Psalm 9: Praying While Under Pressure

King David wrote this Psalm to help us know how to pray when we encounter trials, troubles or afflictions.

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

King David expressed joy and gladness in his own heart because he knew Jehovah as his God and Savior (Remember that Jesus' name means Jehovah saves!).

Jehovah's name is mentioned eight times in this Psalm, showing that His word, His works and His righteous judgments are the objects of the Psalmist's joy.

The word "muthlabben" literally means the death of the son, and there is some scholarly debate about how this word was used.

Some think it is a musical notation for a boys choir to sing the words of this Psalm. 

This seems to be the most likely application to me, given that the Psalms were hymns sung by the Hebrews.

David's heart is revealed in the first words as he states with some clear vigor, that "I will praise thee O Jehovah!"

Next, David declared his strong desire to worship and praise Jehovah with all of his heart. 

The king even told us how he was going to give whole hearted praise and worship to God.

He was going to show forth all the marvelous works of God to all the people around him.

Thus, David sought to be an ardent worshiper of God and a faithful witness to God's mighty works, in order to lead others into a saving relationship with the One, True God of heaven.

The impact of worshiping God should always produce a change in our heart toward God and our attitude about the world.

David was filled with gladness, a cheerful joy derived from knowing God as King, Lord and Savior.

He vowed to rejoice in the Lord, which is a word that literally means jumping for joy, the idea of an exultant triumph of God over our enemies.

At this point, David can no longer restrain himself from worship as he sings praises to Jehovah's name with all his heart.

Psalm 9:3  When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. 

David frequently shared his confidence that God will always do what is right, with regard to his enemies.

In this case, though the enemies and their evil ways are not specifically identified, David speaks with certainty that God will judge them.

He says "When mine enemies are turned back" not "If my enemies be turned back" and this shows that David knew what is true about God.

God will judge the wicked. Sinners will not escape His judgment. 

Psalm 9:4-6 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right. 5  Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever. 6  O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them. 

As often is the case, this Psalm seems to anticipate Christ as King judging the nations in righteousness, taking vengeance upon all gospel rejectors.

David knew that Jehovah will always defend him when his enemies plot against the king, because God is seated upon His throne and He will judge rightly.

Therefore, the scriptures rebuke the enemies of God and King David. 

Ultimately, Christ will destroy all the wicked and the memory of them will be permanently extinguished.

Psalm 9:7-8  But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. 8  And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. 

In contrast to the future fate of the wicked, Jehovah is the eternal God who inhabits eternity. He is infinite in all of His being and His throne is already prepared for judging the wicked.

All of His judgments will be true and right and He will recompense each sinner with the fruit of their evil ways.

Thus, we see emphasized again the importance of sharing the gospel of Christ with sinners, for God is not willing that any should die in their sins, but that they repent and trust Christ for salvation (See 1 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:1-6).

Psalm 9:9-11  The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. 10  And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. 11  Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings. 

Again, King David declared what he knew is true about God.

Jehovah is a refuge for the believer, a place of shelter and protection from the wicked ones, from our mortal enemy Satan and from the burdens of this life.

When trials, troubles of afflictions come our way, we may run to Christ and find safety and relief.

Those who know God through the new birth, know by experiencing trials and afflictions, that Jehovah never abandons His children. 

He will never turn away those who sincerely seek to know God as their Lord and Savior.

This truth bolsters our faith in Christ and reminds us that though this life may be full of disappointments and unrealized expectations, God will still keep all of His promises to us.

We run to the LORD when troubles come our way and we put our trust in Him to guide us through the valley and we sing to Him because of His steadfast love.

Psalm 9:12  When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble. 

David rejoices in the truth that God takes note of innocent blood that is shed by the hands of wocked men.

He will hold individuals and nations to account for the deaths of innocent people.

This is very much the same level of care that God has for widows, orphaned children and those who are poor  or oppressed. 

Psalm 9:13-14  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: 14  That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation. 

David again sought mercy form the LORD and believers in Christ are commanded to do the same.

Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

David was blessed to receive the Spirit of God in a manner unlike any other character in the Old Testament.

1 Samuel 16:13 tells us that from the moment Samuel anointed David to be Israel's king, the Spirit of God stayed with him from that day forward.

This is why David was a mighty warrior, a sweet Psalmist and a man of integrity in all things except the matter of Bathsheba.  

The wrote of Hebrews tells us that because Jesus Christ is now our eternal high priest ever interceding for us at the throne of God, that we must pray.

We are to pray with boldness because Christ has opened the way into the holy of holies, whereas David and all others could not go behind the veil.

We must come daily, and at each moment of need in our lives. We may come seeking mercy as David did, confessing our sin to Christ and seeking His cleansing.

We may come seeking God's grace to sustain us through a particular hardship or time of trouble, as David did, knowing that God will lift us up and help us.

Knowing that we have an audience with the Most High God through Christ, fills our hearts with joy and songs of praise, just as it did for King David.

Psalm 9:15-18  The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. 16  The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah. 17  The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. 18  For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

David was guided by God's Spirit to tell us more of the fate of all unbelievers and wicked people.

They will sink down into their own pits. They dug a pit attempting to trap someone who falls into it, but they will be cast into it.

Their own foot shall slip and lead to the wicked falling into the pit (The pit is another symbol of Hell).

The idea here is that the wicked will devise many clever inventions to gain more power, more status, more wealth, but God will use that against them.

Perhaps the most vivid illustration of this is the book of Revelation. 

When the antichrist is ruling over all the nations, he will gather them all to fight against heaven and the mighty armies of God, but their schemes and plans will fail.

Christ will speak the Word and they will be undone.

There is a sober warning in David's psalm. All people and nations who forget God shall be turned into hell.

This explains the out of control culture that we live in. 

One governor recently signed a law giving mothers the right to abort a baby up to the moment of birth and they all clapped and cheered.

This is not progress. This is barbaric and inhumane treatment of infants.

What is happening in America is that the more that people and governments say "No" to God's standards, then the more we see explosions of cruelty, corruption, depravity and demonic influences.

Wicked ones in power may marginalize the poor, the needy, or infants as they oppress more and more people, but God will hold them to account.

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

David began with praise and rejoicing and hope in the LORD and that is how he ended this Psalm.

He knows God will hear his prayer and will uphold him and sustain him as he faces his enemies and troublesome times.

Therefore, he confidently called upon Jehovah to render swift judgment against the wicked ones that he faced. 

He called for a judgment that would strike fear deep into the hearts of wicked men, such that the nations might remember, they are merely sinful men, and that God is greater than all!

Bob