Thoughts on Psalm 9

Psalm 9 is pretty lengthy, so instead of writing the whole thing out, I will share some of my favorite parts. As a whole, psalm 9 is a praise song David wrote to thank God for saving him from his enemies. In the previous psalms (especially 7), David begged for mercy from those attacking him, led by his own son! God did just that, and Psalm 9 is in response to that.

I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

David vows to tell of God’s wonders. How often am I guilty of making known my trials and heartaches, but never sharing when God answers those prayers? The word “name” in this psalm refers to the character of who someone is. So when David says to sing praise to God’s name, we are to sing about how awesome God is. That shouldn’t be hard, considering all that He has done for us, but we can forget so easily.

My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you. For you have upheld my right and my cause;

David’s prayers have been answered. He has been saved!

The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice. The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

If there is anything to take from this psalm, this is it: God is on His throne. Not me. Not you. Not our enemies. Not Hollywood. Not even the church. God. Period. Judgment and justice is His to give. And because we are His children, we can trust that we are safe in the hands of God—no matter what. He will never forget me or forsake me. I have to trust that, even when it doesn’t seem that way.

I love how this psalm ends: O LORD; let the nations know they are but men. It is so tempting to start thinking highly of ourselves, but may we all be reminded that God is in control, not us (thankfully).

God has blessed us so very much! I need to do a better job of sharing what He has done in my life so that others can see how great He is.