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Psalm 9[a]

Thanksgiving for Victory and Prayer for Justice

For the leader; according to Muth Labben.[b] A psalm of David.

I

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
    I will declare all your wondrous deeds.
I will delight and rejoice in you;
    I will sing hymns to your name, Most High.
When my enemies turn back,
    they stumble and perish before you.

II

For you upheld my right and my cause,
    seated on your throne, judging justly.
You rebuked the nations, you destroyed the wicked;
    their name you blotted out for all time.(A)
The enemies have been ruined forever;
    you destroyed their cities;
    their memory has perished.

III

The Lord rules forever,
    has set up his throne for judgment.
It is he who judges the world with justice,(B)
    who judges the peoples with fairness.
10 The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.(C)
11 Those who know your name trust in you;
    you never forsake those who seek you, Lord.

IV

12 Sing hymns to the Lord enthroned on Zion;
    proclaim his deeds among the nations!
13 For the avenger of bloodshed remembers,
    does not forget the cry of the afflicted.(D)

V

14 Be gracious to me, Lord;
    see how my foes afflict me!
    You alone can raise me from the gates of death.(E)
15 Then I will declare all your praises,
    sing joyously of your salvation
    in the gates of daughter Zion.[c]

VI

16 The nations fall into the pit they dig;
    in the snare they hide, their own foot is caught.
17 [d]The Lord is revealed in making judgments:
    by the deeds they do the wicked are trapped.(F)
Higgaion. Selah

VII

18 To Sheol the wicked will depart,
    all the nations that forget God.
19 For the needy will never be forgotten,
    nor will the hope of the afflicted ever fade.(G)
20 Arise, Lord, let no mortal prevail;
    let the nations be judged in your presence.
21 Strike them with terror, Lord;
    show the nations they are only human.
Selah

Footnotes

  1. Psalms 9–10 Ps 9 and Ps 10 in the Hebrew text have been transmitted as separate poems but they actually form a single acrostic poem and are so transmitted in the Greek and Latin tradition. Each verse of the two Psalms begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet (though several letters have no corresponding stanza). The Psalm states loosely connected themes: the rescue of the helpless poor from their enemies, God’s worldwide judgment and rule over the nations, the psalmist’s own concern for rescue (Ps 9:14–15).
  2. 9:1 Muth Labben: probably the melodic accompaniment of the Psalm, now lost.
  3. 9:15 Daughter Zion: an ancient Near Eastern city could sometimes be personified as a woman or a queen, the spouse of the god of the city.
  4. 9:17 The Lord is revealed in making judgments: God has so made the universe that the wicked are punished by the very actions they perform. Selah: see note on Ps 3:3.

God’s Power and Justice

To the choirmaster: according to Muthlabben. A Psalm of David.

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
    I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in thee,
    I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High.

When my enemies turned back,
    they stumbled and perished before thee.
For thou hast maintained my just cause;
    thou hast sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.

Thou hast rebuked the nations, thou hast destroyed the wicked;
    thou hast blotted out their name for ever and ever.
The enemy have vanished in everlasting ruins;
    their cities thou hast rooted out;
    the very memory of them has perished.

But the Lord sits enthroned for ever,
    he has established his throne for judgment;
and he judges the world with righteousness,
    he judges the peoples with equity.

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know thy name put their trust in thee,
    for thou, O Lord, hast not forsaken those who seek thee.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
    Tell among the peoples his deeds!
12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
    he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

13 Be gracious to me, O Lord!
    Behold what I suffer from those who hate me,
    O thou who liftest me up from the gates of death,
14 that I may recount all thy praises,
    that in the gates of the daughter of Zion
    I may rejoice in thy deliverance.

15 The nations have sunk in the pit which they made;
    in the net which they hid has their own foot been caught.
16 The Lord has made himself known, he has executed judgment;
    the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.Higgaion. Selah

17 The wicked shall depart to Sheol,
    all the nations that forget God.

18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
    and the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever.

19 Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail;
    let the nations be judged before thee!
20 Put them in fear, O Lord!
    Let the nations know that they are but men!Selah

Thanksgiving to God for His Justice[a]

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
    I will tell of all the wonderful things you have done.
I will sing with joy because of you.
    I will sing praise to you, Almighty God.

My enemies turn back when you appear;
    they fall down and die.
You are fair and honest in your judgments,
    and you have judged in my favor.

You have condemned the heathen
    and destroyed the wicked;
    they will be remembered no more.
Our enemies are finished forever;
    you have destroyed their cities,
    and they are completely forgotten.

But the Lord is king forever;
    he has set up his throne for judgment.
He rules the world with righteousness;
    he judges the nations with justice.

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
    a place of safety in times of trouble.
10 Those who know you, Lord, will trust you;
    you do not abandon anyone who comes to you.

11 Sing praise to the Lord, who rules in Zion!
    Tell every nation what he has done!
12 God remembers those who suffer;
    he does not forget their cry,
    and he punishes those who wrong them.

13 (A)Be merciful to me, O Lord!
    See the sufferings my enemies cause me!
Rescue me from death, O Lord,
14     that I may stand before the people of Jerusalem
    and tell them all the things for which I praise you.
I will rejoice because you saved me.

