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
Let them be confounded H954 and troubled H926 for ever; H5703 yea, let them be put to shame, H2659 and perish: H6 That men may know H3045 that thou, whose name H8034 alone is JEHOVAH, H3068 art the most high H5945 over all the earth. H776
The righteous H6662 shall rejoice H8055 when he seeth H2372 the vengeance: H5359 he shall wash H7364 his feet H6471 in the blood H1818 of the wicked. H7563 So that a man H120 shall say, H559 Verily there is a reward H6529 for the righteous: H6662 verily he is H3426 a God H430 that judgeth H8199 in the earth. H776
For I will defend H1598 this city, H5892 to save H3467 it, for mine own sake, and for my servant H5650 David's H1732 sake. And it came to pass that night, H3915 that the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 went out, H3318 and smote H5221 in the camp H4264 of the Assyrians H804 an hundred H3967 fourscore H8084 and five H2568 thousand: H505 and when they arose early H7925 in the morning, H1242 behold, they were all dead H4191 corpses. H6297
And he smote H5221 the men H376 of Bethshemesh, H1053 because they had looked H7200 into the ark H727 of the LORD, H3068 even he smote H5221 of the people H5971 fifty H2572 thousand H505 and threescore and ten H7657 men: H582 and the people H5971 lamented, H56 because the LORD H3068 had smitten H5221 many of the people H5971 with a great H1419 slaughter. H4347 And the men H582 of Bethshemesh H1053 said, H559 Who is able H3201 to stand H5975 before H6440 this holy H6918 LORD H3068 God? H430 and to whom shall he go up H5927 from us?
For we have heard H8085 how the LORD H3068 dried up H3001 the water H4325 of the Red H5488 sea H3220 for you, H6440 when ye came out H3318 of Egypt; H4714 and what ye did H6213 unto the two H8147 kings H4428 of the Amorites, H567 that were on the other side H5676 Jordan, H3383 Sihon H5511 and Og, H5747 whom ye utterly destroyed. H2763 And as soon as we had heard H8085 these things, our hearts H3824 did melt, H4549 neither did there remain H6965 any more courage H7307 in any man, H376 because H6440 of you: for the LORD H3068 your God, H430 he is God H430 in heaven H8064 above, H4605 and in earth H776 beneath.
So that the generation H1755 to come H314 of your children H1121 that shall rise up H6965 after H310 you, and the stranger H5237 that shall come H935 from a far H7350 land, H776 shall say, H559 when they see H7200 the plagues H4347 of that land, H776 and the sicknesses H8463 which the LORD H3068 hath laid H2470 upon it; And that the whole land H776 thereof is brimstone, H1614 and salt, H4417 and burning, H8316 that it is not sown, H2232 nor beareth, H6779 nor any grass H6212 groweth H5927 therein, like the overthrow H4114 of Sodom, H5467 and Gomorrah, H6017 Admah, H126 and Zeboim, H6636 which the LORD H3068 overthrew H2015 in his anger, H639 and in his wrath: H2534 Even all nations H1471 shall say, H559 Wherefore hath the LORD H3068 done H6213 thus unto this land? H776 what meaneth the heat H2750 of this great H1419 anger? H639 Then men shall say, H559 Because they have forsaken H5800 the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers, H1 which he made H3772 with them when he brought them forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt: H4714 For they went H3212 and served H5647 other H312 gods, H430 and worshipped H7812 them, gods H430 whom they knew H3045 not, and whom he had not given H2505 unto them: And the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 against this land, H776 to bring H935 upon it all the curses H7045 that are written H3789 in this book: H5612 And the LORD H3068 rooted H5428 them out of their land H127 in anger, H639 and in wrath, H2534 and in great H1419 indignation, H7110 and cast H7993 them into another H312 land, H776 as it is this day. H3117
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.