Psalm 9 Text

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Simple Reading (Hebrew)
Forthcoming. 		Simple Reading (English)
Forthcoming.
Dramatic Reading (Hebrew)
Forthcoming. 		Dramatic Reading (English)
Forthcoming.

Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC)
לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַלְמ֥וּת לַבֵּ֗ן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ 1a For the director, according to Muth-labben. A psalm by David.
אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לִבִּ֑י 2a I will praise YHWH with all my heart;
אֲ֝סַפְּרָ֗ה כָּל־נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ 2b I will tell about all your wonderful works!
אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה בָ֑ךְ 3a I will rejoice and exult because of you;
אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ 3b I will sing praise to your name, Most High!
בְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י אָח֑וֹר 4a When my enemies turn back,
יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ וְ֝יֹאבְד֗וּ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃ 4b they stumble and perish because of your presence,
כִּֽי־עָ֭שִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י וְדִינִ֑י 5a because you have accomplished my right and my claim;
יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ לְ֝כִסֵּ֗א שׁוֹפֵ֥ט צֶֽדֶק׃ 5b you have sat on a throne as a righteous judge.
גָּעַ֣רְתָּ ג֭וֹיִם אִבַּ֣דְתָּ רָשָׁ֑ע 6a You rebuked nations; you destroyed the wicked;
שְׁמָ֥ם מָ֝חִ֗יתָ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ 6b you blotted out their name forever and ever.
הָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ תַּ֥מּוּ חֳרָב֗וֹת לָ֫נֶ֥צַח 7a The enemy came to an end in ruins forever,
וְעָרִ֥ים נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ 7b and you uprooted cities.
אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה׃ 7c The very memory of them perished.
וַֽ֭יהוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם יֵשֵׁ֑ב 8a But YHWH will sit enthroned forever;
כּוֹנֵ֖ן לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט כִּסְאֽוֹ׃ 8b he has established his throne for justice,
וְה֗וּא יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק 9a and he will judge the world with righteousness;
יָדִ֥ין לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃ 9b he will execute justice for the peoples with fairness.
וִ֘יהִ֤י יְהוָ֣ה מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לַדָּ֑ךְ 10a And may YHWH be a refuge for the oppressed,
מִ֝שְׂגָּ֗ב לְעִתּ֥וֹת בַּצָּרָֽה׃ 10b a refuge in distressing times.
וְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ 11a And may those who know your name put their trust in you,
כִּ֤י לֹֽא־עָזַ֖בְתָּ דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ יְהוָֽה׃ 11b because you have not abandoned those who seek you, YHWH.
זַמְּר֗וּ לַ֭יהוָה יֹשֵׁ֣ב צִיּ֑וֹן 12a Sing praise to YHWH, who sits enthroned in Zion!
הַגִּ֥ידוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃ 12b Tell about his deeds among the peoples,
כִּֽי־דֹרֵ֣שׁ דָּ֭מִים אוֹתָ֣ם זָכָ֑ר 13a because the one who requires a reckoning for bloodshed has remembered them;
לֹֽא־שָׁ֝כַ֗ח צַעֲקַ֥ת עֲנָוִֽים׃ 13b he has not ignored the outcry of the afflicted.
חָֽנְנֵ֬נִי יְהוָ֗ה רְאֵ֣ה עָ֭נְיִי מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י 14a Have mercy on me, YHWH! See my affliction from those who hate me,
מְ֝רוֹמְמִ֗י מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת׃ 14b you who lift my head from the gates of death,
לְמַ֥עַן אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה כָּֽל־תְּהִלָּ֫תֶ֥יךָ 15a so that I may tell about all your praiseworthy actions
בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י בַת־צִיּ֑וֹן 15b at the gates of daughter Zion,
אָ֝גִ֗ילָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃ 15c [and so that] I may be glad because of your salvation!
טָבְע֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם בְּשַׁ֣חַת עָשׂ֑וּ 16a Nations sank in a pit which they had made;
בְּרֶֽשֶׁת־ז֥וּ טָ֝מָ֗נוּ נִלְכְּדָ֥ה רַגְלָֽם׃ 16b their foot was caught in a net which they had hidden.
