1 [[To the chief Musician H5329 upon Muthlabben, H4192 H1121 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 I will praise H3034 thee, O LORD, H3068 with my whole heart; H3820 I will shew forth H5608 all thy marvellous works. H6381
2 I will be glad H8055 and rejoice H5970 in thee: I will sing praise H2167 to thy name, H8034 O thou most High. H5945
3 When mine enemies H341 are turned H7725 back, H268 they shall fall H3782 and perish H6 at thy presence. H6440
4 For thou hast maintained H6213 my right H4941 and my cause; H1779 thou satest H3427 in the throne H3678 judging H8199 right. H6664
5 Thou hast rebuked H1605 the heathen, H1471 thou hast destroyed H6 the wicked, H7563 thou hast put out H4229 their name H8034 for ever H5769 and ever. H5703
6 O thou enemy, H341 destructions H2723 are come to a perpetual H5331 end: H8552 and thou hast destroyed H5428 cities; H6145 H5892 their memorial H2143 is perished H6 with them. H1992
7 But the LORD H3068 shall endure H3427 for ever: H5769 he hath prepared H3559 his throne H3678 for judgment. H4941
8 And he shall judge H8199 the world H8398 in righteousness, H6664 he shall minister judgment H1777 to the people H3816 in uprightness. H4339
9 The LORD H3068 also will be a refuge H4869 for the oppressed, H1790 a refuge H4869 in times H6256 of trouble. H6869
10 And they that know H3045 thy name H8034 will put their trust H982 in thee: for thou, LORD, H3068 hast not forsaken H5800 them that seek H1875 thee.
11 Sing praises H2167 to the LORD, H3068 which dwelleth H3427 in Zion: H6726 declare H5046 among the people H5971 his doings. H5949
12 When he maketh inquisition H1875 for blood, H1818 he remembereth H2142 them: he forgetteth H7911 not the cry H6818 of the humble. H6035 H6041
13 Have mercy H2603 upon me, O LORD; H3068 consider H7200 my trouble H6040 which I suffer of them that hate H8130 me, thou that liftest me up H7311 from the gates H8179 of death: H4194
14 That I may shew forth H5608 all thy praise H8416 in the gates H8179 of the daughter H1323 of Zion: H6726 I will rejoice H1523 in thy salvation. H3444
15 The heathen H1471 are sunk down H2883 in the pit H7845 that they made: H6213 in the net H7568 which H2098 they hid H2934 is their own foot H7272 taken. H3920
16 The LORD H3068 is known H3045 by the judgment H4941 which he executeth: H6213 the wicked H7563 is snared H5367 in the work H6467 of his own hands. H3709 Higgaion. H1902 Selah. H5542
17 The wicked H7563 shall be turned H7725 into hell, H7585 and all the nations H1471 that forget H7913 God. H430
18 For the needy H34 shall not alway H5331 be forgotten: H7911 the expectation H8615 of the poor H6041 H6035 shall not perish H6 for ever. H5703
19 Arise, H6965 O LORD; H3068 let not man H582 prevail: H5810 let the heathen H1471 be judged H8199 in thy sight. H6440
20 Put H7896 them in fear, H4172 H4172 O LORD: H3068 that the nations H1471 may know H3045 themselves to be but men. H582 Selah. H5542
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 9
Commentary on Psalms 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 9
Ps 9:1-20. Upon Muthlabben, or, after the manner according to "death to the Son," by which some song was known, to whose air or melody the musician is directed to perform this Psalm. This mode of denoting a song by some prominent word or words is still common (compare Ps 22:1). The Psalmist praises God for deliverance from his enemies and celebrates the divine government, for providing security to God's people and punishment to the wicked. Thus encouraging himself, he prays for new occasions to recount God's mercies, and confident of His continued judgment on the wicked and vindication of the oppressed, he implores a prompt and efficient manifestation of the divine sovereignty.
1. Heartfelt gratitude will find utterance.
3-5. When … are turned back—It is the result of God's power alone. He, as a righteous Judge (Ps 7:11), vindicates His people. He rebukes by acts as well as words (Ps 6:1; 18:15), and so effectually as to destroy the names of nations as well as persons.
6. Literally, "As to the enemy finished are his ruins for ever. Thou [God] hast destroyed," &c. (1Sa 15:3, 7; 27:8, 9). The wicked are utterly undone. Their ruins shall never be repaired.
7, 8. God's eternal possession of a throne of justice is contrasted with the ruin of the wicked.
9, 10. The oppressed, and all who know Him (Ps 5:3; 7:1), find Him a sure refuge.
11. (Compare Ps 2:6; 3:4).
12. for blood—that is, murders (Ps 5:6), including all the oppressions of His people.
maketh inquisition—(compare Ge 9:5). He will avenge their cause.
13. gates—or, "regions."
of death—Gates being the entrance is put for the bounds.
14. gates … Zion—The enclosure of the city (compare Ps 48:12; Isa 23:12), or, church, as denoted by this phrase contrasted with that of death, carries out the idea of exaltation as well as deliverance. Signal favors should lead us to render signal and public thanks.
15, 16. The undesigned results of the devices of the wicked prove them to be of God's overruling or ordering, especially when those results are destructive to the wicked themselves.
16. Higgaion—means "meditation," and, combined with Selah, seems to denote a pause of unusual solemnity and emphasis (compare Ps 3:2). Though Selah occurs seventy-three times, this is the only case in which Higgaion is found. In the view which is given here of the retribution on the wicked as an instance of God's wise and holy ordering, we may well pause in adoring wonder and faith.
17. shall be turned—or, "shall turn," retreating under God's vengeance, and driven by Him to the extreme of destruction, even hell itself. Those who forget God are classed with the depraved and openly profane.
18. (Compare Ps 13:1-6).
the needy—literally, "poor," as deprived of anything; hence miserable.
expectation of the poor—or, "meek," "humble," made so by affliction.
19. Arise—(compare Ps 4:7).
let not man—(Ps 8:4).
let … be judged—and of course condemned.
20. By their effectual subjection, make them to realize their frail nature (Ps 8:4), and deter them from all conceit and future rebellion.