Prayer of David, when his friend Hushai the Archite joined him, its order to take part in his affliction, on the Mount of Olives, whither David had fled from the face of his son Absalom. 2 Sam. xv. 32-37.

To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

To the giver of victory. A Psalm of David.

1. BLESSED is he that considereth the poor : the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.

2. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.

3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.

4. I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

5. Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?

6. And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.

7. All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.

8. "An evil disease," say they, "cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more."

9. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom 1 trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me,

10. But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

11. By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

12. And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.

13. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

PSALM XLII. 18.

Psalm composed by David when, quitting the cave of Adullam, he left his native country, and sought a refuge in Mizpeh of Moab, taking with him his father and mother, and placing them there for safety. being now arrived at takes a last view of the

Having passed the river Jordan, and the little mountain of Hermon, he Holy Land, and pours out his soul

in this beautiful psalm. 1 Sam. xxii. 3, 4.

To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korab.

To the giver of victory. An instruction for the sons of mourning.

1. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

2. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living

God: when shall I come and appear before God?

3. My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

4. When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

6. O my God, my soul is cast down within me therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

7. Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

8. Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

9. I will say unto God my rock, Why hast

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thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

10. As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

11. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Beautiful psalm of David, expressing his faith and confidence in the Lord, when he sent back to Jerusalem the ark of covenant, which the priests and levites had taken out of the tabernacle, and brought after him on occasion of his flight from Jerusalem, at the breaking out of the conspiracy of his son Absalom. 2 Sam. xv. 18-30.

1. JUDGE me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

2. For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3. O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

4. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

PSALM XLIV. 55.

Complaint and prayer of David, concealed in the cave of Adullam, as a shelter against the Philistines, whose forces greatly exceeded his own. 1 Chron. xi. 13-15, and 2 Sam. v. 17-18. and xxiii. 9-17.

To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil.

To the giver of victory. An instruction for the sons of mourning.

1. WE have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

2. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

3. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.