נ֤וֹדַ֨ע ׀ יְהוָה֮ מִשְׁפָּ֪ט עָ֫שָׂ֥ה 17a YHWH, who has accomplished justice, has made himself known,
בְּפֹ֣עַל כַּ֭פָּיו נוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֑ע הִגָּי֥וֹן סֶֽלָה׃ 17b ensnaring the wicked by the work of his hands. Higgaion Selah
יָשׁ֣וּבוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה 18a The wicked will return to Sheol,
כָּל־גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם שְׁכֵחֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃ 18b all nations that ignore God.
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א לָ֭נֶצַח יִשָּׁכַ֣ח אֶבְי֑וֹן 19a For the poor will not be ignored forever;
תִּקְוַ֥ת עֲ֝נִיִּ֗ים תֹּאבַ֥ד לָעַֽד׃ 19b the hope of the afflicted will [not] perish forever.
קוּמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־יָעֹ֣ז אֱנ֑וֹשׁ 20a Rise up, YHWH! Let humanity not prevail;
יִשָּׁפְט֥וּ ג֝וֹיִ֗ם עַל־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ 20b let nations be judged in your presence!
שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ מוֹרָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם 21a YHWH, put a fearful thing among them;
יֵדְע֥וּ גוֹיִ֑ם אֱנ֖וֹשׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃ 21b let the nations know that they are human. Selah

Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC)
לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַלְמ֥וּת לַבֵּ֗ן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ 1a For the director, according to Muth-labben. A psalm by David.
אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לִבִּ֑י 2a I will praise YHWH with all my heart;
אֲ֝סַפְּרָ֗ה כָּל־נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ 2b I will tell about all your wonderful works!
אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה בָ֑ךְ 3a I will rejoice and exult because of you;
אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ 3b I will sing praise to your name, Most High!
בְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י אָח֑וֹר 4a When my enemies turn back,
יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ וְ֝יֹאבְד֗וּ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃ 4b they stumble and perish because of your presence,
כִּֽי־עָ֭שִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י וְדִינִ֑י 5a because you have accomplished my right and my claim;
יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ לְ֝כִסֵּ֗א שׁוֹפֵ֥ט צֶֽדֶק׃ 5b you have sat on a throne as a righteous judge.
גָּעַ֣רְתָּ ג֭וֹיִם אִבַּ֣דְתָּ רָשָׁ֑ע 6a You rebuked nations; you destroyed the wicked;
שְׁמָ֥ם מָ֝חִ֗יתָ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ 6b you blotted out their name forever and ever.
הָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ תַּ֥מּוּ חֳרָב֗וֹת לָ֫נֶ֥צַח 7a The enemy came to an end in ruins forever,
וְעָרִ֥ים נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ 7b and you uprooted cities.
אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה׃ 7c The very memory of them perished.
וַֽ֭יהוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם יֵשֵׁ֑ב 8a But YHWH will sit enthroned forever;
כּוֹנֵ֖ן לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט כִּסְאֽוֹ׃ 8b he has established his throne for justice,
וְה֗וּא יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק 9a and he will judge the world with righteousness;
יָדִ֥ין לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃ 9b he will execute justice for the peoples with fairness.
וִ֘יהִ֤י יְהוָ֣ה מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לַדָּ֑ךְ 10a And may YHWH be a refuge for the oppressed,
מִ֝שְׂגָּ֗ב לְעִתּ֥וֹת בַּצָּרָֽה׃ 10b a refuge in distressing times.
וְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ 11a And may those who know your name put their trust in you,
כִּ֤י לֹֽא־עָזַ֖בְתָּ דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ יְהוָֽה׃ 11b because you have not abandoned those who seek you, YHWH.
זַמְּר֗וּ לַ֭יהוָה יֹשֵׁ֣ב צִיּ֑וֹן 12a Sing praise to YHWH, who sits enthroned in Zion!
הַגִּ֥ידוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃ 12b Tell about his deeds among the peoples,
כִּֽי־דֹרֵ֣שׁ דָּ֭מִים אוֹתָ֣ם זָכָ֑ר 13a because the one who requires a reckoning for bloodshed has remembered them;
לֹֽא־שָׁ֝כַ֗ח צַעֲקַ֥ת עֲנָוִֽים׃ 13b he has not ignored the outcry of the afflicted.
