Read Psalm 9
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.
1 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
3 My enemies turn back;
they stumble and perish before you.
4 For you have upheld my right and my cause,
sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.
5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
6 Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,
you have uprooted their cities;
even the memory of them has perished.
7 The Lord reigns forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.
8 He rules the world in righteousness
and judges the peoples with equity.
9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion;
proclaim among the nations what he has done.
12 For he who avenges blood remembers;
he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.
13 Lord, see how my enemies persecute me!
Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,
14 that I may declare your praises
in the gates of Daughter Zion,
and there rejoice in your salvation.
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,
all the nations that forget God.
18 But God will never forget the needy;
the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
19 Arise, Lord, do not let mortals triumph;
let the nations be judged in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror, Lord;
let the nations know they are only mortal.
Go Deeper
God is never deaf to His children’s cries for help and mercy. Read that again. God is NEVER deaf to His children’s cries for help and mercy. David not only knew that truth, he experienced it. Time and time again when David was desperate for God’s presence, power, and provision, God answered his pleas. It’s why David penned these words:
“You have upheld me.” (v. 4)
“You are a refuge.” (v. 9)
“You have NEVER forsaken those who seek you.” (v. 10)
“You will never forget the needy.” (v. 18)
God’s refuge and reign produced prayer and praise in David. With his whole heart, he praised God…even when he was experiencing pain and suffering (v. 13). God is big enough to handle both our praise and our pleas. Our honest prayers honor Him. He has not forgotten you.
And, we must not forget Him. In this chapter of Psalms alone we observe the following: He is worthy of praise, He is generous in deeds, He is MOST HIGH, He is righteous, He is just, He is eternal, He reigns forever, He is a refuge, a stronghold, He remembers His children, He never forgets the needy, and He has NEVER forsaken those who seek Him.
God is never deaf to His children’s cries for help and mercy. Let’s thank Him for His faithfulness. He is a good Father. He can be trusted.
Questions
- What does this chapter teach you about the character of God?
- Are you quicker to praise God for his provision in your life or remind Him of what you still need? Spend some time thanking Him for what He’s done and what He will do.
- David asks God to remind his enemies that they are only men (mortal). Why do you think David asks Him that?
A Quote
“The psalms are great poetry and have lasted not because they appeal to our fantasies and our wishes but because they are affirmed in the intensities of honest and hazardous living.”
Eugene Peterson
4 responses to “Psalm 9”
As we read numerous Psalms penned by David, I’m struck with wonder at the intimacy he shared with the Lord. In good times or hard times he carried both praises and petitions to God. (Just as we heard yesterday in JP’s message, God does not weary of hearing our prayers but welcomes them.)
Psalm 9 and 10 are one and are printed that way in the Septuagint. The reason they are printed together as one psalm in the Septuagint is because this is an acrostic psalm. The are separated into the Hebrew alphabet.
Praising God when all is right with the world and even when it is topsy turvey. God is on His throne and is greatly to be praised about oh so very very much.
God thank You for these minutes of this day. God help me to focus in on You. God You are what my world is all about. Learning, searching the scripture. Looking at what Your word says about my world. God help me to know You fully and deeply. Help me to see what is the truth from Your word. God thank You for being a ever present help in my time of need. Thank You as I go through these minutes of this day I can continually give You glory, honor and praise for the good, and the not so good in Jesus name amen.
God is both powerful and personal. He is a just King who sees everything and makes things right. David’s relationship shows trust in Him and that God is our safe place in times of trouble. He never forgets us, and
never walks away from those who seek Him.
God is faithful and He loves relationship with us.
That is a great quote from Eugene Peterson about Psalms!
13 Lord, see how my enemies persecute me!
I find myself often skipping over the Bible’s references to “enemies”. Thinking to myself that in this day and age, we don’t have mortal enemies trying to kill us. But I’ve started to slow down and started to think about this concept more deeply. Maybe I do have enemies? Maybe there are people who don’t have my best interests in mind and seek to inflict harm. Or at the very least will ignore my interests. I need to be more of aware of them. I need to ask God to deal with them. And I still do need to pray for them!