Praying Psalm 9

"Don't Forget!"

 

What is the title of Psalm 9?

To the choirmaster: according to The Muth-laben. A Psalm of David.

Muth-laben means “death for a son” Maybe it's the title of a tune?

OR it means young women voice – for a son? (Boy soprano)

This is the only psalm heading with this phrase.

Read Psalm 9:1-2
¹ I will give thanks to YHWH with my whole heart/mind; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
² I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

How does David begin?

Thanks and praise
How does he praise? God's NAME = recalls God's deeds (YHWH is a God of History - his actions are remembered with his name.)

 Read Psalm 9:3-6

³ When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before your presence.
⁴ For you have maintained/ have done my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.
⁵ You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish/destroyed; you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
⁶ The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins; their cities you rooted out; the very memory/remembrance of them has perished.

How does YHWH’s judgment look?

FOR WICKED – It's Righteous – the enemies get what they deserve, God acts, rebukes, Blots out remembrance.

**To be remembered is a big deal! Reflect on your "legacy".

Read 9:7-8

⁷ But YHWH sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice,
⁸ and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.

Describe YHWH.
Just & righteous, forever.

Read 9:9-12
⁹ YHWH is a stronghold/refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold/secure height/retreat in times of trouble/destitution.
¹⁰ And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, YHWH, have not forsaken those who seek you.
¹¹ Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!
¹² For he who avenges/seeks blood is mindful/remembers of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

How does YHWH’s judgment look?
FOR RIGHTEOUS - (They are the Oppressed & afflicted, ones who trust in YHWH)
He is a stronghold for weak, refuge, He is there for his people, He REMEMBERS = acts

 **See Magnificat in Vespers (LSB pg.231) from Luke 1:46. This is the great song of Mary, that God had acted favorably for the weak and oppressed! These are the righteous ones!

Read Psalm 9:13-14
¹³ Be gracious to me, YHWH! See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
¹⁴ that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter Zion I may rejoice in your salvation.

What is David’s cry?

Grace – SAVE ME – so I can praise you.

**It's interesting that the Psalmist again and again tells us how weak and afflicted he is. All of his hope and trust is firmly focused on YHWH's salvation. God does ALL the saving and God gets ALL the glory. Notice the descriptions of the "righteous" and "wicked"... compare their distinctions to Popular Christianity today. Too many often focus on righteous and wicked WORKS, and all trust ultimately rests in one's own actions.

Read Psalm 9:15-16
¹⁵ The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
¹⁶ YHWH has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.

Higgaion. Selah

How is YHWH’s judgement carried out?
The wicked’s own deeds catch them. This is how YHWH righteously judges.

**Higgaion – from “meditate” in ps.1 means resounding music… Selah pause….Dwell here a moment and take it all in...

 Read Psalm 9:17-18

¹⁷ The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God.
¹⁸ For the needy shall not always/forever be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

 What is the hope?

Wicked are judged.
Needy remembered – God's ACTION (even though it seems like forever!!)

Read Psalm 9:19-20

¹⁹ Arise, YHWH! Let not man prevail/be a strong man; let the nations be judged before you!
²⁰ Put them in fear (a terror), YHWH! Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah

 What is David’s prayer?

Act – judge – DO IT! Cause fear in the "nations". Nations are usually those outside of God's people.

Make them realize their place before God. In this psalm, the "righteous" already know their place, oppressed & humble.

"For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all."( Romans 11:32)

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?

What is the purpose of this Psalm/prayer?

Describe judgment – 2 sides = Righteous (needy & oppressed) and Wicked.

Call YHWH to action = causes fear.

Expect comfort from God.

How did Christ fulfill this psalm?

He took this judgment – remembers v.9-10 God will NOT forsake knowers of name!! If anyone knew/trusted this it was Christ. So, He crys

Judgment is not yet complete, sin and death still exist. The last enemy is not yet put away. But we know the payment is made, proof of God's good judgement is in Christ's resurrection. We are waiting for God's remembrance to be our final reality - when Christ returns.

How can we pray this?

God’s judgment is good stuff – be done to us!

We are OK with being needy & oppressed – in Christ. (Law of God does this! It makes us realize we sin and no good thing in us. We need saving.)

We pray," Be gracious to me, YHWH." We can trust only in YHWH, that he sees Christ & remembers us.

WE PRAY:

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

What does this mean? We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor deny such petitions on account of them; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much, and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we verily, on our part, also heartily forgive and also readily do good to those who sin against us.