Psalm 9
Purpose: To petition the divine king to the aid of the oppressed.
Content: “Rise up, YHWH! You've avenged the oppressed in the past but You are now standing at a distance.”
Message: YHWH has established his throne for justice (9:8b).
Author: David
Videos[ ]
Overview Video[ ]
Poetic Features Video[ ]
Exegetical Issues Video[ ]
Please note that we have decided to regard Psalms 9 and 10 as one Psalm. Therefore, while the verse-by-verse notes will cover each psalm individually, this at-a-glance section for both psalms will feature the combined visual.
Overview[ ]
Translation[ ]
Click 'Expand' to the right to see our Close-but-Clear translation of Psalm 9.
- 1. For the director, according to Muth-labben.
- A psalm by David.
- 2. I will praise YHWH with all my heart;
- I will tell about all your wonderful works!
- 3. I will rejoice and exult because of you;
- I will sing praise to your name, Most High!
- 4. When my enemies turn back,
- they stumble and perish because of your presence,
- 5. because you have accomplished my right and my claim;
- you have sat on a throne as a righteous judge.
- 6. You rebuked nations; you destroyed the wicked;
- you blotted out their name forever and ever.
- 7. The enemy came to an end in ruins forever,
- and you uprooted cities.
- The very memory of them perished.
- 8. But YHWH will sit enthroned forever;
- he has established his throne for justice,
- 9. and he will judge the world with righteousness;
- he will execute justice for the peoples with fairness.
- 10. And may YHWH be a refuge for the oppressed,
- a refuge in distressing times.
- 11. And may those who know your name put their trust in you,
- because you have not abandoned those who seek you, YHWH.
- 12. Sing praise to YHWH, who sits enthroned in Zion!
- Tell about his deeds among the peoples,
- 13. because the one who requires a reckoning for bloodshed has remembered them;
- he has not ignored the outcry of the afflicted.
- 14. Have mercy on me, YHWH! See my affliction from those who hate me,
- you who lift me up from the gates of death,
- 15. so that I may tell about all your praiseworthy actions
- at the gates of daughter Zion,
- [and so that] I may be glad because of your salvation!
- 16. Nations sank in a pit which they had made;
- their foot was caught in a net which they had hidden.
- 17. YHWH, who has accomplished justice, has made himself known,
- ensnaring the wicked by the work of his hands. Higgaion Selah
- 18. The wicked will return to Sheol,
- all nations that ignore God.
- 19. For the poor will not be ignored forever;
- the hope of the afflicted will [not] perish forever.
- 20. Rise up, YHWH! Let humanity not prevail;
- let nations be judged in your presence!
- 21. YHWH, put a fearful thing among them;
- let the nations know that they are human. Selah
The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.
For links to other translations of Psalm 9, click here.
Verse-by-Verse[ ]
Click the link to view all of Psalm 9 Verse-by-Verse, or click on an individual verse below.
- v. 1
- v. 2
- v. 3
- v. 4
- v. 5
- v. 6
- v. 7
- v. 8
- v. 9
- v. 10
- v. 11
- v. 12
- v. 13
- v. 14
- v. 15
- v. 16
- v. 17
- v. 18
- v. 19
- v. 20
- v. 21
Layer-by-Layer[ ]