pose that the hills towards which the pilgrims raised their eyes, were those which surround Jerusalem, and that the dangers of the journey thither are alluded to in the following verses. The cxxxiiird Psalm also, would be most suitable to the circumstances of these companies of fellow travellers. Psalms cxiii. to cxviii. are said to have been those sung at the conclusion of the passover: they are probably of very high antiquity, and, like those popular psalms sung on the road to Jerusalem, would be faithfully preserved by tradition, which rendered it less necessary to collect them at an earlier period; whereas the more private and personal compositions of David, contained in the books first collected, and more especially the prophetical psalms, would require to be carefully preserved in writing. The cxth is so remarkable a one, that it is more difficult to account for its occurring in the last book. Altogether, the above arrangement refers eighty-one psalms to David, or more than one half; and of the anonymous ones, many may possibly be his composition.

For all practical purposes, the order of the Psalms as they stand in the sacred text, is as good as any other; but, in proceeding to examine their specific character as poetical compositions, it would seem to be at least allowable, to attempt a different sort of classification, with reference to their date, author, subject, and style. The compositions of David require to be distinguished into, 1. Those which either their evident scope or the clear authority of the New Testament enables us to pronounce to be prophetic of the Messiah, or at least allusive to the sufferings or glory of Christ;-2. Those which are simply didactic or ethical, such as the psalms entitled prayers, and, if it be David's, Psalm cxix.; and 3. Hymns evidently composed for public worship, and designed to be accompanied with instruments, or sung by the congregation. Of these three classes, the first, it seems to us, are excluded by their very nature from any other use than that to which the other prophecies are applicable; nor does there appear to be much propriety in attempting to accommodate them to the purpose of psalmody. What in our Bibles is the second Psalm, is an instance in point. Dr. Watts has tried to versify it in three different measures, changing the language of the prediction into that of history; but he does not seem to have succeeded even to his own satisfaction, and what he has given us, is certainly not the psalm, nor is it, after all, fit for psalmody. We will take as our first extract from the volume before us, Bishop Mant's Version of the same inspired composition.

• PSALM II.-PART I.

'What thoughts the banded heathen fill?
What madness prompts the people's will?
Behold, the earth's proud sovereigns bring
Their marshall'd hosts; in conclave dire
The rulers 'gainst THE LORD conspire,

And 'gainst THE LORD'S Anointed King.
"Break we their bonds; renounce their sway;
And cast their twisted cords away.".

But God, who sits above the sky,

Shall laugh to scorn; THE LORD Most High
Shall all their vain emprize deride :
Then in His anger shall He speak,
And on His foes His vengeance wreak,
And crush them in their impious pride.
"Yet have I girt with royal might
My King on Zion's holy height.”

• PART II.

'Hear in my cause THE LORD's decree,
"This day have I begotten thee;

Thou art my heir, my first-born son.
Ask and receive thy just domain:
The heathen lands shall feel thy reign,
Earth's utmost bounds thy empire own.
Thou with thine iron rod shalt bruise,
And break them like an earthern cruise."

· PART III.

Now learn, ye rulers of mankind;
Be wise, ye kings; with duteous mind
And holy joy THE LORD obey :
The Son with signs of worship hail,
Lest by his anger whelmed, ye fail,

And perish from the blissful way,
If once His wrath be kindled: blest
Are they who flee to Him for rest.'

We think that our readers will agree with us, that although this version adheres more closely to the language of the royal Psalmist, yet, the dignity of the composition is wholly sacrificed. The Bible Version is much fitter to be said, and this assuredly is not proper to be sung.

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The seventeenth Psalm, entitled "a Prayer of David," is a specimen of the second class of poems. Bishop Mant correctly describes it as an earnest appeal to the justice, wisdom, ⚫ and loving-kindness of Jehovah, from the malice of unjust persecutors, probably Saul and his followers.' One would have thought that, if such a poem was to be rendered into

metre at all, the gravest of our measures, that which is employed in epic, dramatic, or elegiac poetry, would alone be fit for the subject,-not one which turns this earnest appeal and prayer into a ditty like the following:

The right, Jehovah, hear;
Attend my cause to know;

And to my loud complaints give car,
From no feigned lips that flow.'

