Psalm 9 Verse-by-Verse

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Welcome to the DRAFT Verse-by-Verse Notes for Psalm 9!

The Verse-by-Verse Notes present scholarly, exegetical materials (from all layers of analysis) in a verse-by-verse format. They often present alternative interpretive options and justification for a preferred interpretation. The Verse-by-Verse Notes are aimed at consultant-level users.

The discussion of each verse of this psalm includes the following items.

1. A link to the part of the overview video where the verse in question is discussed.
2. The verse in Hebrew and English.
3. An expanded paraphrase of the verse.
4. A grammatical diagram of the verse, which includes glosses for each word and phrase.
5. A series of notes on the verse, which contain information pertaining to the interpretation of the psalm (e.g., meaning of words and phrases, poetic features, difficult grammatical constructions, etc.).

Superscription (v. 1)

v. 1

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
1a	לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַלְמ֥וּת לַבֵּ֗ן	For the director, according to Muth-labben.
1b	מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃	A psalm by David.

Expanded Paraphrase

For the director, according to Muth-labben. A psalm (written) by David.

Grammatical Diagram

Notes

• The phrase עַלמוּת לַבֵּן has been a source of differences among translations. Compare, for example the NIV ‘To the tune of “The Death of the Son”’; the NKJV ‘upon Muthlabben’; the NET ‘...according to the alumoth-labben style’, etc. The issue may be approached by asking two questions. (1) Should the word עלמות be read as one word or two? (2) If read as one word, what is the meaning? A few ancient versions and some Hebrew manuscripts reflect two words here על מות, in which case the full phrase על מות לבן due to the grammar must mean ‘regarding a death of the son’.‘The genitive is usually avoided and replaced by ל when the second noun is determinate but the first one is logically indeterminate’ Upon an initial reading, however, this phrase is unlikely, since ‘a death’ would suggest that the son referred to experiences more than one death. Thus, if trying to interpret the Masoretic Text reading two words here results in a meaning that makes little sense. If read as one word, the consonants עלמות may give rise to several readings due to the number of words whose root are the letters עלם. The LXX translates these consonants as κρυφίων ‘(of the) secrets’ which would presumabely reflect the vocalisation עֲלֻמוֹת ‘those things which are concealed’ from the root עלם ‘to conceal’. A few ancient witnesses use a greek word meaning ‘youthfulness’ in which case the vocalisation is as it stands in the MT—עַלמוּת—and is interpreted as an abstract noun from the same root from which the words עֶלֶם ‘young man’ and עַלְמָה ‘young woman’ are derived. In this connection one should note the similar form עֲלָמוֹת in Psalm 46:1 which Deltzsch (1871, 93) glosses pullae puberes ‘young girls’. In any case, the Masoretes did evidently receive a tradition where the two words are different, and the variety of opinion within Judaism alone is too vast to cover here. With many of commentators we understand the term as most likely a musical term whose precise meaning still remains unknown. We therefore transcribe the name in our Close-but-Clear translation.

Praise of the King (vv. 2-11)

vv. 2-5

v. 2

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
2a	אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לִבִּ֑י	I will praise YHWH with all my heart;
2b	אֲ֝סַפְּרָ֗ה כָּל־נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃	I will tell about all your wonderful works!

Expanded Paraphrase

I will praise YHWH with all my heart; I will tell about all your wonderful works (with which you terrify your enemies)!

Grammatical Diagram

v. 3

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
3a	אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה בָ֑ךְ	I will rejoice and exult because of you;
3b	אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃	I will sing praise to your name, Most High!

Expanded Paraphrase

I will rejoice and exult because of you; I will sing praise to your name (, which is revealed through those wonderful works), Most High!

Grammatical Diagram

v. 4

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
4a	בְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י אָח֑וֹר	When my enemies turn back,
4b	יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ וְ֝יֹאבְד֗וּ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃	they stumble and perish because of your presence,

Expanded Paraphrase

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])!

Grammatical Diagram

v. 5

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
5a	כִּֽי־עָ֭שִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י וְדִינִ֑י	because you have accomplished my right and my claim;
5b	יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ לְ֝כִסֵּ֗א שׁוֹפֵ֥ט צֶֽדֶק׃	you have sat on a throne as a righteous judge.

Expanded Paraphrase

because you have accomplished 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.

Grammatical Diagram

vv. 6-7

v. 6

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
6a	גָּעַ֣רְתָּ ג֭וֹיִם אִבַּ֣דְתָּ רָשָׁ֑ע	You rebuked nations; you destroyed the wicked;
6b	׃שְׁמָ֥ם מָ֝חִ֗יתָ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃	you blotted out their name forever and ever.

