PSALM XIX The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, 5 where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth 10 as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 15 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold : 20 sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presump25 tuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. From the Bible. 5 HELPS TO STUDY The Nineteenth Psalm is a hymn of praise and a prayer for guidance. The Hebrew poem is translated into English prose, which is here divided into paragraphs instead of verses as in the King James translation. Note that the first three paragraphs tell of the works of the Lord, the fourth paragraph of his laws, and that the last two paragraphs are a prayer that the Lord will guide his servant. 6. In 1. Who are represented as praising God? 2. How do the heavens speak? 3. In the third paragraph to whom is the sun compared? 4. In the fourth paragraph, what sentences are parallel in structure and thought? 5. What words are used as synonyms for law? the fifth paragraph what two kinds of errors are mentioned? 7. Are the meditations of the heart "secret faults" or "presumptuous sins" "? 8. What expressions in the psalm do you remember after a first reading? For Study with the Glossary: firmament, tabernacle, presumptuous, transgression. THE SPACIOUS FIRMAMENT The Spacious Firmament on high With all the blue Ethereal Sky, And Spangled Heav'ns, a Shining Frame, Th' unwearied Sun, from Day to Day, 10 And publishes to every Land Soon as the Evening Shades prevail, While all the Stars that round her burn,' And all the Planets in their Turn, And spread the Truth from Pole to Pole. What though, in solemn Silence, all For ever singing, as they shine, "The Hand that made us is Divine." HELPS TO STUDY JOSEPH ADDISON. Compare the first What similar exparagraph of the Addison's hymn was suggested by the opening verses of the Nineteenth Psalm and should be read and remembered with it. stanza with the first three paragraphs of the psalm. pressions do you find? What words in the second psalm may have suggested the second stanza of the hymn? In the HELPS TO STUDY for the psalm, the question was asked, "How do the heavens speak?" How is that question answered by the third stanza of the hymn? What is "the dark terrestrial Ball"? THE BOOK OF RUTH I Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man in Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name 5 of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. And Elimelech, Naomi's husband, died; and she was left, and her two sons. And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth; and they dwelled there about ten years. And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. Then she arose, with her daughters-in-law, that she might return from the country of Moab; for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. 10 15 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, 20 and her two daughters-in-law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah. And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, "Go, return each to her mother's house; the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. 35 25 "The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband." Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, "Surely we will return with 5 thee unto thy people." And Naomi said, "Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? Turn again, go your way.' And they lifted up their voice, and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her. 10 And she said, "Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law." And Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I 15 will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 20 "Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me." When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. So they two went until they came unto Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, “Is 25 this Naomi?" And she said unto them, "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty; why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath |