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Psalm 9

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune “Death of the Son.”

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
    I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
I will be filled with joy because of you.
    I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.

My enemies retreated;
    they staggered and died when you appeared.
For you have judged in my favor;
    from your throne you have judged with fairness.
You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
    you have erased their names forever.
The enemy is finished, in endless ruins;
    the cities you uprooted are now forgotten.

But the Lord reigns forever,
    executing judgment from his throne.
He will judge the world with justice
    and rule the nations with fairness.
The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,
    a refuge in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name trust in you,
    for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

11 Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem.[a]
    Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.
12 For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless.
    He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.

13 Lord, have mercy on me.
    See how my enemies torment me.
    Snatch me back from the jaws of death.
14 Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem’s gates,
    so I can rejoice that you have rescued me.

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others.
    Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.
16 The Lord is known for his justice.
    The wicked are trapped by their own deeds. Quiet Interlude[b]

17 The wicked will go down to the grave.[c]
    This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.
18 But the needy will not be ignored forever;
    the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed.

19 Arise, O Lord!
    Do not let mere mortals defy you!
    Judge the nations!
20 Make them tremble in fear, O Lord.
    Let the nations know they are merely human. Interlude

Footnotes

  1. 9:11 Hebrew Zion; also in 9:14.
  2. 9:16 Hebrew Higgaion Selah. The meaning of this phrase is uncertain.
  3. 9:17 Hebrew to Sheol.

Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Righteous Judgments

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

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and (A)rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, (B)O Most High.

When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
You have rebuked the [b]nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have (C)blotted out their name forever and ever.

O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has (D)perished.
(E)But the Lord shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
(F)He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

The Lord also will be a (G)refuge[c] for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
10 And those who (H)know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

11 Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
(I)Declare His deeds among the people.
12 (J)When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the [d]humble.

13 Have mercy on me, O Lord!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of [e]the daughter of Zion.
I will (K)rejoice in Your salvation.

15 (L)The [f]nations have sunk down in the pit which they made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
16 The Lord is (M)known by the judgment He executes;
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.
(N)Meditation.[g] Selah

17 The wicked shall be turned into hell,
And all the [h]nations (O)that forget God.
18 (P)For the needy shall not always be forgotten;
(Q)The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever.

19 Arise, O Lord,
Do not let man prevail;
Let the [i]nations be judged in Your sight.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord,
That the [j]nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 9:1 Heb. Muth Labben
  2. Psalm 9:5 Gentiles
  3. Psalm 9:9 Lit. secure height
  4. Psalm 9:12 afflicted
  5. Psalm 9:14 Jerusalem
  6. Psalm 9:15 Gentiles
  7. Psalm 9:16 Heb. Higgaion
  8. Psalm 9:17 Gentiles
  9. Psalm 9:19 Gentiles
  10. Psalm 9:20 Gentiles

A Psalm of Thanksgiving for God’s Justice.

To the Chief Musician; on [a]Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

I will give thanks and praise the Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell aloud all Your wonders and marvelous deeds.

I will rejoice and exult in you;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.


When my enemies turn back,
They stumble and perish before You.

For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You have sat on the throne judging righteously.

You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked and unrepentant;
You have wiped out their name forever and ever.

The enemy has been cut off and has vanished in everlasting ruins,
You have uprooted their cities;
The very memory of them has perished.


But the Lord will remain and sit enthroned forever;
He has prepared and established His throne for judgment.(A)

And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the nations with fairness (equity).(B)

The Lord also will be a refuge and a stronghold for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble;
10 
And those who know Your name [who have experienced Your precious mercy] will put their confident trust in You,
For You, O Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You.(C)

11 
Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion;
Declare among the peoples His [great and wondrous] deeds.
12 
For He who avenges blood [unjustly shed] remembers them (His people);
He does not forget the cry of the afflicted and abused.
13 
Have mercy on me and be gracious to me, O Lord;
See how I am afflicted by those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
14 
That I may tell aloud all Your praises,
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion (Jerusalem)
I may rejoice in Your salvation and Your help.
15 
The nations have sunk down in the pit which they have made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 
The Lord has made Himself known;
He executes judgment;
The wicked are trapped by the work of their own hands. Higgaion (meditation) Selah.

17 
The wicked will turn to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead),
Even all the nations who forget God.
18 
For the poor will not always be forgotten,
Nor the hope of the burdened perish forever.
19 
Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail;
Let the nations be judged before You.
20 
Put them in [reverent] [b]fear of You, O Lord,
So that the nations may know they are but [frail and mortal] men. Selah.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 9:1 A transliteration of the Hebrew, whose meaning is unknown. Possibly referring to a tune titled “Death to the Son.” Perhaps for soprano voices.
  2. Psalm 9:20 The “fear” of God is a common concept in the OT, but is difficult to translate into English. It is not simply a matter of “fear” in the modern English sense. Nor is it only a sentiment of deep reverence. It implies obedience, as well.