Bible Commentaries
Psalms 9

Verses 1-20

Psalms 9

THANKSGIVING AFTER VICTORY

Verses 1-20:

A Resolve To Praise God

Verse 1 states the strong resolve of David to praise God (the

Lord) with his whole heart, with no restraint of affections. with an undivided or unhypocritical heart, not as Pharisees did, who used lying words, Mark 7:6-9. Man’s heart must be the source of origin of true worship and praise, not the mere organ of the tongue. David vowed to witness of all the marvellous works of God in the universe. Man should be the choir-leader of the universe in praising God, above nature and all other creatures of creation, Psalms 150:6.

Verse 2 reiterates David’s resolve to 1) be glad, 2) rejoice in, and 3) sing praise or adoration to the name of the "most High," or exalted and living God. This he was determined to do because God had manifested himself above all his enemies who had set themselves against Him. David rejoiced not only in what God had done for him but also because of who He was, Psalms 4:7; Ecclesiastes 5:8.

Verses 3-6 indicate David’s faith in the Lord’s future care and blessings because of the help he had received from Him in the past. God had "maintained" David’s throne, "right and cause," against his enemies in the past; From the fall of the defiant giant Goliath to this hour the most High God had "rebuked the heathen" or nations, destroyed the wicked, "wicked ones" putting out their name forever. At "the presence" of the "most High" in judgment the wicked fall in confusion, John 18:3-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Psalms 106:9; Psalms 68:30.
Verse 6 is a direct address to the enemy or adversary (Satan) in the court of Divine justice against men. The Lord, our advocate, causes and shall cause his and their destruction, perpetually, who have destroyed people and cities of the righteous, as the Amalekltes had against Saul and David, Zechariah 3:1-2; 2 Samuel 8:12; Romans 16:20; Revelation 12:11. All enemies of the righteous and their memorials shall perish.

Verses 7, 8 affirm that Jehovah God shall endure forever, in contrast with the perishing of His adversary. And He has prepared His throne for final judgment, of both the righteous and the wicked, 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15; Psalms 102:12; Psalms 102:26; Hebrews 1:11. The Lord will also judge the world in righteousness from the beginning of the Millennial, continuing forever in contrast with the "short time" duration of His enemy, Revelation 12:12; Psalms 96:13; Psalms 98:9; Acts 17:31; Luke 1:31-33; Daniel 7:14; Daniel 7:27; Revelation 11:15; 1 Corinthians 15:24.

Verses 9, 10 disclose that God is and will ever be a refuge for the troubled, in every time of trouble. On Him men may cast all their cares and in Him they may place their trust with sure safety, 1 Peter 5:7; Hebrews 13:5; Proverbs 3:3-5. They who know Him and His holy name of honor shall ever be safe by putting their trust in Him, as declared Psalms 2:12; See also John 17:3; 2 Corinthians 4:6.

Verse 11 calls upon the righteous to sing praises to the Lord God Jehovah who dwells in Zion, the city of God. They are to have as content of their singing what the Lord "has done," among them, Psalms 107:2; Psalms 107:8-9.

Verse 12 states that when the Lord makes inquisition or retribution for blood, as set forth in the Word, Genesis 9:5; He remembers those who trust in Him, v.10. He never forgets or ignores the cry of the humble and the oppressed, v.9; Luke 18:14.

Verses 13, 14 relate David’s direct cry to the Lord to have mercy on him, consider his trouble, arid his suffering at the hand of those who hated him. He called the Lord his "lifter up" from the gates of death, continually, Psalms 34:7. This mercy he desired in order that he might show forth all kinds of praise, in song, testimony, and musical praise to the Lord in the gates of Zion, the city of the daughters of Jerusalem; He resolved to rejoice in the Lord’s salvation or deliverance, as set forth Psalms 13:5; Psalms 20:5; Psalms 21:1; Psalms 35:9; 1 Samuel 2:1; Isaiah 37:12.

Verse 15 further discloses that the heathen are entrapped and sunk into the very pit that they had themselves made to try to harm the people of God, Ezra 7:9-10; Psalms 37:35-36; Daniel 6:24.

Verse 16 adds that the Lord is known or recognized by the (just) judgment that He executes. The wicked is snared (caused to be entrapped) by and in the deceitful work of his own hands. The double term Higgaion and Selah follow, meaning pause for a long reflection and meditation on the just judgment of God upon the treacherously wicked, Exodus 7:5; Ezekiel 37:28; Psalms 19:14; Psalms 92:3; La 3:16.

Verse 17 discloses that the wicked, "wicked one," and wicked ones will be separated from their temporary prosperity in this world into an express locality called hell, (Heb Sheol), the place of restless repository of the souls of the damned, Mark 16:16; This lower region is for the Devil, his angels, and those of all nations who "forget God," in willfully ignoring the God of judgments, Job 8:13; Psalms 50:22; Psalms 106:13; Psalms 106:21; Jeremiah 2:32; Hosea 2:13.

Verse 18 assures that "the needy shall not always be forgotten," as they often seem to be among the prosperous wicked today, in this sinful age, as also assured Psalms 12:5; Philippians 1:20. A parallel assurance follows that the "sure hope" of the poor, among the righteous shall not perish or fade away forever, Psalms 72:4; Proverbs 23:18; Proverbs 21:4.

Verses 19, 20 call upon the Lord to arise or "rise up," as a judge to pronounce sentence or judgment, and let no mean, weak, mortal, depraved man prevail in his weakness. David exhorts the Lord to let the heathen be judged, those now before the eyes of the Lord. He further calls on the Lord to "put them in a state of fear," of panic, that the nations (heathen) may know or recognize themselves to be but anemic men;" This too is concluded with "Selah," meaning pause, meditate or digest this. Such judgment awaits the wicked whether King, President, Potentate, Dictator, or pauper. All such Christ rejecters shall be cast into hell, as simple unbelievers, disobedient rebels against God who will not have him rule over them, but have resolved to be "King of the hill," do "their own thing," in anarchy against the Giver of Life and grace, the Lord Jesus Christ, Luke 19:14; John 5:45; Psalms 109:6.