Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Psalms Chapter 9 mean?

The introduction to this passage includes an extremely obscure reference, Muth-labben. This might refer to a song which was known in David’s time; the term literally means “the death of the son.” If so, it would mean this psalm was meant to be sung according to that tune. The use of the also-murky word higgaion (Psalm 9:16) suggests some connection to musical performance. Further, this psalm follows an acrostic pattern, beginning each section with a successive letter from the Hebrew alphabet.

Psalm 9 opens with David’s intention to praise the Lord joyfully for all His wonderful deeds. The acts David has in mind were probably military victories, by Israel, against her attackers. David remarks on the total victory possible through God’s power; this imagines enemies staggering in their effort to escape (Psalm 9:1–3).

In the same style, David also praises God as a sovereign dispenser of righteous judgment. The term “the nations” often refers to the Gentile people—those not part of the nation of Israel. In that way, it is often used as a symbol of the ungodly world. God’s destruction of those who reject Him, or oppose Him, is so thorough that it effectively erases their name from remembrance. Not even a memory of the wicked nations remains (Psalm 9:4–6).

Contrasting the annihilation of the wicked is God, forever in His position of power and status. From that vantage point, God administers justice and righteousness. David also describes God as a haven for those who are oppressed. The language here implies a high, fortified sanctuary. When the ungodly world attacks, those who have faith in the Lord can take refuge in Him. The Lord never forsakes or forgets those who belong to Him. Because of this, the natural reaction of God’s people should be praise (Psalm 9:7–12).

After celebrating God’s righteousness and justice, David calls on God to rescue him from enemies who hate him and place him in jeopardy of death. David’s plea here is trusting, even though he gives no reason for God to save him other than pure grace. This song directly connects God’s answer to prayer with instinctive praise from His people (Psalm 9:13–14).

David completes this psalm by previewing the total ruin of all who oppose God. All the wicked and all the nations that refuse to acknowledge God will perish. However, the needy will not be forgotten, and the hope of the poor will never perish. Though David is speaking of his own era, and his own experiences, this serves to foreshadow the total victory of Christ when He returns (Revelation 19:11–15). David closes Psalm 9 with the prayer that the Lord judge the nations, put them in fear, and remind them that they are simply men (Psalm 9:15–20).

Chapter Context
This is a thanksgiving song, where David shows appreciation for the Lord’s rescue. This shares similar themes to Psalm 10, though from a very different tone. Some scholars think Psalms 9 and 10 were originally a single work. This is part of the first section of the book of Psalms, including Psalms 1 through 41.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

David’s praise in this psalm seems focused on Israel’s victory over other nations who had attacked them (Psalm 9:3–6). The reference to whole-hearted thankfulness previews Jesus’ indication of the most important commandment (Matthew 22:34–40), found in Deuteronomy 6:5.

The practice of crediting the Lord with victory, not himself, was a consistent theme in David’s life. When he was just a youth, he battled Goliath, the Philistine giant. Though the king suited him with his armor, David could not go into battle so clothed because he had not tested the armor. Thus with only his staff, a sling, and five smooth stones, David approached Goliath and said, “I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel…This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand…For the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hand” (1 Samuel 17:45–47).

The same Lord gives victory to His people today. Paul writes: “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

The title for this passage includes an extremely obscure term, Muth-labben. There is another unique, possibly musical references given later in the psalm (Psalm 9:16). It’s possible that the word used in the introduction refers to a known song, and this psalm is meant to be sung using that tune.

Context Summary
Psalm 9:1–8 opens the song as David ascribes praise to God. He celebrates the Lord for saving him and his army from the nations that attacked him and his people. He recalls the triumph the Lord accomplished over the enemy. The victory evidenced the Lord’s righteous judgment and sovereignty. The nations perished but the Lord’s name lives forever.

Verse 2. I will be glad and exult in you;I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

David expresses his joy in the Lord. Already he has celebrated God’s actions (Psalm 9:1). Here, he is thankful for God Himself, and he finds in the Lord a source of great joy. This psalm acclaims God’s role in Israel defeating her attacking enemies (Psalm 9:3–6).

This verse addresses the Lord as “Most High.” This is the same name for God which Melchizedek used when he blessed Abram and praised God (Genesis 14:19–20). It is also the name Abram employed when he refused a reward offered by the King of Sodom. He rightly identified God as “God Most High” and described him as “Possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:22). When a believer perceives God as sovereign of heaven and earth, he will praise Him and rejoice in Him.

