And sheep of thy pasture ] Of whom thou thyself art the Shepherd. Let us not be destroyed by those who are thy enemies; and we, in all our generations, will give thanks unto thee for ever.

ANALYSIS OF THE SEVENTY-NINTH PSALM

This Psalm contains the four following parts: - I. A complaint for the desolation of Jerusalem, ver. 1-5.

II. A deprecation of God's anger, ver, 6.

III. A twofold petition: - 1. Against the enemies of God's people, ver. 6, 7, 10-12.

2. For the people, ver. 8, 9.

IV. A doxology, ver. 13.

I. The complaint is bitter, and is amplified by a climax: - 1. "The heathen are come into thine inheritance," ver. 1.

2. "The holy temple they have defiled," ver. 1.

3. "They have laid Jerusalem in heaps," ver. 2.

4. They have exercised cruelty towards the dead.

5. "They have shed blood like water," ver. 3.

6. They have not even buried those whom they slaughtered.

7. "We are become a reproach, a scorn, and a derision," ver. 4.

II. Next comes the cause of their calamity.

1. God's anger was kindled because of their sins, ver. 5.

2. This anger he deprecates, ver. 5.

III. The twofold prayer: - 1. Against the enemy: 1. Pour out thy wrath on them, not on us, ver. 6; 2. He adds the reason: "They have devoured Jacob." ver. 7.

2. The second part of the prayer is in behalf of the people: 1.

"Remember not against us former offenses," ver. 8. 2. "Let thy mercy prevent us." The reasons: "We are brought very low." 3. His prayer is directed for help to the God of salvation. 4. For deliverance and pardon of sin, ver. 9.

His arguments to prevail with God: - 1. The blasphemy of the heathen, ver. 10.

2. The misery of the people, ver. 11. And another prayer against the enemy, ver. 12.

IV. The doxology.

1. We, who are thy people, will be thankful.