Psalm 9 returns to the theme of David lamenting his enemies, this time on the worldwide scale of the nations. However, he chooses to pause in the midst of his pain to look up.
Verses 1-2
David begins with an explosion of thanks and praise to God for who He is. The first two verses are charged with emotion and a sense of commitment to the Lord.
Verses 3-6
Moving from praise of God’s person to praise for His actions, David speaks of his enemies and God’s victory over them. He takes no praise for himself, but praises God for being a righteous judge. God leaves nothing behind. He wipes away the enemy, their cities, and their memory.
Verses 7-10
In this next stanza, David continues praising God, building on the truths of the first six verses. The Lord’s throne is eternal in the heavens. His rule is over all nations forever, but not as a tyrant. God is a fair ruler and a refuge for the oppressed in times of trouble. He is a leader people trust because of His track record. He is faithful and has not abandoned His own. This is important to remember in times of darkness. You may feel alone, but God is there. He will never leave you.
Verses 11-12
Verses 11 and 12 echo the previous thoughts with force. Even when God allows death to occur, He does not forget the afflicted. He takes an account of those who shed blood and brings judgment upon them. Not just physical blood either, but emotional and spiritual abuse too. God is not blind. He sees. We can take great comfort from this in our own suffering.
Verses 13-14
With the above in mind, David prays for rescue. He asks for God to remember his affliction. He pleads for grace, which leads to additional praise.
David never withholds or waits to praise God. While I might wait to see how God chooses to answer my request, David lifts up songs of thanks in the midst of his trial and trusts that God will come through for him. He demonstrates faith not tossed about by circumstances as James 1:5-7 instructs.
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways.
Verses 15-16
The next verses reveal a bit of God’s sense of humor. David rejoices that the nations have fallen, and reveals that it came about by their own hand. This seems to be a repeating theme in David’s writing. The nations are caught in their own nets. You reap what you sow!
Verses 17-18
David repeats that the wicked will perish and the oppressed will be remembered. This gives validation to our feelings of loneliness and abandonment, but shines on them with truth. God sees. He knows. And He will make all things new.
Verses 19-20
In closing, David pleads with God to act. God has His own timeline for bringing about justice, but He also hears the prayers of His saints. David ends with words applicable then and now,
Let the nations know they are only men.
Let us remember the same!
This post is Day 9 of the 31 Days of Journaling through the Psalms series. If you would like to read the first post, Psalm 1: The Wise and the Wicked, click here. The introduction to the series can be found here.
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