David's harp strung and tuned, or, An easie analysis of the whole book of Psalms cast into such a method, that the summe of every Psalm may quickly be collected and remembred : with a devout meditation or prayer at the end of each psalm, framed for the most part out of the words of the psalm, and fitted for several occasions / by the Reverend Father in God, William ... Lord Bishop of Gloucester.

PSAL. CXXXIV.

IN this Psalm the Prophet exhorts the Levites and Ministers of Religion to attend to their appointed houres of prayers: 2. Brings in the Ministers bles∣sing the people, ver. 3.

• 1. Behold, bless ye the Lord. [Ver. 1]
• 2. Yea principally, and before all others; for ye are the servants of the Lord, chose out of the people to this service.
• 3. Ye are those which by night stand in the house of the Lord; ye are appointed, Levit. 8. Numb. 18. and must therefore stand upon your watch. In the Temple you ought not to be sleepy and idle, for you were set for another purpose. Therefore,
• 4. Lift up your hands by prayer in the Sanctuary, [unspec 2] before the Ark of the Cove∣nant, which was the symbol of his presence.
• 5. Bless the Lord, laud and magnifie his Name.

The other part of your office is to bless the people, let not that be forgotten neither, but say in this Form of words:

• 1. The Lord blesse thee. Let them know from whom the blessing comes.
• 2. [unspec 3] Out of Zion. So long as they remain'd in the unity of the Church, no blessing to be expected, when Zion was left.
• 3. That Lord who hath made heaven and earth. He that hath power to bless, and hath given, and must give his blessing to all creatures, without which, they will not be blessed to thee.

The Prayer collected out of the one hundred and thirty fourth Psalm.

O Merciful God, [unspec 1] that hast chosen the Tribe of Levi, and taker us neere unto thy self, give us grace and abilities to perform our duties to thee. We are thy chosen servants, we are to stand in the house of the Lord, cause us therefore night and day to stand consciouably upon our watch, to lift up our hands in thy Sanctuary, [unspec 2] to offer up our prayers continually unto thee, and to intercede for thy people, and never let us forget to bless thee our Lord, and thy people in thy name,

And moreover we intreat of thee dear Father, [unspec 3] that thou wouldst ever do good to thy people out of Zion, who fly unto thée for a blessing. Thou art the Lord who hast made heaven and earth, deliver us from our present difficulties and dangers, and since thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy truth, give us a hoart to land and praise thy holy Name for ever and ever. Amen.

Notes

• The Levites exhorted to bless God.
• And to bless the people.
• Which they do
• The form of blessing.