In Philippians 4:4 Paul repeatedly exhorts his readers to rejoice in the Lord. This came in the context of two women, Euodia and Syntyche, who were at odds with each other (Philippians 4:2–3). They needed to remove their attention from what divided them, focusing instead on the blessings they both had in the Lord.

Verse 3. When my enemies turn back,they stumble and perish before your presence.

The phrasing of this verse speaks of the present, but the events in question are in the past. This is a poetic choice, used in modern language even today. Depicting some dramatic event in history, a writer might switch to a present-tense narrative for the sake of drama. Context clarifies that David is celebrating past success, as the phrase “you have” occurs five times between verses 4 and 5.

God completely confounded David’s enemies. The imagery here is someone retreating in such a hurry that they trip and fall over themselves, and so are even more easily defeated. A similar depiction of absolute terror is presented in Psalm 21:12.

Throughout history enemies have tried to destroy the people of Israel, but the Lord has turned them back just as He turned David’s enemies back. Egypt tried to destroy God’s people, but God intervened and destroyed the Egyptian army at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:27–29). Both before David’s life (Judges 2:11–15), and after (Lamentations 1:1–9), God allowed Israel to suffer defeat and conquest because of their sin. However, they never faced annihilation.

During the tribulation period, Satan will try to destroy Israel, but will fail. The Lord will respond by destroying the beast and his armies (Revelation 12:7–17; 19:11—20:10). Zechariah 14:2 depicts all nations aligned against Jerusalem at the end of the tribulation period, but the Lord will fight against those nations and prevail (Zechariah 14:3). Then, Jesus will become king over all the earth (Zechariah 14:9).

Verse 4. For you have maintained my just cause;you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.

David is thankful that the Lord defended him against his enemies. Even so, David acknowledges that this is because his efforts were in line with the will of God. God established David to be king, and the one through whom the Messiah would come to save all people from their sin. The Lord would not let anyone or anything disrupt that plan. In that sense, David was on the “right side of history,” and his enemies were on the wrong side.

Psalms such as this acknowledge that God is fully sovereign. The Lord is depicted as regal, kingly, and in authority. This depiction comes in the context of Israel’s defeat of those who attacked the nation (Psalm 9:3). Not even those assaults could topple the Lord from His throne, and the total defeat of those enemies was part of God’s perfect judgment.

In the dawn of history, Lucifer tried to topple God from His throne and claim the throne for himself. He learned the hard way that God’s throne is established securely forever. God responded to Lucifer’s rebellion by casting him down from his privileged position. Isaiah 14:12 exclaims: “How you have fallen from heaven, O Day Star [Lucifer], son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!”

Verse 5. You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;you have blotted out their name forever and ever.

This establishes several of the great deeds (Psalm 9:1) for which David is giving thanks to God.

First, God “rebuked” these enemies of Israel. Built into the idea of a “rebuke” are concepts like correction, scolding, and reprimand. By thoroughly defeating these hostile nations (Psalm 9:3), the Lord strongly condemned their sins. He showed in a dramatic way that their aggression was wrong.

Second, God accomplished the physical destruction of these wicked armies. A drastic victory over invaders meant those forces would not survive to fight against Israel ever again.

Third, the Lord “blotted out their name forever and ever.” Blotting is the act of removing a stain: covering over, dissolving, or erasing it from existence. Used in a biblical context, the phrase “blot out” typically means a total annihilation of a person, place, or nation. As with other such phrases, it assumes a level of deliberate exaggeration, to make a point about the thoroughness of destruction. For example, Exodus 17:14 records the Lord’s words about Amalek after Joshua and his people defeated the Amalekites. The Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” In his message to the Jews gathered at Solomon’s portico, Peter urged them to repent and turn back to the Lord so their sins would be blotted out (Acts 3:19).

Verse 6. The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;their cities you rooted out;the very memory of them has perished.

The armies that attacked David and Israel gained nothing but lost everything. In His righteous judgment the Lord Most High brought them “to an end in everlasting ruins.” The Lord also uprooted the enemies’ cities and blotted out the memory of them forever (Psalm 9:3–5).

Although David is celebrating judgments in his past, these words preview a future judgment as well. Just as God overthrew the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, leaving them in ashes and smoke (Genesis 19:23–28), even so He will overthrow the cities of the nations that oppose Him and His people at the end of tribulation period. This is part of the end times. Revelation 16:19 reports: “The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.” Someday, cities that reveled in sin and opposed God will fade from memory.

