For the music director; according to the alumoth-labben style; a psalm of David.
Psalm 9 was written by David. It is a triumphant song of thanksgiving.
9:1 I will thank the Lord with all my heart! I will tell about all your amazing deeds!
David will thank Jehovah with all of his heart. David will tell other people about the amazing deeds of Jehovah.
9:2 I will be happy and rejoice in you! I will sing praises to you, O sovereign One!
David will sing happy songs about Jehovah. He will praise Jehovah, because Jehovah is sovereign over all of history.
9:3 When my enemies turn back, they trip and are defeated before you.
David praised God in this song, because Jehovah tripped up and defeated His enemies.
9:4 For you defended my just cause; from your throne you pronounced a just decision.
David was fighting a war against another unnamed people for a just cause. Jehovah is sovereign over all of history. He is the Judge who decides who wins and loses battles. Jehovah looked down from heaven as a judge and decided that David would win the battle.
9:5 You terrified the nations with your battle cry; you destroyed the wicked; you permanently wiped out all memory of them.
The nations who attacked David were violating the Abrahamic Covenant. David was carrying the messianic seed. These nations received a kind-for-kind judgment. They wanted to blot out the name of Israel, but it was their nation who was blotted out.
9:6 The enemy’s cities have been reduced to permanent ruins; you destroyed their cities; all memory of the enemies has perished.
The Holy Spirit did not even allow the name of their nation to be mentioned in Scripture.
9:7 But the Lord rules forever; he reigns in a just manner.
In this song, David sang that Jehovah rules forever in a just manner.
9:8 He judges the world fairly; he makes just legal decisions for the nations.
Jehovah judges the world by divine viewpoint. He is the one who makes all of the legal decisions of the nations. What about those evil nations who make evil legal decisions? God gives the nations the kinds of leaders in which the people deserve.
9:9 Consequently the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; he provides safety in times of trouble.
Jehovah provides safety for the oppressed. God has promised every believer food, shelter, and clothing (unless they are called to wear the martyr’s crown).
During the last days before the flood, the nephilim were not allowed to impregnate the wives of Noah’s sons. When Abraham lived in Canaan, God was his shield. Jacob was protected from Laban. Moses was protected from Pharaoh. The children of Israel were protected from the ten plagues of Egypt. Joshua’s armies were protect from the giants of the land. David was protected from his enemies. The believing remnant living in Judah was protected from the sword, disease, and famine which would come upon the nation during the Babylonian invasion. Jeremiah was protected from the citizens of Jerusalem who wanted to kill him. Daniel and his three friends were protected from the Babylonian and Persian governments. Jesus was protected from the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the people of His own home town of Nazareth, and the winds on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus gave up His life willingly. The Jewish remnant was protected from sword, disease, and famine during Titus' destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The Rapture will remove believers from the persecutions of the Antichrist. The 144,000 Jewish evangelists will be sealed and protected during the Great Tribulation. One third of the nation of Israel will be protected and saved during the Great Tribulation.
It is important to note that Satan no longer holds the keys to death. Jesus took away these keys at the cross. Jesus emptied Paradise, but He left the unbelievers in Hades to be with their father, the devil. No one takes the life of a believer, unless God the Father allows it to happen. Therefore, the believer can face any situation by trusting the fact that he is eternal until God calls him home. God calls believers home after they complete their foreordained destiny, or when a believer commits the sin unto death. If a believer refuses to do God’s will, then God may bring him home and give his task to another who is more willing.
9:10 Your loyal followers trust in you, for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help.
The loyal followers of Jehovah are those who master and apply Bible doctrine. Jehovah will not abandon His children. Jehovah has raised His children so that they can succeed by executing the Father’s will.
9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, who rules in Zion! Tell the nations what he has done!
Since Jehovah is a shield to the oppressed, then everyone needs to sing praises to Jehovah. Jehovah rules in Zion, so Israel is in the safe hands of their divine King. Israel needs to tell all of the Gentiles how God has made them a great nation. Instead, Israel will become more like Gentiles and worship demonic idols.
9:12 For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; he did not overlook their cry for help
Jehovah takes revenge against murderers. Jehovah will make sure that murderers will live and die a cursed life on this earth. Jehovah takes notice of the oppressed. When the oppressed cry for help, Jehovah will hear their cry and move on their behalf. If believers are oppressed by evil men, then they need to cry out to God for help.
9:13 when they prayed: “Have mercy on me, Lord! See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, O one who can snatch me away from the gates of death! 9:14 Then I will tell about all your praiseworthy acts; in the gates of Daughter Zion I will rejoice because of your deliverance.”
David wants to praise God at all of the city gates of Jerusalem for delivering the oppressed from evil enemies.
9:15 The nations fell into the pit they had made; their feet were caught in the net they had hidden.
The Gentile nations who attack David will violate the Abrahamic Covenant and fall into their own pit. It was foolish for Gentile nations to attack David, because he was carrying the messianic seed. The Messiah must be born from the seed of David. Therefore, David was immortal until this son was born.
9:16 The Lord revealed himself; he accomplished justice; the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. (Higgaion. Selah)
When David is attacked, then Jehovah will reveal Himself in history. He will accomplish justice. Those Gentile nations who violate the Abrahamic Covenant and attack David will be ensnared by their own actions. They will receive a kind-for-kind judgment against them.
9:17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol; this is the destiny of all the nations that ignore God,
Nations who ignore God will be sent to Sheol, the place of the dead. They cannot survive in the satanic world system without God.
9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored, the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed.
Those who are oppressed will not be permanently ignored. It may look as though God is ignoring them, but this is not the case. God is sanctifying suffering believers through the suffering process. He is building suffering believers to become more Christ-like.
9:19 Rise up, Lord! Don’t let men be defiant! May the nations be judged in your presence!
David asked Jehovah to rise up and judge defiant men of evil nations.
9:20 Terrify them, Lord! Let the nations know they are mere mortals! Selah)
David asked Jehovah to terrify the leaders of these evil nations. The kings of ancient Gentile nations claimed to be gods on earth. David asked God to prove that they were not gods, but mere mortals. He ends with a “Selah," meaning that the reader needs to meditate upon this divine spiritual principle.