Expanded Paraphrase

(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).

Grammatical Diagram

v. 7

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
7a	הָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ תַּ֥מּוּ חֳרָב֗וֹת לָ֫נֶ֥צַח	The enemy came to an end in ruins forever,
7b	וְעָרִ֥ים נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ	and you uprooted cities.
7c	אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה׃	The very memory of them perished.

Expanded Paraphrase

The enemy came to an end in ruins forever, and you uprooted cities. The very memory of them perished.

Grammatical Diagram

vv. 8-11

v. 8

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
8a	וַֽ֭יהוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם יֵשֵׁ֑ב	But YHWH will sit enthroned forever;
8b	כּוֹנֵ֖ן לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט כִּסְאֽוֹ׃	he has established his throne for justice,

Expanded Paraphrase

But YHWH (unlike the wicked whose memory has perished) will sit enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice,

Grammatical Diagram

v. 9

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
9a	וְה֗וּא יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק	and he will judge the world with righteousness;
9b	יָדִ֥ין לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃	he will execute justice for the peoples with fairness.

Expanded Paraphrase

and he will judge the world (of which he is the creator) with righteousness; he will execute justice for the peoples with fairness.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 10

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
10a	וִ֘יהִ֤י יְהוָ֣ה מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לַדָּ֑ךְ	And may YHWH be a refuge for the oppressed,
10b	מִ֝שְׂגָּ֗ב לְעִתּ֥וֹת בַּצָּרָֽה׃	a refuge in distressing times.

Expanded Paraphrase

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.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 11

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
11a	וְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ	And may those who know your name put their trust in you,
11b	כִּ֤י לֹֽא־עָזַ֖בְתָּ דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ יְהוָֽה׃	because you have not abandoned those who seek you, YHWH.

Expanded Paraphrase

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]).

Grammatical Diagram

Petition the King (vv. 12-21)

vv. 12-15

v. 12

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
12a	זַמְּר֗וּ לַ֭יהוָה יֹשֵׁ֣ב צִיּ֑וֹן	Sing praise to YHWH, who sits enthroned in Zion!
12b	הַגִּ֥ידוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃	Tell about his deeds among the peoples,

Expanded Paraphrase

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,

Grammatical Diagram

v. 13

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
13a	כִּֽי־דֹרֵ֣שׁ דָּ֭מִים אוֹתָ֣ם זָכָ֑ר	because the one who requires a reckoning for bloodshed has remembered them;
13b	לֹֽא־שָׁ֝כַ֗ח צַעֲקַ֥ת עניים עֲנָוִֽים׃	he has not ignored the outcry of the afflicted.

Expanded Paraphrase

because the one who requires a reckoning for bloodshed has remembered them (since bloodshed pollutes his land); he has not ignored the outcry of the afflicted (whose innocent blood is spilled at the hands of the wicked).

Grammatical Diagram

v. 14

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
14a	חָֽנְנֵ֬נִי יְהוָ֗ה רְאֵ֣ה עָ֭נְיִי מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י	Have mercy on me, YHWH! See my affliction from those who hate me,
14b	מְ֝רוֹמְמִ֗י מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת׃	you who lift me up from the gates of death,

Expanded Paraphrase

(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!)

Grammatical Diagram

v. 15

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
15a	לְמַ֥עַן אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה כָּֽל־תְּהִלָּ֫תֶ֥יךָ	so that I may tell about all your praiseworthy actions
15b	בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י בַת־צִיּ֑וֹן	at the gates of daughter Zion,
15c	אָ֝גִ֗ילָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃	[and so that] I may be glad because of your salvation!

Expanded Paraphrase

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!

Grammatical Diagram

vv. 16-17

v. 16

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
16a	טָבְע֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם בְּשַׁ֣חַת עָשׂ֑וּ	Nations sank in a pit which they had made;
16b	בְּרֶֽשֶׁת־ז֥וּ טָ֝מָ֗נוּ נִלְכְּדָ֥ה רַגְלָֽם׃	their foot was caught in a net which they had hidden.

Expanded Paraphrase

(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.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 17

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
17a	נ֤וֹדַ֨ע ׀ יְהוָה֮ מִשְׁפָּ֪ט עָ֫שָׂ֥ה	YHWH, who has accomplished justice, has made himself known,
17b	בְּפֹ֣עַל כַּ֭פָּיו נוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֑ע הִגָּי֥וֹן סֶֽלָה׃	ensnaring the wicked by the work of his hands. Higgaion Selah

Expanded Paraphrase

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).