Verse 7. But the Lord sits enthroned forever;he has established his throne for justice,

In contrast to enemies, whom the Lord completely obliterates (Psalm 9:3–6), God lives forever on His throne. David acknowledges that God is, has been, and always will be the Supreme Authority over all of creation. That rule is not only complete, but also completely good (Psalm 9:8).

In Psalm 93:2 the psalmist addresses the Lord saying, “Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.” Psalm 106:48 proclaims, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.” From His throne God “will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed [Jesus]; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

When Jesus ministered on earth, He demonstrated divinely perfect judgment, rooted in perfect knowledge. John 1:47 tells us Jesus commented on Nathanael when the future disciple was first approaching Him. When Nathanael asked Jesus how He knew him, Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you” (John 1:48). John 2:24¬–25 tells us Jesus did not entrust Himself to the Passover crowd “because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.”

Verse 8. and he judges the world with righteousness;he judges the peoples with uprightness.

This continues David’s praise of God for His perfect wisdom and judgment (Psalm 9:7). The depiction here agrees with other statements made in the book of Psalms (Psalm 96:10; 98:9).

God’s Son, Jesus Christ, shares the throne with the Father. Hebrews 1:8 declares, “But of the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.’” Someday, Jesus will rule the world and judge its inhabitants with uprightness, as David has already depicted of God in the previous verse. Matthew 25 pictures Jesus seated upon His throne and judging the Gentile nations. He will separate the sheep from the goats, and although many will contest His verdict of guilty, Jesus will provide evidence of their guilt.

Isaiah predicted Jesus’ righteous rule over all the earth. Isaiah 9:7 declares there will be no end to Jesus’ government and peace. From the throne of David, He will establish and maintain His kingdom with justice and righteousness forever. When He returns to earth, Jesus will rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15). Every knee will bow to Him, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:10–11).

Verse 9. The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,a stronghold in times of trouble.

David mentions “the oppressed” here, which implies people abused by those who exercise control over them. The Hebrew word implies something being crushed or harassed. Perhaps the abusers were political rulers or wealthy landowners.

God is identified as “a stronghold” for those abused in such ways. In Hebrew terminology, a “stronghold” was a high, safe, refuge. It was a place where people could seek security from attackers or enemies. The root word, in fact, most literally means “height.” David often resorted to strongholds during his wilderness exile, but he felt safest in his reliance on the Lord.

Echoing this sentiment, the sons of Korah write in Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 91:2 declares, “I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” When adversity is extreme, those who trust in the Lord can turn to the Lord for safety. He is infinitely more powerful than any abuser. The apostle John assures believers, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Context Summary
Psalm 9:9–20 turns David’s attention to various groups of people of Israel. He mentions the oppressed, those who trust in the Lord, the afflicted, the needy, and the poor. He sees the Lord as a safe, secure place, a God who is mindful of His people, and the supplier of hope to the poor.

Verse 10. And those who know your name put their trust in you,for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

The Lord is not a disinterested engineer who wound up the world and left it to unwind on its own. He is transcendent and mindful of the cares and concerns of His people. Therefore, those who know His name put their trust in Him. They are assured that God not only knows, but cares, when they are in pain.

David notes that God is with His people not just when everything is going smoothly. He is even there when trials buffet them. In Psalm 23, David testifies that the Lord is his shepherd. He is David’s shepherd when He makes him lie down in green pastures or leads him beside still waters. The Lord is also David’s shepherd in the valley of the shadow of death. David fears no evil because the Lord is with him (Psalm 23). Hebrews 13:5 assures believers that the Lord will never forsake them.

Verse 11. Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion!Tell among the peoples his deeds!

David invites the oppressed—those held down or crushed by others (Psalm 9:9)—to sing praises to God. The reason for celebration is that God is never detached from His people (Psalm 9:10).

This verse makes reference to the Lord’s throne in Zion. This is the name of a large hill on the southeastern side of Jerusalem. In prophetic literature, and the Psalms, Zion is often used as a reference to Jerusalem (Psalm 87:2–3). With Israel being God’s chosen people, and Jerusalem being the capital city of that nation, references to Zion also appear as metaphors for the kingdom of God (Hebrews 12:22; 1 Peter 2:6).

The ark of the covenant (Exodus 37:1–9) represented God’s presence. At the time this psalm was written, the ark was still in Jerusalem. Symbolically, then, David could exclaim that the Lord was “enthroned in Jerusalem.” Even in times of trouble God’s people can remember that God is firmly seated in authority and power. No one can thwart His will.

