Overview

David praises God for the benefits which he has granted to Israel in general, and to himself in particular, Psalm 9:1-6. He encourages himself in the Lord, knowing that he will ever judge righteously, and be a refuge for the distressed, Psalm 9:7-10. He exhorts the people to praise God for his judgments, Psalm 9:11, Psalm 9:12; prays for mercy and support; and thanks God for his judgments executed upon the heathen, Psalm 9:13-16. He foretells the destruction of the ungodly, Psalm 9:17; prays for the poor and needy, and against their oppressors, Psalm 9:18-20.

Adam Clarke Commentatry

Psalm 9

Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Righteous Judgments

To the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David.

9I 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.

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.

Prayer for yourself and people on your prayer list…

• We give wholehearted thanks to you, Lord; we will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
• We will be glad and rejoice in you; we will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
• We pray that your Holy Spirit will inspire us to look to you in times of trouble
• We will only look to you for justice and deliverance
• There is no need for us to be anxious about the work of the wicked because you are ” known by His acts of justice; the wicked are ensnared by the works of their own hands.”
• Father, you never forget the needy, you do not ignore the cries of the afflicted; their hope will never perish.
• You, O Lord, reign forever; you have established your throne for judgment. You rule the world in righteousness and you judge the peoples with equity.
• You are our refuge and our strength, we trust in you.
• We will tell of all your wonderful deeds, now and forevermore

Amen

Meditation