Psalm 9

To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David

1 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.

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

4 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.

7 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.

9 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.

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

13 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.

15 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.

19 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. (KJV)

As I read this psalm, I can see a portrait of the reign of David written here; however, after a carefully reading of this psalm I see a picture of the future reign of Christ. The opening verses reveal three characteristics that David had in his life as he strives daily to walk in the way of the Lord; which should also be the characteristics that we have in our life as well. These characteristics of praising the Lord with all our heart, telling of all his wonders, and being glad in the Lord and rejoicing in him should be the focus of our daily mediation. I also see these as the result of the victory that Christ gave us over the curse of death (O death, where is thy sting, O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.) I Corinthians 15:55-58

This psalm not only portraits David’s rule but also the coming reign of Christ. The mystery of Christ is one that has consumed my quiet moments for most of my life. How can Christ be King of kings and at the same time be my Savior who I can have a personal relationship. This personal relationship is available to all who accept him as Lord and Savior. In Psalm eight David ask the question of “what is man that Thou are mindful of him”. In this psalm we see fulfillment of man (Christ as the second Adam) take these gifts that God has given to him and provide salvation over our enemy.

This psalm has a promise for those who know him in verse ten: Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. Knowing the Lord and then trusting him is a promise that all Christians should embrace. In the sixty plus years that I have known Him and placed my trust in Him as a young boy He has never forsaken me. Sometimes like the poem Footprints in the Sand that refers to a man that looks back on his walk with the Lord and sees several times when trouble was in his life there was only one set of footprints, I too have felt that way. But the more I trust Him the more I see how He has carried me. So, as you go along the journey of life trust in the Lord and lean not on our understand; but let the Spirit guide you in all understanding. He will if you let him. He is more loving than you can ever imagined.