The Lord is good all the time. David exhorts God’s people to tell others about the Lord’s deeds. The deeds David refers to here in verse 11 are likely the wonderful acts the Lord performed on behalf of Israel (Psalm 9:1–6). This might have implied His deliverance of His people from Egypt and His miraculous provisions for them in the wilderness. However, the actions in question might be more personal: what God has done in the lives of the oppressed. Believers today should declare how much God has done for them (Luke 8:39; 1 Peter 2:9–10; 3:15; Romans 10:14–15).

Verse 12. For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

Revenge is not something those who believe in God should pursue: The Lord “settles the score” on behalf of His oppressed people (Romans 12:19). His is aware of their struggles (Psalm 9:9–10). The ultimate source of retribution for evil is not human revenge, it is God’s judgment (Deuteronomy 32:35; Hebrews 10:30).

Evidence that God does not forget the suffering of His people is given in the story of the exodus from Egypt. When the Lord appointed Moses to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt, He said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians” (Exodus 3:7–8). Instead of fretting about an oppressive situation, believers should heed Paul’s exhortation to make their requests known to God with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, and receive the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7– 8).

Verse 13. Be gracious to me, O Lord!See my affliction from those who hate me,O you who lift me up from the gates of death,

David’s terminology here is interesting: he emphasizes God’s grace in asking for deliverance from enemies. Either directly, or in general, David’s enemies were persecuting him, and he was at risk of dying. Rather than declaring to God that he deserves to be rescued, David asks the Lord to be gracious to him. The essential meaning of grace is to be given something we have not earned and do not deserve. While in other psalms David acknowledges that God has honored his obedience (Psalm 9:4; 18:20), in this case David simply asks for grace.

God is not someone believers can command. However, He is gracious and answers prayer when it is for His glory. David had seen God deliver him in the past, therefore he believes God will deliver him again.

The term “the gates of death” is found in Job 38:17, Psalm 107:18, and Isaiah 38:10. It echoes the idea of death as crossing some barrier or border, from which there is no escape. David believed the Lord could and would preserve his life. Believers need not fear death, because it ushers them into the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). The apostle Paul regarded death, for the born-again Christian, as gain (Philippians 1:21).

Verse 14. that I may recount all your praises,that in the gates of the daughter of ZionI may rejoice in your salvation.

Having prayed for deliverance from his enemies (Psalm 9:13), David anticipates praising the Lord in the tabernacle at Jerusalem for rescuing him. For David, the concepts of deliverance and praise are closely linked.

Believers should always praise the Lord for His protection and care. Unfortunately, a person may be quick to pray for deliverance from trouble, but slow to praise the Lord when He answers his prayer. Ten lepers met Jesus when He entered a village. They stood at a distance and shouted: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us” (Luke 17:13). At Jesus’ command, the lepers set out to show themselves to the priests. As they were on their way, their leprosy left them; they were healed. However, only one of the ten returned to Jesus to thank Him. Jesus asked, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17). Ingratitude is sinful. Paul tells the believers at Thessalonica, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Verse 15. The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.

This comes after a celebration of God’s care for His people and David’s plea for rescue (Psalm 9:12–13). Although David is writing about the fate of his enemies, his words have prophetic application.

According to Revelation 19:11–21, at the end of the tribulation, Jesus will descend from heaven, and ride on a white horse, a symbol of victory. He will strike down the nations that defied Him and persecuted the tribulation saints. Revelation 19:15 says, “He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” The beast (Revelation 13) and the kings of the earth with their armies assemble to battle Jesus, who is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and His army, but they will fail. Jesus will capture the beast and the false prophet and throw them into the lake of fire. All their followers will die by the sword that proceeds from Jesus’ mouth. Not one soul that opposes the Lord will survive.

Verse 16. The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment;the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

David acknowledges that God’s involvement in the world is not impossible to see (Romans 1:18–20). Especially in bringing defeat to Israel’s enemies, God has shown He is righteous.

Although this statement explicitly refers to what happened to David’s enemies, it relates to future judgment as well. At Jesus’ return to earth (Revelation 19:11–16), He will vindicate His people and punish the wicked (Jude 1:14–15). The wicked pursed a life of sin, and their sin will repay them with a bitter payoff (Romans 6:23).

