May 7

1 O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am

weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?

4 Return, O Lord, deliver my soul, oh save me for thy mercies' sake. 5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? 6 I am weary with my groaning, all the night make I my bed to swim, I water my couch with my tears. 7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. 9 The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. 10 Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed; let them return and be ashamed suddenly.

This Psalm is commonly known as the first of THE PENITENTIAL PSALMS. The other six are, xxxii., xxxviii., li., cii., cxxx., cxliii. Certainly the language in this Psalm "well becomes the lip of a penitent, for it expresses at once the sorrow (verses 3, 6, 7), the humiliation (verses 2, 4), and the hatred of sin (verse 8), which are the unfailing marks of the contrite spirit when it turns to God."

From the first to the end of the seventh verse, there is the Psalmist's plea in his great distress. "God hath two means by which He reduceth His children to obedience: His word, by which He rebukes them; and His rod, by which He chastiseth them. . . . When men neglect the warnings of His word, then God, as a good father, takes up the rod and beats them."—A. Symson.

From the eighth verse to the end, the Psalmist changes his note. He tunes his note to the high key of confidence, and declares that God hath heard his prayer, and hath delivered him out of all his troubles. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

Closet Promise.—Remember, O Lord, Thy tender mercies, and Thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.—Psalm xxv. 6.

"My Father! see, I trust the faithfulness displayed of old,

I trust the love that never can grow cold— I trust in Thee."