Ps. Ixrii. 1 — 7. God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and
cause his face to shine upon us : that thy way may be knoirn
upon earth, thy soring health among all nations. Let the
people praise thee, O God ; let all the people praise thee.
O let the nations be glad, and sing for Joy : for thou shalt
judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon
earth. Let the people praise thee, 0 God : let all the people
praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase ; and
God, even our otcn God, shall bless us : God shall bless us ;
and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
HO^^' much importance the compilers of our Liturgy attached to this psalm may be judged from the appointment of it to be read in the daily services of our Church. The general import of the psalm is plain enough : but, in order to get a just view of the different expressions contained in it, we must place ourselves in the situation of David at the time he composed it. The Jewish Church and nation were a pecuhar people, instructed in the knowledge of salvation, and hving under the government of Jehovah. The righteous among them enjoyed the hght of God"s countenance, and looked forward to the possession of vet richer blessing's under the reign of their Messiah. But the Gentile world were alto- gether ignorant of a Saviour, and hving without God in the world, under the tyranny of the prince of darkness, by whom they were led captive at his will. These two thinofs then the Psalmist desired, namelv, the advent of the Messiah to his own nation, and the manifestation of him to all the world. The former of these events was prayed for in the begin- ning of the psalm ; " God be merciful unto us, and bless us" with the accomphshment of that promise, to which all thy people are looking forward, the advent of the Messiah : and " cause thy face to shine upon us," in the person of Him, who is " the brightness of thy glory, and the express image of thy person!" The latter event however seems on this occasion to have chiefly occupied his mind : and