Zechariah 14:1–2 foretells a day when the Lord gathers all nations against Jerusalem to battle. Their armies will capture the city, plunder it, and rape its women, but the Lord will “go out and fight against those nations” (Zechariah 14:3). The fate of those who so violently oppose God is clear: “The LORD will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths” (Zechariah 14:12).

This verse includes an obscure term, higgaion, which is not clearly understood. Most scholars believe it’s use here implies a musical instruction. The Hebrew word itself can imply whispering (Lamentations 3:62), meditation (Psalm 19:14), or something which “resounds,” such as music (Psalm 92:3). The use here, as what seems to be a set-apart term, is unique. This might be an indication of a particular kind of musical interlude. Since the introduction to this psalm may reference a tune to which these words are meant to be sung (Psalm 9:1), this seems likely.

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

As is explained throughout the Bible, those who reject God and pursue evil will end up in Sheol. As used in the Old Testament, Sheol means the grave, or the realm of the dead. Those who have opposed God will be left there, in some state of death and misery, as opposed to those who honor God and will be rescued from Sheol (Psalm 16:10; Hosea 13:14).

Later Scriptures provide more detail about the nature of death for those who defy the Lord. The realm of the dead is neither silent nor a place of unconscious existence. It is a place of painful memory and conscious suffering. Jesus told a story about a rich man who died and went to Hades, the New Testament designation of the place appointed for departed unbelievers. The rich man was fully conscious. He was suffering in anguish (Luke 16:24). He was separated from Paradise (Luke 16:23, 26). He had remorseful memory of his life on earth. Abraham told him to remember the disparity that existed on earth between him and the poor man Lazarus (Luke 16:25).

In hell, the wicked cannot look forward to a second chance. Their eternal fate is sealed, and they must suffer forever apart from God. When Jesus judges the nations at His second coming, He consigns them to eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46).

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

Contrary to the horrific fate of the wicked (Psalm 9:17), those who are needy won’t be abandoned by God or left in a state of eternal death. This verse forms a deliberate contrast to verse 17. Verse 17 refers to the nations that forget God, but this statement speaks of the needy who will not be forgotten. Both aspects of the contrast matter here: those whom God “remembers” are those who follow and honor Him. The wealthy unbelievers will still be held accountable, while even the poor who believe will be redeemed.

It is possible for the needy to feel forgotten when material struggles arise. But ultimately, God provides for His people, even when they struggle. He will come to their assistance, always, in spiritual ways, and often in material ways, as well. Furthermore, the poor who believe in Christ hope for a better life, and someday they will have it (Romans 8:28–30). The fulfillment of these aspirations awaits the establishment of Messiah’s kingdom on earth. Jesus promised, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20). In the kingdom age everyone will enjoy security and property rights. No one will be poor or needy. Micah 4:4 promises, “They shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.”

Verse 19. Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail;let the nations be judged before you!

David exclaims, “Arise O LORD.” When the Hebrews traveled through the Negev, the ark of the covenant went before them. Numbers 10:35 quotes Moses as saying, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” Like Moses, David recognized that God is all-powerful, but His enemies were weak. “Man,” as used here, means weak, frail human beings. David knew the Lord would not allow such enemies to have ultimate victory.

The prayer offered here is for God to judge “the nations.” This phrase is most commonly used in the Old Testament in reference to all people groups other than the nation of Israel. In other words, it is mostly a reference to Gentiles—non-Jews—and often serves as a symbolic reference to the ungodly world.

Someday the Lord Jesus Christ will judge the nations. He will judge in the sense of punishing them (Revelation 19:15–16). He will adjudicate by determining who will enter His earthly kingdom and who will perish. The judging will be based on how nations treated the saved Jews during the tribulation (Matthew 25:40). The saved Gentiles believed the saved Jews’ gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24:14), which provided sanctuary for them.

Verse 20. Put them in fear, O Lord!Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah

Apart from God, humanity is finite and frail. God created man from dust, and man will return to dust (Genesis 3:19). Human life is brief and tentative. The old must die soon, and the young may die at any time. Hebrews 9:27 assures us that every person has an appointment with death and after death with judgment. The apostle James pictures life as extremely brief. He asks, “What is your life” and answers, “For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14).

It is common for pride to inflate a person’s ego, while deflating his awareness of how much he needs God. Indeed, some philosophies teach that man can do whatever he dreams and is limited only by his imagination. In the closing verse of this psalm, David asks the Lord to put the nations—those outside the family of God—in fear and let them know they are only men. In other words, he prays for the Lord to put mankind in their place.

End of Psalm 9

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