And again, in the last verse,

Thou from thy hidden store

Their bellies, Lord, hast fill'd;
Their sons are gorg'd, and what is o'er,
To their son's sons they yield.

But I thy presence seek

In righteousness to see;

And with thy likeness when I wake,
I satisfied shall be.'

This is assuredly a worse travestie of the original than any which we recollect to have been inflicted upon us by the ever venerable Thomas Sternhold and John Hopkins. The psalm in the original we consider as unfit for public worship, for which it does not appear to have ever been designed; but Dr. Watts's version or paraphrase of it is one of his finest compositions. Our readers must be familiar with his noble and spirited rendering of the last two verses of the psalm, which the Bishop has so miserably disfigured :

• What sinners value, I resign:

Lord, 'tis enough that thou art mine.
I shall behold thy blissful face,

And stand complete in righteousness.'

Here, as a translator, he might have stopped; and here a mere translator would have terminated the psalm; but, kindling at the idea, with the genuine spirit of a Christian Psalmist, he goes on to expatiate on this glorious change, in language of simple beauty, which has warmed the heart and employed the tongue of thousands of devout readers. Though quite unfit for congregational use, it is one of Dr. Watts's psalms which will always please and edify in the highest degree in private.

The nineteenth Psalm may be instanced as one of a mixed character, being partly a psalm of instruction, and yet, as addressed to the chief musician, it was evidently intended to be sung. Bishop Mant has done more justice to it, in his version, than in the former instances.

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PART I.

The heav'ns the pow'r of God display, His glory by th' expanse is shown. Day utters ceaseless speech to day, And night to night makes wisdom known.

No human words, no living speech,
No voice articulate they send :
Yet through the world their lessons reach,
Their signs to earth's remotest end.

In them he pitch'd, apart from earth,
A bright pavilion for the sun;
Who goes in bridegroom splendour forth,
And joys his giant course to run.

Forth issuing he from heav'n's wide bound,
To heav'n's wide bound revolving speeds:
And still throughout the ample round,
On all, his genial radiance sheds.

'PART II.

Jehovah's law is perfect, pure,

And bids the sickly frame be whole: Jehovah's covenant is sure,

And renders wise the simple soul.

• Jehovah's statutes all are right,
And gladness to the heart supply:
Jehovah's ordinance is bright,

And lightens the dim-sighted eye.

• Unsullied is Jehovah's fear,

age

And doth from age to remain : Jehovah's judgments are sincere,

On justice fram'd, and free from stain.

More precious they than golden ore,
Or gold from the refiner's flame:
And sweeter than the honey'd store,
Or from the comb the honey'd stream.

PART III.

By them thy servant, Lord, is taught: How great the bliss to walk therein! But who can tell each devious thought? O cleanse me, Thou, from secret sin!

And from presumption keep me clear, That fain would sway each better sense:

So may I uncorrupt appear,

And guiltless of the great offence,

Addison's fine paraphrase of the first part of this admirable Psalm, beginning,

The spacious firmament on high,'

must be familiar to all our readers. It is perhaps one of the most beautiful hymns in the language; but it breaks off too soon. It may be thought a bold undertaking to enter the lists with such competitors, but we have been induced to venture on the attempt to give the entire psalm a metrical dress with as close an adherence as possible to the spirit of the text.

PSALM XIX.

The heavens declare His glory,
Their Maker's skill, the skies :
Each day repeats the story,
And night to night replies.
Their silent proclamation
Throughout the earth is heard;
The record of creation,

The page of Nature's word.

There, from his bright pavilion,
Like eastern bridegroom clad,
Hailed by Earth's thousand million,
The sun sets forth right glad,
His glorious race commencing,
The mighty giant seems,
Through the vast round dispensing
His all-pervading beams.

So pure, so soul-restoring
Is Truth's diviner ray;
A brighter radiance pouring,
Than all the pomp of day:
The wanderer surely guiding,
It makes the simple wise;
And evermore abiding,
Unfailing joy supplies.

Thy word is richer treasure

Than lurks within the mine,
And daintiest fare less pleasure
Yields, than this food divine.
How kind each wise monition!
Led by thy counsels, Lord,
How safe the saints' condition,
How great is their reward!