2 Vain is your toil, O ye who rise up early-
Ye who go late to rest—

Ye who eat your food amidst painful labours.
Well doth He allow sleep to His beloved ones!
3 Behold, children are an inheritance from JEHOVAH;
The fruit of the womb is a reward from Him.

4 Like arrows in the hand of the mighty warrior,
So are the sons of youthful parents.

5 Happy is the man,

Whose quiver is filled with them!

They shall not be confounded;

But they shall destroy their enemies at the gate.

PSALM CXXVIII.

1 HAPPY is every one who reverenceth JEHOVAH— Who walketh in His ways!

PSALM CXXVII.

2 Vain is your toil-i. e. No exertions on your parts, however great, if unattended with the blessing of God, will produce the results which you anxiously anticipate.

. Well doth He &c. Sleep was graciously ordained by God, to recruit the exhausted frame of man; and those who trust in His favour enjoy their repose, undisturbed by any feelings of anxiety. Compare Ps. iii. 5. and Notes, also Ps. iv. 8. and Notes 1, 2.

3 children These are mentioned as being, like wealth, objects of great solicitude to mankind.

4 So are &c.-i. e. Equally formidable

5 "—that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies." Gen. xxii. 17. "And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them." Gen. xxiv. 60.

at the gate-The main struggle between contending armies was usually at the gates of the besieged city.

FF

PSALM CXXXI.

1 O JEHOVAH, my heart is not proud,

2

Nor are my looks lofty;

Neither do I occupy myself in things too great,
And too difficult for me.

Surely I compose and quiet my desires.

As is a weaned child with regard to its mother,
So are my desires weaned with respect to me.
3 O Israel, wait for JEHOVAH,
Henceforth even for ever.

PSALM CXXXII.

1 O JEHOVAH, remember, in favour of David,

All his anxious care;

2 When he sware unto JEHOVAH,

And made a vow unto the Mighty One of Jacob: (saying)

3 "I will not enter into my house;

5

"Nor slumber to mine eyelids;

"Until I shall have found a place for JEHOVAH

"A habitation for the Mighty One of Jacob."

6 Behold, we heard of it at Ephrathah;

We found it in the fields of Jaar.

7 Let us enter into His dwelling-place;

8

Let us bow ourselves down at His footstool.

"Arise, JEHOVAH, and enter into Thy resting-place

"THOU and the ark of Thy might.

9"Let Thy priests be clothed in righteousness,

"And Thy pious worshippers sing aloud.

10"For the sake of David, Thy servant,

"Reject not the prayer of Thine anointed one."

11 JEHOVAH hath sworn a faithful oath unto David; He will not recede from it:

"Thy descendants will I set upon thy throne! 12 "If thy children shall keep My covenant, "And the revelation which I shall teach them; "Their children also, for ever,

"Shall sit upon thy throne."

Heb. into.

8 and enter into
9 be clothed This expression is used
with reference to the ornaments worn
by the priests during their ministration.
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,
my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for he hath clothed me with the gar
ments of salvation, he hath covered me
with the robe of righteousness, as a
bridegroom decketh himself with orna-
ments, and as a bride adorneth herself
with her jewels." Isai. Lxi. 10. Com-
pare also Ps. xxix. 2. Note 2.

10 Reject not the prayer - Heb. Turn not
away The face. "O LORD God, turn
not away the face of thine anointed:
remember the mercies of David thy
servant." 2 Chron. vi. 42.

11 Thy descendants Heb. Of the fruit of thy body.

13 Of a truth, JEHOVAH hath made choice of Sion;

He hath desired her for a habitation for Himself: (saying) 14 "This shall be My resting-place for ever;

"Here will I dwell, because I love her.

66

15 "I will assuredly bless her provisions;

"Her poor will I satisfy with food;

16 "Her priests also will I clothe with salvation,

"And her pious worshippers shall sing aloud for joy. 17 "There will I cause the horn of David to flourish; "I have prepared a lamp for Mine anointed.

18" His enemies will I clothe with shame ;

"But upon himself shall his crown shine brilliantly."

PSALM CXXXIII.

1 BEHOLD, how good and how pleasant it is,

For brethren to be at unity!

2 It is as the fragrant oil upon the head,

Which descendeth upon the beard-the beard of AaronWhich descendeth upon the hem of his garments!

3 It is as the dew of Hermon,

Which descendeth upon the hills of Sion!

4 Truly, to this hath JEHOVAH appointed His blessing, Even prosperity for evermore.

PSALM CXXXIV.

1 BEHOLD, bless JEHOVAH, all ye servants of JEHOVAH, Who stand ministering, by night, in the House of JEHOVAH. 2 Lift up your hands towards the holy place,

And bless ye JEHOVAH.

3 May JEHOVAH bless thee from out of Sion— The Maker of heaven and earth!

PSALM CXXXV.

1 PRAISE ye JEHOVAH !

Praise ye the Name of JEHOVAH ;
Praise it, ye servants of JEHOVAH !

2 Ye who stand ministering in the House of JEHOVAH-
In the courts of the House of our God.

3 Praise ye JEHOVAH, for JEHOVAH is good, Hymn His Name, for it is delightful;

4 For JEHOVAH hath chosen Jacob for Himself— Israel, for His own possession.