In our study of Psalm 9, we look at the fact that God is active in the lives of each and every one of His children. That personal care should be another reason why we sing praises to Him just as David does here.
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For the director of music. To the tune of 'The Death of the Son.' A psalm of David.
For the leader. On the death of Labben. A psalm of David: I give thanks to Adonai with all my heart. I will tell about all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you. I will sing praise to your name, ‘Elyon.
In Psalm 8, we saw David sing praise to God for the wonder of His creation and the elevation of mankind to the role of caretaker. The name that David uses here is El Elyon and it speaks of the fact that God has authority of all things as He is the Creator of everything.
When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before you. For you upheld my cause as just, sitting on the throne as the righteous judge.
We saw David praise God for granting mankind the role of caretaker but, now, David's praise gets personal. He praises God for His active role in the life of His child as He fought on behalf of David and his enemies were defeated. This song shows us one of the things that makes us, as Christians, unique and that is the personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Many religions have a "god" that sits on a throne and is detached from the affairs of men but only through Jesus is it possible to have the personal touch of the one and only true God in our daily lives. In Christ, we have more reason to sing songs of praise than anyone in the world because we know that God is active in our lives in a personal way. That, my friends, is amazing!
You rebuked the nations, destroyed the wicked, blotted out their name forever and ever. The enemy is finished, in ruins forever; you destroyed their cities; all memory of them is lost.
When God grants us victory, it is total victory as we see in this passage. As the Creator, He is the only one with the authority to destroy and blot out their name. He grants us victory today in Jesus Christ!
But Adonai is enthroned forever; he has set up his throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness; he will judge the peoples fairly.
God also grants us the eternal victory with Him as He will reign and live with us. This is what John described in Revelation 21. It is wonderful to remember that He knows each and every one of us personally.
Adonai is a stronghold for the oppressed, a tower of strength in times of trouble. Those who know your name put their trust in you, for you have not abandoned those who seek you, Adonai.
God has never turned His back on His people and we can rest assured that He will never leave us. When we are faced with trials and troubles, He is our peace and rest.
Sing praises to Adonai, who lives in Tziyon; proclaim his deeds among the peoples. For the avenger of blood remembers them, he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted:
Those that seek to harm God's people should tremble at this passage. When God's people cry out to Him, He hears and acts on their behalf. David praised God for this and we can too.
“Have mercy on me, Adonai! See how I suffer from those who hate me; you raise me from the gates of death, so that I can proclaim all your praises at the gates of the daughter of Tziyon and rejoice in this deliverance of yours.”
David cries for God's mercy in hopes of praising Him in Jerusalem. That reminds us that we should praise God after He has delivered us. Many times people will cry out to God in the tough times but forget to praise Him after their delivery.
The nations have drowned in the pit they dug, caught their own feet in the net they hid. Adonai made himself known and executed judgment; the wicked are ensnared in the work of their own hands. (Higgayon; Selah)
We have all heard the saying "What goes around comes around." The simple fact of the matter is that this does not happen by accident but, as we see here, David tells us that it is a direct result of the justice of God. This is the same thing that Paul was talking about when he said "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." (see Galatians 6)
The wicked will return to Sh’ol, all the nations that forget God. For the poor will not always be forgotten or the hope of the needy perish forever.
Just as we saw with David's enemies, those that turn their back on God are digging a pit (grave) for themselves. They turn their back by trusting in their own hands and their own wisdom and see no need for God to act on their behalf. But, those who are in need and humble look to God for everything and so they trust in Him and God is faithful.
Arise, Adonai! Don’t let mortals prevail! Let the nations be judged in your presence. Strike them with terror, Adonai! Let the nations know they are only human. (Selah)
Because of the fact that David knows that God is just and right, he ends this song of praise with a call for God to judge. This day is coming as we see in Revelation and we will rejoice!
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