David Praises God with His Whole Heart (Verses 1–5)

“[To the chief Musician upon Muth-labben, A Psalm of David.] I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.” (Psalm 9:1–2)

Just as Scripture says, “Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?” (Amos 3:4), there was certainly a reason why David gave thanks to God and praised Him with his whole heart.

David goes on to explain why he praises God.

“When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right. Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.” (Psalm 9:3–5)

David had been treated unjustly by his enemies, but he did not judge them himself. God defended his rightful cause and judged righteously. His enemies turned back, fell, and perished because of what God had done for David. Remembering these works of God, David praised Him with his whole heart.

We, too, have a reason to praise God with our whole hearts.

We were sinners who could claim no righteousness of our own before God. When the devil brought up our sins and accused us, we could not defend ourselves. But Jesus bore all our sins on the cross and shed His blood, and God declared us righteous through faith in Jesus.

Scripture says:

“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?” (Romans 8:33–34)

David praised God for defending him against the accusations of his enemies. We praise God for delivering us from condemnation through Jesus Christ.

On the day we understood the gospel of Jesus Christ and were saved, though we had been destined for eternal destruction, we too rejoiced, were glad, and praised God with all our hearts. From that day onward, we began telling others about the wonderful salvation God had given us.

The Eternal Throne and Our Refuge (Verses 6–12)

“O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them. But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.” (Psalm 9:6–8)

David’s enemies trusted in their power and fortified cities, but when God destroyed those cities, the power and glory in which they boasted disappeared with them.

People think that the nations and cities they build will last forever. Yet no matter how powerful a nation or how fortified a city may be, it cannot stand before God’s judgment.

Immediately after speaking of the destruction of his enemies, David declares:

“But the LORD shall endure for ever.”

The cities of his enemies fell, but God’s throne does not fall. The kings of this world die and their kingdoms perish, but God reigns forever as King. He shows no partiality and judges everyone with righteousness and uprightness.

Therefore, David made this God his refuge.

“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” (Psalm 9:9–10)

A refuge is a strong fortress where one can escape the attacks of enemies. David trusted not in human strength or worldly power, but in the God who judges righteously.

David makes a particularly important statement: “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee.”

Knowing the Lord’s name does not simply mean knowing that God’s name is Jehovah. It means knowing who God is and trusting Him. Those who know that God judges righteously and does not forsake those who seek Him put their trust in Him.

Through Jesus Christ, we have come to know even more clearly who God is.

When Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father, Jesus answered, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:9)

God hates sin and judges with righteousness. Yet He is also the One who loved sinners, sent His only begotten Son, and saved us through the blood of His Son.

We know that although we were sinners who could not approach God, Jesus opened the way for us to come before God through His own flesh. We also know that Jesus said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)

Therefore, we trust in Jesus Christ. What we rely upon is not our own righteousness or ability, but the faithfulness of God, who does not forsake us.

David then calls upon all the people to praise this God.

“Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings. When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.” (Psalm 9:11–12)

God does not forget the blood unjustly shed by the helpless. The God who remembered the blood of Abel, who was killed by Cain, and judged that bloodshed still judges righteously today.

Yet Scripture speaks of the sprinkled blood of Jesus, which speaks better things than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:24). While Abel’s blood called for righteous judgment over an unjust death, the blood of Jesus brought forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God to sinners.

God judges evil, and at the same time He does not forget the cries of the poor and powerless. Therefore, those who know this God trust in Him and proclaim to others the wonderful things He has done.

God Who Delivers Us from the Gates of Death (Verses 13–18)

“Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.” (Psalm 9:13–14)

Although David praised God for His wonderful works, he was still suffering at the hands of his enemies. His suffering was so great that he prayed for God to lift him up from the gates of death.

The gates of death represent a dangerous situation in which death is near. David could not escape his enemies by his own strength, so he pleaded for God’s mercy.

Yet David looked to the God who would lift him up from the gates of death and declared that he would rejoice in God’s salvation at the gates of Zion.

The gates of Zion refer to the public gathering places of Jerusalem, where God’s people assembled. David desired to be delivered from the danger of death and to praise God’s salvation among His people.

We, too, are people who have passed from death to life. Jesus Christ saved us when we were destined for eternal destruction because of sin. Therefore, we cannot remain silent but testify to others about Jesus Christ, because the joy of having passed from death to life is so great.

David again speaks of God’s judgment upon the wicked.

“The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” (Psalm 9:15–17)

People sometimes dig pits or hide nets to capture animals. Yet the wicked fall into the very pits they dug to harm others, and their own feet become caught in the nets they concealed.

This means that through God’s judgment, the schemes of the wicked ultimately turn against themselves.

The wicked try to harm and destroy others through their own wisdom and power, but when God judges them, they themselves ultimately face destruction.

David says that all the nations that forget God will be turned into hell. We, too, were once sinners who forgot God and lived according to our own thoughts and desires. It is only because of God’s mercy that we have escaped eternal destruction and received life.

David continues:

“For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.” (Psalm 9:18)

In this world, the poor and powerless are sometimes forgotten. No one may listen to their cries of injustice, and no one may extend a helping hand when they ask for help.

But God will not forget them forever. Even though they may be suffering now, the hope of those who trust in God will never be in vain.

David also knew that he could not save himself from the attacks of his enemies through his own strength. Therefore, he trusted in God rather than in human power.

We, too, have come to realize through many difficulties how weak and powerless we are. When we understood that we were sinners who could not save ourselves, we began seeking God’s mercy.

Then God did not turn away from us but showed us the way of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Let Them Know That They Are Only Human (Verses 19–20)

“Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.” (Psalm 9:19–20)

Finally, David prays that God will arise, judge the nations, and make them realize that they are only human.

The Hebrew word enosh, translated here as “man,” refers to finite humanity in contrast to God. No matter how powerful a person may be, before God that person is weak and destined to die.

Yet proud people think they are different from others. When they possess power, wealth, and ability, they regard themselves as special beings who can accomplish anything. Consequently, they may despise and oppress others.

They celebrate their own victories, but before God’s judgment seat they will have to put down their cups of triumph and close their mouths. Only then will they realize that they are merely weak human beings who cannot escape God’s judgment.

But these words do not apply only to the wicked.

We, too, can easily begin to think that we are better than others when we forget God’s grace. This is especially true when everything is going well. When we believe that we have accomplished everything through our own wisdom and ability, we begin to despise and judge others.

The apostle Paul said:

“But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” (2 Corinthians 10:12)

Those in the Corinthian church who commended and boasted about themselves used themselves as the standard by which they evaluated themselves. But those who judge themselves by their own standards do not recognize who they truly are before God.

Therefore, we must not look at ourselves according to our own standards, but according to God’s standards.

When we stand before God, we realize how weak we are. We also come to understand that our lives until now, our salvation, and even our ability to praise God are all by His grace.

Those who know this grace cannot boast about themselves. They can only praise God.

Conclusion

Psalm 9 begins with David giving thanks to God and praising Him with his whole heart. David praised God for defending his cause and judging his enemies. He praised the God who sits on His eternal throne and reigns in righteousness, who is a refuge for the oppressed, who lifts him up from the gates of death, and who does not forget the cries of the poor.

At the end, David prays that all the nations will realize before God that they are only human.

We, too, have received God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. We can stand before God not because of our own righteousness or ability, but because of the merits of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we have every reason to praise God with our whole hearts, and at the same time, every reason to humble ourselves before Him.

Those who know God’s grace praise Him, and those who know that they are only human are humble.