Psalms 9 and 10 are meant to be read together. They affirm that God will judge the whole world, but also ask why do the wicked prosper? That’s a great question! Let’s dig in…
Psalm 9
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune “Death of the Son.”
1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
2 I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.3 My enemies retreated;
they staggered and died when you appeared.
4 For you have judged in my favor;
from your throne you have judged with fairness.
5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have erased their names forever.
6 The enemy is finished, in endless ruins;
the cities you uprooted are now forgotten.7 But the Lord reigns forever,
executing judgment from his throne.
8 He will judge the world with justice
and rule the nations with fairness.
9 The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.11 Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem. (Zion)
Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.
12 For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless.
He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.13 Lord, have mercy on me.
See how my enemies torment me.
Snatch me back from the jaws of death.
14 Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem’s gates,
so I can rejoice that you have rescued me.15 The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others.
Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.
16 The Lord is known for his justice.
The wicked are trapped by their own deeds. Quiet Interlude17 The wicked will go down to the grave (Sheol).
This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.
18 But the needy will not be ignored forever;
the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed.19 Arise, O Lord!
Psalm 9 NLT
Do not let mere mortals defy you!
Judge the nations!
20 Make them tremble in fear, O Lord.
Let the nations know they are merely human. Interlude
Psalm 10
O Lord, why do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide when I am in trouble?
2 The wicked arrogantly hunt down the poor.
Let them be caught in the evil they plan for others.
3 For they brag about their evil desires;
they praise the greedy and curse the Lord.4 The wicked are too proud to seek God.
They seem to think that God is dead.
5 Yet they succeed in everything they do.
They do not see your punishment awaiting them.
They sneer at all their enemies.
6 They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us!
We will be free of trouble forever!”7 Their mouths are full of cursing, lies, and threats.
Trouble and evil are on the tips of their tongues.
8 They lurk in ambush in the villages,
waiting to murder innocent people.
They are always searching for helpless victims.
9 Like lions crouched in hiding,
they wait to pounce on the helpless.
Like hunters they capture the helpless
and drag them away in nets.
10 Their helpless victims are crushed;
they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
11 The wicked think, “God isn’t watching us!
He has closed his eyes and won’t even see what we do!”12 Arise, O Lord!
Punish the wicked, O God!
Do not ignore the helpless!
13 Why do the wicked get away with despising God?
They think, “God will never call us to account.”
14 But you see the trouble and grief they cause.
You take note of it and punish them.
The helpless put their trust in you.
You defend the orphans.15 Break the arms of these wicked, evil people!
Psalm 10 NLT
Go after them until the last one is destroyed.
16 The Lord is king forever and ever!
The godless nations will vanish from the land.
17 Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
18 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
so mere people can no longer terrify them.
Why do the wicked prosper?
The instructions at the beginning of this psalm say that it’s to be sung to the tune of “Death of the Son”. Pastor Sandy Adams comments…
The Hebrew word translated “Death of the Son” is “muthlabben.” The term can also be translated “Death of the Champion.” An ancient tradition ties this Psalm to the death of Goliath. A Jewish commentary of the Bible, The Targum, adds these words, “Concerning the death of the man who went forth between the camps.” This is what Goliath did as he taunted the Jews and defied God.
Some folks see in Psalm 9 a picture of the Antichrist – who also goes between the camps in the Valley of Megiddo, at the last great Battle. He will blaspheme God, but the Son of David will slay the Devil’s Champ.
Here’s the message of Psalm 9… Woe to those who defy God.
Sandy Adams
The 4 “I Wills” of Worship
The psalm opens with the 4 “I Wills” of Worship. I will…
- Praise
- Tell
- Be glad
- Sing
God is worthy of our worship! It’s a choice that we have to make each day. We worship Him with our prayers, telling others of His Good News, being glad — feeling his Joy, (we covered that yesterday), and finally sing! In other words, you don’t have to wait until Sunday to worship the Lord. Worship Him daily with whatever you do.
Points to Ponder
- God helped David win the battle against Goliath and He will be victorious in the future battle against the Antichrist.
- God will judge the world fairly. God is a just God. As you read through the Old Testament, you see that God laid down the laws for the people to obey. He warned them — and He warns us — that disobedience requires punishment. Furthermore, the punishment for sin is death. Thus, Jesus came to save us from that punishment. He came so that we could live eternally with Him in Heaven! We no longer need to fear death!
- Nations and the wicked will fall into “the pit they dug for others.” For instance, Russia is still battering Ukraine. Yet, in Bible Prophecy, Russia will get their punishment eventually (Ezekiel 39). Incidentally, the war with Ukraine is NOT the Gog/Magog war of Ezekiel 38. That will be against Israel and it’s yet to happen.
- The wicked may prosper now and those left behind will see the Antichrist rise to power. Nevertheless, the wicked won’t prosper for much longer. They will be tossed into the “grave” or “sheol” or the fiery lake.
- Bully Nations like Russia, Iran, and China will find out that they aren’t as powerful as they think they are. We just have to be patient. Check out the Latest Bible Prophecy News Items.
- As Psalm 10 starts, David is asking why is God so far away. Sometimes we feel that way, too. Nevertheless, God hears the cries of the oppressed and the cries of the humble. He hates pride and He will bring down the prideful. Especially those leaders who think they are God and that they are invincible. They aren’t. Jesus will put them all in their place when He returns.
Where is the Gospel?
The folks at Spoken Gospel explain…
Our world looks a lot like the world of Psalms 9-10. Many believe there is no God and no judge. Others wonder why God seems to stand far away (Psalm 10:1).
Psalms 9-10 tells us that there is a God, he is a judge, and he will not always seem far away. And we see that most clearly in Jesus.
Jesus is the righteous King who is God, and who came to judge and be near us. Jesus is God in the flesh (John 1:14). He was appointed by God to judge the world (John 5:22). And he spent his ministry going to the marginalized and oppressed (Luke 4:18). Jesus proved he is the God David prayed to, the God who rescues the suffering righteous and comes to judge the arrogant wicked.
Jesus taught the day of God’s ultimate judgment is coming (Psalm 9:19). Jesus will bring all nations before his throne (Matthew 25:31). And Jesus himself will judge everyone who has ever lived according to what they have done (2 Corinthians 5:10).
The good news for us is that we don’t deny this day is coming, like the wicked (Psalm 10:13). Instead, like David, we are saved by our hope in the coming day of judgment (Romans 8:24). We seek after that day like the righteous seek after God because it will not be the day we perish; it is the day we receive everlasting life (John 3:16).
Spoken Gospel
How to Pray this Psalm
This is just a suggestion. Please rewrite it in your own words depending on your personal needs.
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
I will be filled with joy because of you.
I will sing praises to your name, O Lord, Most High.You reign forever, and execute judgment from your throne.
You will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness.
Thank you for being a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.I know that the bully nations will fall into their own traps. You will punish them along with the wicked people. They will know that they are merely human.
Lord, please let me feel close to you! I want to know you, Lord! The wicked are too proud to seek you, Lord, but I am not. I wholeheartedly seek you!
You are still in control, Lord Jesus, and still rule from Heaven. Nothing escapes you. You see everything that goes on. The wicked will be punished and the virtuous will see your face. Help me to see your face! I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Giselle Aguiar
Jesus wants to be YOUR Friend!
Isn’t it about time you let Him in?
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
