vigorously growing up in their youth, and the daughters - like the corners of a palace-beautifully fashioned. 13. Streets; the Hebrew word means anything outside· i.e., out of the house-viz., the street; or out of the city-viz., fields, country. The same word is translated "fields" in Job v. 10, "Who sendeth waters upon the fields." 14. Strong to labour; Heb. heavily laden. No decay; Heb. no breach in the walls. No complaining-i.e., outcry. Streets; rather, squares. The Hebrew word means "broad." |