the initial letter of the author's name. Of many pfalms the compiler never knew to whom they were to be afcribed; there are others, the names of whose authors he has forgotten; others again, yet not many, are fo much altered, and that in point of principles and fentiments, that it might have been deemed injustice to annex to them the names of the authors to whom they originally belonged; and there are fome that have never before been published. So far, however, as it was proper and practicable, the pfalms have been affigned to their respective authors, according to the following Table. In this appropriation, as it depended much upon the compiler's memory, he wishes it to be obferved, that there may probably be fome miftakes, but he hopes they are not many. A. Addifon. AR. Arbuckle. B. Simon Brown. M. Milton. ME. Merrick. T. Tate and Brady. A A Table of fuch pfalms of David, &c. as are contained in this volume. The larger numerals denote the number of the pfalm as it ftands in the english bible; the lesser point to the page of this work. XHI EXPLICATION, in alphabetical order, of fome terms and phrafes that occur in the following collection of pfalms, or in others from which these have been felected. ALL languages have their peculiarities. Languages of the fame age differ in different countries; and languages of different of different ages in the fame. The languages of ancient times, and of the eastern world, are extremely different from ours; and this not merely in the founds by which they exprefs the fame ideas, but in the combinations of words, in the import and value of the phrases which these combinations form, in images, allufions, and even in conceptions and ideas. The Jewish language, as must necessarily be the cafe from the fingularity of the conftitution and manners of that people, is fingular. The New Teftament was writ by Jews, and though not in their own proper language, yet it every where betrays the character of the writers, and bears upon it the peculiarities of that language. The terms and phrases of it cannot always be accurately expreft by a literal verfion of them; and fometimes those which look as like as poffible to the the terms and phrases we would express, being connected with modern practices and ideas, and their value eftimated thereby, will lead us far from the conceptions and the purpose of the writer. In fuch cafes we are fometimes in danger of being misled by the connection which the terms we employ have, even with practices. and ideas that took their rife from thofe fcriptural ones which we would explain. To us, therefore, the terms and phrafes of the fcriptures, even of the fcriptures in our Own language, muft, of course, need explication : and, confequently, fince it has been the custom to form the style of pfalms, hymns, and other books of devotion in ufe among us, upon that of fcripture; in thefe fuch expreffions will often be occurring, as, if we are not aware, will awaken no ideas, or only obfcure and unjust ones; and yet thefe obfcure and unjust ideas will acquire an establishment and an authority in our minds that is not due to them, thro' the reverence we owe to the word of God from which they will appear to be derived. A careful explication of scripture-terms, drawn from its true fources, is the more desirable, that it has been fo much the practice of Chriftian Divines to use them and explain them, not according to to their original import in the facred writers, but annexing to them ideas, and connecting with them trains of ideas, effential in artificial fyftems of theology, yet probably unknown altogether to the writers whose language they are employed to illuftrate. If the following table shall be of use to any that wish for fuch affiftance, it will be well. The reader, however, will be cautious in the ufe of it; and, in his perufal of the fcriptures, will be attentive to obferve how far the explications, herein contained, give light to him in that employment, and accord with what he finds in the word of God. In AcTS XVII. II. Luke records it to the honour of the Berceans, that they fearched the fcriptures daily, whether those things, which Paul and Silas told them, were fo. ADOPTION. In fcripture-language, communication of the right and power to confider God as our father, and ourselves as his children. See SON OF GOD. ATONEMENT. |