Psalm 9
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Celebration of God’s Justice
For the choir director: according to Muth-labben. A psalm of David.
9 I will thank the Lord with all my heart;
I will declare all your wondrous works.(A)
2 I will rejoice and boast about you;(B)
I will sing about your name, Most High.(C)
3 When my enemies retreat,
they stumble and perish before you.(D)
4 For you have upheld my just cause;(E)
you are seated on your throne as a righteous judge.(F)
5 You have rebuked the nations:(G)
You have destroyed the wicked;(H)
you have erased their name for ever and ever.(I)
6 The enemy has come to eternal ruin;
you have uprooted the cities,
and the very memory of them has perished.(J)
7 But the Lord sits enthroned for ever;(K)
he has established his throne for judgement.(L)
8 And he judges the world with righteousness;
he executes judgement on the nations with fairness.(M)
9 The Lord is a refuge for the persecuted,
a refuge in times of trouble.(N)
10 Those who know your name trust in you
because you have not abandoned
those who seek you, Lord.(O)
11 Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Zion;(P)
proclaim his deeds among the nations.(Q)
12 For the one who seeks an accounting
for bloodshed remembers them;(R)
he does not forget the cry of the oppressed.(S)
13 Be gracious to me, Lord;
consider my affliction at the hands of those who hate me.(T)
Lift me up from the gates of death,(U)
14 so that I may declare all your praises.
I will rejoice in your salvation(V)
within the gates of Daughter Zion.
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they made;
their foot is caught in the net they have concealed.(W)
16 The Lord has made himself known;
he has executed justice,(X)
snaring the wicked
by the work of their hands.(Y) Higgaion. Selah
17 The wicked will return to Sheol(Z) –
all the nations that forget God.(AA)
18 For the needy will not always be forgotten;
the hope of the oppressed[a] will not perish for ever.(AB)
19 Rise up, Lord! Do not let mere humans prevail;
let the nations be judged in your presence.(AC)
20 Put terror in them, Lord;(AD)
let the nations know they are only humans.(AE) Selah
Footnotes
- 9:18 Alt Hb tradition reads humble
Psalm 9
Easy-to-Read Version
[a] To the director: Use the Alamoth of Ben.[b] A song of David.
9 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart.
I will tell about the wonderful things you have done.
2 You make me happy, so I will rejoice in you.
God Most High, I praise your name.
3 My enemies turned to run from you,
but they fell and were destroyed.
4 You listened to me from your throne like a good judge,
and you decided that I was right.
5 You told the nations how wrong they were.
You destroyed those evil people.
You erased their names from our memory forever and ever.
6 The enemy is finished!
You destroyed their cities.
There is nothing left to remind us of them.
7 The Lord set up his throne to bring justice,
and he will rule forever.
8 He judges everyone on earth fairly.
He judges all nations honestly.
9 Many people are suffering—
crushed by the weight of their troubles.
But the Lord is a refuge for them,
a safe place they can run to.
10 Lord, those who know your name
come to you for protection.
And when they come,
you do not leave them without help.
11 Sing praises to the Lord, who sits as King in Zion.[c]
Tell the nations about the great things he has done.
12 He punishes murderers
and remembers those who are in need.
When suffering people cry for help,
he does not ignore them.
13 I said this prayer: “Lord, be kind to me.
See how my enemies are hurting me.
Save me from the ‘gates of death.’
14 Then, at the gates of Jerusalem,[d] I can sing praises to you.
I will be so happy because you saved me.”
15 Those other nations have fallen into the pit they dug to catch others.
They have been caught in their own trap.
16 The Lord showed that he judges fairly.
The wicked were caught by what they did to hurt others. Higgayon[e] Selah
17 The wicked will go to the place of death,
as will all the nations that forget God.
18 It may seem that those who are poor and needy have been forgotten,
but God will not forget them.
He will not leave them without hope.
19 Lord, get up[f] and judge the nations.
Don’t let anyone think they can win against you.
20 Teach them a lesson, Lord.
Let them know they are only human. Selah
Footnotes
- Psalm 9:1 Psalm 9 In many Hebrew copies and in the ancient Greek version, Psalms 9 and 10 are combined as one psalm.
- Psalm 9:1 Psalm 9 Alamoth of Ben This might be the name of a tune, “On the Death of the Son,” a music style, or one of the orchestral groups in the Temple. See 1 Chron. 15:20.
- Psalm 9:11 Sing … Zion Or “Inhabitants of Zion, sing praises to the Lord.” See “Zion” in the Word List.
- Psalm 9:14 Jerusalem Literally, “daughter Zion.” See “Zion” in the Word List.
- Psalm 9:16 Higgayon Or “Meditation.” Together with Selah this may mean a time to pause and think quietly.
- Psalm 9:19 Lord, get up The people said this when they lifted the Box of the Agreement and took it into battle, showing that God was with them. See Num. 10:35-36. Also in Ps. 10:12.
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