15 The heathen have dug a pit and fallen in;
    they have been caught in their own trap.
16 The Lord has revealed himself by his righteous judgments,
    and the wicked are trapped by their own deeds.

17 Death is the destiny of all the wicked,
    of all those who reject God.
18 The needy will not always be neglected;
    the hope of the poor will not be crushed forever.

19 Come, Lord! Do not let anyone defy you!
    Bring the heathen before you
    and pronounce judgment on them.
20 Make them afraid, O Lord;
    make them know that they are only mortal beings.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 9:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by David.

Thanksgiving for God’s Justice.

For the music director; on [a]Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

I will give thanks to the Lord with all (A)my heart;
I will (B)tell of all Your [b]wonders.
I will rejoice and be (C)jubilant in You;
I will (D)sing praise to Your name, O (E)Most High.

When my enemies turn back,
They stumble and (F)perish before You.
For You have (G)maintained [c]my just cause;
You have sat on the throne [d](H)judging righteously.
You have (I)rebuked the nations, You have eliminated the wicked;
You have (J)wiped out their name forever and ever.
[e]The enemy has come to an end in everlasting ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very (K)memory of them has perished.

But the (L)Lord [f]sits as King forever;
He has established His (M)throne for judgment,
And He will (N)judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples fairly.
[g]The Lord will also be a (O)stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
10 And [h]those who (P)know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, Lord, have not (Q)abandoned those who seek You.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who (R)dwells in Zion;
(S)Declare His deeds among the peoples.
12 For (T)He who [i]requires blood remembers them;
He does not forget (U)the cry of the needy.
13 Be gracious to me, Lord;
See my oppression from those (V)who hate me,
You who (W)lift me up from the gates of death,
14 So that I may tell of (X)all Your praises,
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion
I may (Y)rejoice in Your [j]salvation.
15 The nations have sunk down (Z)into the pit which they have made;
In the (AA)net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 The Lord has (AB)made Himself known;
He has (AC)executed judgment.
A wicked one is ensnared in the work of his own hands. [k]Higgaion Selah

17 The wicked will [l](AD)return to [m]Sheol,
All the nations who (AE)forget God.
18 For the (AF)needy will not always be forgotten,
Nor the (AG)hope of the afflicted perish forever.
19 (AH)Arise, Lord, do not let mankind prevail;
Let the nations be (AI)judged before You.
20 Put them (AJ)in fear, Lord;
Let the nations know that they are (AK)merely human. Selah

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 9 Title Meaning of the Heb uncertain
  2. Psalm 9:1 Or miracles
  3. Psalm 9:4 Lit my right and my cause
  4. Psalm 9:4 Or a righteous Judge
  5. Psalm 9:6 Or O enemy, desolations are finished forever; And their cities You have uprooted
  6. Psalm 9:7 Or remains forever
  7. Psalm 9:9 Or Let the Lord also be
  8. Psalm 9:10 Or let those...name put
  9. Psalm 9:12 I.e., avenges bloodshed
  10. Psalm 9:14 Or deliverance
  11. Psalm 9:16 Perhaps, resounding music or meditation
  12. Psalm 9:17 Or turn
  13. Psalm 9:17 I.e., the netherworld

Psalm 9[a][b]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;(A)
    I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.(B)
I will be glad and rejoice(C) in you;
    I will sing the praises(D) of your name,(E) O Most High.

My enemies turn back;
    they stumble and perish before you.
For you have upheld my right(F) and my cause,(G)
    sitting enthroned(H) as the righteous judge.(I)
You have rebuked the nations(J) and destroyed the wicked;
    you have blotted out their name(K) for ever and ever.
Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,
    you have uprooted their cities;(L)
    even the memory of them(M) has perished.

The Lord reigns forever;(N)
    he has established his throne(O) for judgment.
He rules the world in righteousness(P)
    and judges the peoples with equity.(Q)
The Lord is a refuge(R) for the oppressed,(S)
    a stronghold in times of trouble.(T)
10 Those who know your name(U) trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken(V) those who seek you.(W)

11 Sing the praises(X) of the Lord, enthroned in Zion;(Y)
    proclaim among the nations(Z) what he has done.(AA)
12 For he who avenges blood(AB) remembers;
    he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.(AC)

13 Lord, see how my enemies(AD) persecute me!
    Have mercy(AE) and lift me up from the gates of death,(AF)
14 that I may declare your praises(AG)
    in the gates of Daughter Zion,(AH)
    and there rejoice in your salvation.(AI)

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;(AJ)
    their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.(AK)
16 The Lord is known by his acts of justice;
    the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.[c](AL)
17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,(AM)
    all the nations that forget God.(AN)
18 But God will never forget the needy;
    the hope(AO) of the afflicted(AP) will never perish.

19 Arise,(AQ) Lord, do not let mortals triumph;(AR)
    let the nations be judged(AS) in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror,(AT) Lord;
    let the nations know they are only mortal.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 may originally have been a single acrostic poem in which alternating lines began with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they constitute one psalm.
  2. Psalm 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1-20 is numbered 9:2-21.
  3. Psalm 9:16 The Hebrew has Higgaion and Selah (words of uncertain meaning) here; Selah occurs also at the end of verse 20.