the nation, we are called to bless God for our national mercies. Now national mercies are of a temporal nature: no nation, as a nation, participates spiritual blessinc^s, any further tlian the mere external enjoyment of tliem : individuals alone have the grace of God in their hearts : and therefore, as members of the national body, we are bound, in whatever capacity we have received God's mercies, in that capacity, as far as possible, gratefully to requite them.]
3. Let US render unto God the tribute they de- mand—
[-' Praise" is surely the least that we can render for such accumulated blessings : and this, as is observed in the psalm be- fore us, is " both comely and pleasant'." Behold how Moses adored God for the deliverance of Israel from the Egyptian hosts'' ! See how David makes every distinct blessing a subject of distinct acknowledgment, and no less than twenty-six times in as many short verses ascribes every thing to the free and everlasting mercy of his God' ! And as David elsewhere calls on every rank and order of society to discharge that debt to God"", so in our text both " Jerusalem and Zion," both priests and people, are called upon to praise the Lord : yea, the psalm both begins and ends with this just requirement, " Praise ye the Lord ; praif^e ye the Lord." Let every one amongst us then stir up his soul to this blessed work ; and " let all that is within us bless his holy name." Let us not however rest in acknowledgment?, however' devout. There is a more substantial way in which we are bound to praise him, that is, in our lives, " by giving up ourselves to his service, and by walking before him in holiness and righteousness all our "days." This is the union which God himself prescribes ; " Whoso offereth me praise, honoureth me ; and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I sliew the salvation of God"."j*
' ver. 1. '' Exod. xv.
' Ps. cxxxvi. See particularly ver. 1,2,3, 2(5. "" Ps. cxxxv. 19—21. & cl. 1—6. - Ps. 1. 23.
*This was written January 18th, I8I6. It is not to be supposed that the same circumstances will ever occur again ; and therefore the first intention of the author was to omit them altogether. But he conceives that the statement of them may serve to shew, how any other existing circumstances may be, not unprofitably, stated, when the occasion shall call for it.