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3. What is meant by the phrase, before the gods, in the first verse?

4. What is meant by the phrase, thou hast magnified thy word, in the second verse?

5. What is meant by the clause, when they hear the words of thy mouth, in the fourth verse?

6. What is meant by the clause, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord, in the fifth verse?

PSALM CXXXIX.

The omnipresence and omniscience of God.

1. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off.

3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways.

4. For there is not a word in my tongue,

But, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before,

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6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit?

Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8. If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there:

If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9. If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10. Even there shall thy hand lead me,

And thy right-hand shall hold me.

11. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me;" Even the night shall be light about me.

12. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee;

But the night shineth as the day :

The darkness and the light are both alike unto thee.

13. For thou hast possessed my reins :

Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

14. I will praise thee;

For I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
Marvellous are thy works;

And that my soul knoweth right well. 15. My substance was not hid from thee,

When I was made in secret,

And curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; And in thy book all my members were written, Which in continuance were fashioned,

When as yet there was none of them.

17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!

18. If I should count them, they are more in number than

the sand:

When I awake, I am still with thee.

19. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: Depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. 20. For they speak against thee wickedly,

And thine enemies take thy name in vain.

21. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee?

And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22. I hate them with perfect hatred :

I count them mine enemies.

23. Search me, O GOD, and know my heart:

Try me, and know my thoughts:

24. And see if there be any

wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

NOTES ON PSALM CXXXIX.

Verse 2. My downsitting and mine uprising, i. e. my whole conduct.

Verse 5. Thou hast laid thine hand upon me, i. e. thou hast me in thy power.

Verse 6. I cannot attain unto it, i. e. I cannot comprehend it.

Verses 9 and 10. Sentiment: could I fly with the beams of the morning to the utmost west, I should still be in thy power.

Verse 18. Sentiment: I can never finish the contemplation of thy wisdom and knowledge.

Verse 24. The way everlasting, i. e. the ancient way, in which my fathers walked.

General remark. This psalm exhibits a sublime and beautiful view of the natural attributes of God.

QUESTIONS ON PSALM CXXXIX.

1. What is the subject of this psalm ?
2. Will you please to repeat the psalm?

3. What is meant by my downsitting and mine uprising, in the second verse?

4. What is meant by the clause, thou hast laid thine hand upon me, in the fifth verse?

5. What is meant by the clause, I cannot attain unto it, in the sixth verse?

6. What is the sentiment of the ninth and tenth verses?

7. What is the sentiment of the eighteenth verse?

8. What is meant by the way everlasting, in the twenty fourth verse?

9. What is the general remark?

PSALM CXLV.

A psalm of praise.

1. I will extol thee, my God, O King;
And I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

2. Every day will I bless thee;

And I will praise thy name for ever and ever. 3. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; And his greatness is unsearchable.

4. One generation shall praise thy works to another, And shall declare thy mighty acts.

5. I will speak of the glorious honor of thy majesty, And of thy wondrous works.

6. And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: And I will declare thy greatness.

7. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness,

And shall sing of thy righteousness.

8. The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; Slow to anger, and of great mercy.

9. The LORD is good to all:

And his tender mercies are over all his works. 10. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; And thy saints shall bless thee.

11. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, And talk of thy power;

12. To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And thy dominion endureth throughout all generations

14. The LORD upholdeth all that fall,

And raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

15. The eyes of all wait upon thee;

And thou givest them their meat in due season.

16. Thou openest thine hand,

And satisfiest the desire of every living thing. 17. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, And holy in all his works.

18. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him,

To all that call upon him in truth.

19. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him:

He also will hear their cry, and will save them. 20. The LORD preserveth all them that love him : But all the wicked will he destroy.

21. My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: And let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

QUESTIONS ON PSALM CXLV.

1. What is the subject of this psalm?
2. Will you please to repeat the psalm?

PSALM CXLVI.

God praised for his power and goodness.

1. Praise ye the LORD.

Praise the LORD, O my soul.

2. While I live will I praise the Lord :

I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. 3. Put not your trust in princes,

Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.

5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God:

6. Which made heaven, and earth, The sea, and all that therein is :

Which keepeth truth for ever:

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