חָֽנְנֵ֬נִי יְהוָ֗ה רְאֵ֣ה עָ֭נְיִי מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י 14a Have mercy on me, YHWH! See my affliction from those who hate me,
מְ֝רוֹמְמִ֗י מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת׃ 14b you who lift my head from the gates of death,
לְמַ֥עַן אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה כָּֽל־תְּהִלָּ֫תֶ֥יךָ 15a so that I may tell about all your praiseworthy actions
בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י בַת־צִיּ֑וֹן 15b at the gates of daughter Zion,
אָ֝גִ֗ילָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃ 15c [and so that] I may be glad because of your salvation!
טָבְע֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם בְּשַׁ֣חַת עָשׂ֑וּ 16a Nations sank in a pit which they had made;
בְּרֶֽשֶׁת־ז֥וּ טָ֝מָ֗נוּ נִלְכְּדָ֥ה רַגְלָֽם׃ 16b their foot was caught in a net which they had hidden.
נ֤וֹדַ֨ע ׀ יְהוָה֮ מִשְׁפָּ֪ט עָ֫שָׂ֥ה 17a YHWH, who has accomplished justice, has made himself known,
בְּפֹ֣עַל כַּ֭פָּיו נוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֑ע הִגָּי֥וֹן סֶֽלָה׃ 17b ensnaring the wicked by the work of his hands. Higgaion Selah
יָשׁ֣וּבוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה 18a The wicked will return to Sheol,
כָּל־גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם שְׁכֵחֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃ 18b all nations that ignore God.
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א לָ֭נֶצַח יִשָּׁכַ֣ח אֶבְי֑וֹן 19a For the poor will not be ignored forever;
תִּקְוַ֥ת עֲ֝נִיִּ֗ים תֹּאבַ֥ד לָעַֽד׃ 19b the hope of the afflicted will [not] perish forever.
קוּמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־יָעֹ֣ז אֱנ֑וֹשׁ 20a Rise up, YHWH! Let humanity not prevail;
יִשָּׁפְט֥וּ ג֝וֹיִ֗ם עַל־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ 20b let nations be judged in your presence!
שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ מוֹרָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם 21a YHWH, put a fearful thing among them;
יֵדְע֥וּ גוֹיִ֑ם אֱנ֖וֹשׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃ 21b let the nations know that they are human. Selah

Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Expanded Paraphrase
לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַלְמ֥וּת לַבֵּ֗ן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ 1 For the director, according to Muth-labben. A psalm written by David.
אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לִבִּ֑י אֲ֝סַפְּרָ֗ה כָּל־נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ 2 I will praise YHWH with all my heart; I will tell about all your wonderful works with which you terrify your enemies!
אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה בָ֑ךְ אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ 3 I will rejoice and exult because of you; I will sing praise to your name, which is revealed through those wonderful works, Most High,
בְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י אָח֑וֹר יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ וְ֝יֹאבְד֗וּ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃ 4 When my enemies who are foreign nations turn back, they stumble and perish because of your terrifying presence, for the wicked cannot stand before you (Psa 1:4; 5:6)!
כִּֽי־עָ֭שִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י וְדִינִ֑י יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ לְ֝כִסֵּ֗א שׁוֹפֵ֥ט צֶֽדֶק׃ 5 Because you have maintained my right and my claim that I have because I am unjustly afflicted; you are a king, whose responsibilities include judging and caring for the poor, afflicted and oppressed. You have sat on a throne as a righteous judge.
גָּעַ֣רְתָּ ג֭וֹיִם אִבַּ֣דְתָּ רָשָׁ֑ע שְׁמָ֥ם מָ֝חִ֗יתָ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃ 6 In the past, when wicked nations attacked as they are attacking now You rebuked nations due to their hostility towards you (cf. Psa 2; Isa 17:13) when they defiled your land with innocent blood; you destroyed the wicked; you blotted out their name forever and ever so that their acts would never again be remembered.
הָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ תַּ֥מּוּ חֳרָב֗וֹת לָ֫נֶ֥צַח וְעָרִ֥ים נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה׃ 7 The enemy came to an end in ruins forever, and you uprooted cities. The very memory of them perished.
וַֽ֭יהוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם יֵשֵׁ֑ב כּוֹנֵ֖ן לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט כִּסְאֽוֹ׃ 8 But YHWH unlike the wicked whose memory has perished will sit enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice,
וְה֗וּא יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק יָדִ֥ין לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃ 9 and he will judge the world of which he is the creator with righteousness; he will execute justice for the peoples with fairness.
