With favour ] Literally, Like a shield, thy favour will crown him. God loves such; and this love is their defense. In all places, times and circumstances, it will preserve them. "Keep yourselves," says the apostle, "in the love of God." He who abides in this love need not fear the face of any adversary.

Thus ended the morning's devotion of this excellent man: a model by which every Christian may frame his own.

ANALYSIS OF THE FIFTH PSALM

This Psalm consists of FIVE parts: ] I. An introduction, in which he petitions to be heard; professes his earnestness about it, ver. 1-3; and his confidence of audience.

II. He delivers his petition, ver. 8; and the reason of it- his enemies.

III. These enemies he circumstantially describes, ver. 9.

IV. He prophesies that God will destroy them, ver. 10.

V. He prays for the Church, that God would preserve it, ver. 11, 12.

I. 1. In the entrance he prays very earnestly for audience; he shows that he meant to be serious and fervent in it; and he chooses a variety of words to express the same thing which rise by degrees in the description: 1. He rises from meditation; 2. To words; 3. From words to a voice; 4. From a voice to a cry. Then he desires God, 1. To consider. 2, To give ear. 3, To hearken. 1. He considers, who weighs the justice of the cause. 2. He gives ear, who would understand what the suppliant means. 3. He attends and hearkens, who intends to satisfy the petitioner.

2. The reasons he uses here to beget audience are very considerable: ] 1. The relation that was between him and his God: "Thou art my King and my God." 2. That he would sue to none other: "To thee will I pray;" which he illustrates, 1. From the time. It is a morning petition. 2. It was a well composed and ordered prayer. 3. He would lift up his eyes with it; that is, have all his hope and expectation exercised in it. "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning; I will direct my prayer unto thee, and look up." 3. The third reason is taken from the nature of God: whom he will and whom he will not hear. 1. Persevering sinners God will not regard. 2.

To the upright he is ready to look. The sinners whom God will not hear he thus describes: 1. Men who delighted in wickedness, evil, foolish workers of iniquity-liars-blood- thirsty and deceitful. Now it was not likely that God should hear such: "For thou art not a God who hast pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee." These it is said he hated; these he would destroy; these he did abhor.

2. But on the contrary, he who was faithful; who relied on God; who feared the Lord; who attended the ordinances of his house; who worshipped towards his temple; and who came, not trusting to himself, but in the multitude of God's mercies; him he would hear.

II. David, having petitioned for audience, and delivered the grounds of his confidence, brings forth his petition that his life may be holy and innocent: - 1. "Lead me in thy righteousness." 2. "Make thy way straight before me." For which he gives this reason: "Because of mine enemies." III. These his enemies he circumstantially describes: - 1. By their MOUTH: "There is no faithfulness in their mouth." 2. By their HEART: "Their inward parts are very wickedness." 3. By their THROAT: "Their throat is an open sepulcher." 4. By their TONGUE: "They flatter with their tongue." IV. Then he proceeds to prophesy against these enemies:- 1. God will destroy them.

2. They shall fall by their own counsels.

3. They shall be cast out in the multitude of their transgressions. For which predictions he gives this reason: They are rebels. For they have rebelled against thee. Rebels, not against David, but against God. They have not rejected me, but they have rejected thee.

V. The conclusion contains his prayer for God's people, whom he here describes: 1. They are righteous. 2. They put their trust in God. 3. They love his name.

And he prays for them, that, 1. They may be happy; that they may shout for joy. 2. They may be joyful in God.