Dwell in the Word: Psalm 9

Consider these questions as you dwell on Psalm 9 today:

1. How does the Psalmist emphasize the contrast between God's righteous judgment and the actions of earthly rulers? How does this perspective influence the way we view and interact with human authority?

2. In what ways does the Psalmist's acknowledgment of God's control and authority serve as a reminder of our own limitations and need for divine guidance? How can this understanding impact our approach to challenges and difficulties in life?

3. How does the faithfulness of God to David in this Psalm point to a broader significance for God's faithfulness to His people throughout history? How does this faithfulness find its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ? How does this understanding provide assurance in times of trouble and uncertainty?

Subscribe to Dwell in the Word on Spotify or your favorite podcast app.

Transcript:

As we continue our way through the Psalms we once again see the connection between the praises offered to God and what God has done for his people.

‌We see this right away in verse one when the Psalmist says that he will recount all of the LORD’s wonderful deeds. As we continue through this Psalm we see a list of things that God has done for David and it is an impressive list. You can easily understand why David has sat down to write this song. As I said, the stuff that David mentions that God has done for him is pretty impressive and it is all stuff that is related to David as king. This list of the deeds of God here isn’t that something small has happened and David is happy. He didn’t pray for a new bike for his birthday and he got one. It is also important that we understand that this faithfulness to David is also a faithfulness to the people of God. David is more than just an ordinary earthly power. He is the anointed of God and that anointing is not just that he has the authority as a king over a particular plot of land in the middle east. The faithfulness of God to David points to the faithfulness of God that will come in the one who will one day descend from David. When we talk about God being faithful it encompasses all these things and that is important as we consider how the Psalm applies to us, but we will get to that a little later. Let’s consider this list of things that David is recounting.

‌He has turned his enemies back but it’s more than that. They stumble and perish in the presence of God. We see that he has maintained David’s cause. David here is not focusing on his own righteousness here but on the judgment of God. Then we see that God has rebuked the other nations and has made the wicked perish. And once again, we see how David is focusing on the judgment of God and not his own here because he says that their names are blotted out forever and they came to an end in everlasting ruins. This is not something David is able to do and he makes this apparent for us in verse seven when he uses a contrast for us. The name of the enemies is blotted out forever but in contrast the LORD sits enthroned forever. Their kingdoms come to an end but the LORD God sits on his throne for all time and it is a throne of justice and unlike the rulers of this world, he judges in righteousness and uprightness.

‌And this is a good thing because it means that God is stronghold for the oppressed. Human rulers oppress the weak but God builds them up and God does not forsake them.

‌And so, knowing that God does these things we see that we are to sing praises to God for his righteous judgment and saving actions. And this praise is also a way in which the people are told about the deeds of the LORD. It is a witness to the nations.

‌And David makes it clear that he is in need of God’s help because he not only calls for praises by the people but he continues by calling out to God to do justice and to protect his people.

‌Look at the cry of David in verses 19 and 20. Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you. Put them in fear, O LORD. Let the nations knwo that they are but men.

‌Notice that it is clear that David as the king of Israel has acknowledged that God is in control and that he is not but that is not the case of the pagan kings. They think they are more than men and David calls out for them to be humbled and reminded that they are not God, they are but men.

‌As we consider this Psalm for us today it is always a good reminder for us to remember our place. In our self-righteousness we like to be in control and we like to be judge. But ultimately, God is the only one who is in control and this is a very good thing. As David reminds us here, he is able to act in righteousness and act justly.

‌You and I can pray this prayer in confidence because the Lord Jesus Christ is seated on his throne. Our greatest enemy is sin and death and Jesus has turned them back for us in his death, resurrection, and ascension. He sits on his throne and he is the one who gives righteous judgment and he sits on his throne forever. We do not need to worry about justice being done. Because Christ is victorious we can have confidence that his justice will be done and that he is a stronghold for the oppressed. May we not rely in ourselves in times of trouble but instead may we know that because we know his name and put our trust in him we can have confidence that he does not forsake those who seek him.