וִ֘יהִ֤י יְהוָ֣ה מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לַדָּ֑ךְ מִ֝שְׂגָּ֗ב לְעִתּ֥וֹת בַּצָּרָֽה׃ 10 And may YHWH who, being creator, is the only one who has the power to reverse the social order (1 Sam 2:8) be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in distressing times.
וְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־עָזַ֖בְתָּ דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ יְהוָֽה׃ 11 And may those who know your name and your promises put their trust in you, because you have not abandoned those who seek you, YHWH, in accordance with your promise that those who seek you find you (Deut 4:29).
זַמְּר֗וּ לַ֭יהוָה יֹשֵׁ֣ב צִיּ֑וֹן הַגִּ֥ידוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃ 12 Sing praise to YHWH, who sits enthroned in Zion the place from which YHWH rules because his presence there secures the city and ensures justice as was the responsibility of the king Tell about his deeds among the peoples,
כִּֽי־דֹרֵ֣שׁ דָּ֭מִים אוֹתָ֣ם זָכָ֑ר לֹֽא־שָׁ֝כַ֗ח צַעֲקַ֥ת עֲנָוִֽים׃ 13 because the one who requires a reckoning for bloodshed remembered them since bloodshed pollutes his land; he has not ignored the outcry of the poor whose innocent blood is spilled at the hands of the wicked.
חָֽנְנֵ֬נִי יְהוָ֗ה רְאֵ֣ה עָ֭נְיִי מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י מְ֝רוֹמְמִ֗י מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת׃ 14 I am among those who are afflicted yet innocent! Have mercy on me, YHWH! Since you have destroyed wicked nations before See my affliction from those foreign enemies who hate me, you who lifts my head from the gates of death who saves me from deaths inescapable power. I am near death at the hands of my enemies and so I am asking you to save me!
לְמַ֥עַן אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה כָּֽל־תְּהִלָּ֫תֶ֥יךָ בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י בַת־צִיּ֑וֹן אָ֝גִ֗ילָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃ 15 so that I may tell about all your praiseworthy actions not at the gates of death, but at the gates of daughter Zion among your holy people in the city over which you rule, (and so that) I may be glad because of your salvation!
טָבְע֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם בְּשַׁ֣חַת עָשׂ֑וּ בְּרֶֽשֶׁת־ז֥וּ טָ֝מָ֗נוּ נִלְכְּדָ֥ה רַגְלָֽם׃ 16 Previous nations defiled your world by spilling innocent blood and oppressing the poor and afflicted. The only thing that can cover innocent blood is the blood of the one who spilled it (Num. 35:33). Israel had a proverb that illustrated this principle of retribution: Nations sank in a pit which they had made; their foot was caught in a net which they had hidden.
נ֤וֹדַ֨ע ׀ יְהוָה֮ מִשְׁפָּ֪ט עָ֫שָׂ֥ה בְּפֹ֣עַל כַּ֭פָּיו נוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֑ע הִגָּי֥וֹן סֶֽלָה׃ 17 YHWH, who has accomplished justice, has made himself known through his acts, namely ensnaring the wicked by the work of his hands by which YHWH enacts the principle of retribution.
יָשׁ֣וּבוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה כָּל־גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם שְׁכֵחֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃ 18 All people came from nothingness and sinful, wicked people will return to this nothingness (Gen 3:19; Job 1:21; 30:23; Psa 90:3; 104:29). May the wicked return to Sheol, all nations that ignore God their maker and his path to life.
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א לָ֭נֶצַח יִשָּׁכַ֣ח אֶבְי֑וֹן תִּקְוַ֥ת עֲ֝נִיִּ֗ים תֹּאבַ֥ד לָעַֽד׃ 19 For the poor will not be ignored forever; the hope of the needy will (not) perish forever.
קוּמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־יָעֹ֣ז אֱנ֑וֹשׁ יִשָּׁפְט֥וּ ג֝וֹיִ֗ם עַל־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ 20 Rise up, YHWH! Let not mortal man who will return to nothingness prevail; let nations be judged in your presence!
שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ מוֹרָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם יֵדְע֥וּ גוֹיִ֑ם אֱנ֖וֹשׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃ 21 YHWH you make yourself known through your terrifying acts, put a terrifying thing in their midst; act to save the oppressed before them! let the nations know that they are mortals.

Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.

This resource is forthcoming.