Come, O thou divine Spirit of peace and love, who didst reside in the soul of the holy Jesus, descend into his mystical body the church, and fill us, who compose it, with all his heavenly tempers; put an end to heresies, heal all schisms, cause bitter contentions to cease, abolish every enmity, and make us to be of one mind in thy holy city; that so, peace being within her walls, her citizens may give themselves to every profitable employment, and plentuousness of grace, wisdom, and truth, as well as of earthly blessings, may be in all her palaces. Thus will she be come a lively portrait of that place which is prepared for them that love one another, where, with one heart and one voice, they shall ascribe "salvation and glory to God and to the Lamb." 8. For my brethren and companions' sake, I will now say, Peace be within thee. 9. Because of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek thy good. In these concluding verses, the Psalmist declares the two motives, which induced him to utter his best wishes, and to use his best endeavours, for the prosperity of Jerusalem; namely, love of his brethren, whose happiness was involved in that of their city; and love of God, who had there fixed the residence of his glory. These motives are ever in force, and ought, surely, to operate with marvellous energy upon our hearts, to stir us up to imitate the pattern now before us, in fervent zeal and unwearied labour, for the salvation of men, and the glory of their great Redeemer; both which will then be complete, when the church militant shall become triumphant, and the heavenly paradise shall be filled with plants taken from its terrestrial nursery. Theodore Zuinger, of whom some account may be found in Thuanus, when he lay on his death-bed, took his leave of the world, in a paraphrase on the foregoing Psalm; giving it the same turn with that given to it above. The late learned and pious Mr. Merrick has given a translation of it, which is so excellent, that I must beg leave to present it to the reader. It may serve as a finished specimen of the noble and exalted use, which a Christian may and ought to make of the Psalms of David. PSALM CXXII. 1. WHAT joy, while thus I view the day 2. The festal morn, my God, is come, My feet the summons shall attend, 3. E'en now to my expecting eyes I view her mansions, that contain Hither from earth's remotest end, Here, crown'd with everlasting joy, In hymns of praise their tongues employ, And hail th' immortal King: 5. Great Salem's King; who bids each state 6. Mother of cities! O'er thy head See Peace, with healing wings outspread, Delighted fix her stay. How blest, who calls himself thy friend! Success his labours shall attend, And safely guard his way. 7. Thy walls, remote from hostile fear, 8. Let me, blest seat, my name behold In thee for ever dwell. N 2 |