Grammatical Diagram

vv. 18-21

v. 18

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
18a	יָשׁ֣וּבוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה	The wicked will return to Sheol,
18b	כָּל־גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם שְׁכֵחֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃	all nations that ignore God.

Expanded Paraphrase

(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]). The wicked will return to Sheol, all nations that ignore God (their maker) (and his path to life).

Grammatical Diagram

v. 19

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
19a	כִּ֤י לֹ֣א לָ֭נֶצַח יִשָּׁכַ֣ח אֶבְי֑וֹן	For the poor will not be ignored forever;
19b	תִּקְוַ֥ת עֲ֝נִיִּ֗ים תֹּאבַ֥ד לָעַֽד׃	the hope of the afflicted will [not] perish forever.

Expanded Paraphrase

For the poor will not be ignored forever; the hope of the afflicted will [not] perish forever.

Grammatical Diagram

v. 20

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
20a	קוּמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־יָעֹ֣ז אֱנ֑וֹשׁ	Rise up, YHWH! Let not humanity prevail;
20b	יִשָּׁפְט֥וּ ג֝וֹיִ֗ם עַל־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃	let nations be judged in your presence!

Expanded Paraphrase

Rise up, YHWH! Let not humanity (who will return to nothingness) prevail; let nations be judged in your presence!

Grammatical Diagram

v. 21

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v.	Hebrew	Close-but-clear
21a	שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ מוֹרָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם	YHWH, put a fearful thing among them;
21b	יֵדְע֥וּ גוֹיִ֑ם אֱנ֖וֹשׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃	let the nations know that they are human. Selah

Expanded Paraphrase

YHWH (you make yourself known) (through your terrifying acts), put a fearful thing among them; (act to save the oppressed before them!) let the nations know that they are human.

Grammatical Diagram

Legends

Grammatical diagram

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Grammatical Term	Definition	Diagram	Example
Clausal Additions
Subject	The subject performs the action of the active verb or receives the action of a passive verb. With intransitive verbs	Indicated at the beginning of the main clausal line, and followed by a vertical line that crosses over the main clause line (separating the subject from the predicate).
Direct Object	Object that receives the direct action of a (transitive) verb	Indicate with a vertical line up from main clausal line
Predicate adjective/ Subject complement	A word used with a linking verb (ex. "to be"), renaming or restating the subject. Can be a whole prepositional phrase.	Indicate with a vertical slanted line up from the main clausal line. It can be on a stand if it is an embedded clause.
Object Complement	Word following a direct object to state what it has become.	Indicate with a vertical slanted line up from the main clausal line.
Infinitives	Can be subject, adverbial, or an infinitive construct.	Indicate with double vertical lines that cross the main clausal line. If used adverbially (ie. an embedded clause), place on a stand.
Participles	A verbal noun/adjective that can be used in three positions: (1) substantival; (2) attributive; (3) predicative.	Indicate with a round vertical line. Substantival participles are placed on a stand (they are embedded). Attributive participles are placed with a rounded line underneath what is modified.
Modifiers
Adjectives	A word modifying a noun to indicate quality, quantity, extent, or differentiating something from something else.	Indicate with a slanted line down from what is modified.
Adverbs	A word that modifies a verb, adverb, adjective, prepositional phrase, clause, or sentence to express a relation (ex. manner, quality, or time).	Indicate with a slanted line down from what is modified.
Construct relationships	Construction can express many different relationships between two (or more) nouns. English grammarians call this construction a ‘Construct’ (our term) or ‘Genitive’ phrase; Hebrew grammarians call it smīḵūt (סְמִיכוּת).	Indicate with a stair-step down from the modified word/clause/phrase.
Prepositional phrases	A phrase that consists of a preposition and its object and has adjectival or adverbial value	Indicate with a slanted vertical line connecting to a new clause.
Connectives	(1) Coordinating conjunctions join together words or word groups of equal grammatical rank (2) Subordinating conjunctions join a main clause and a clause which does not form a complete sentence by itself.	Indicate with a dashed line down from a vertical line marker.
Embedded clause	A clause inside another clause which can include substantival participles, adverbial infinitives, and prepositional phrases.	Indicate using stilts.
Particles
Subordinating particle	Indicates a dependent clause.	Indicate with a dashed line down from the antecedent to the pronoun.
Apposition	A word that is functioning as an explanatory equivalent as another in the sentence	Place on a line apart from the diagram but next to the word it is the equivalent of with an equal sign in between.
Vocative	Indicating a person being addressed (usually with a 2nd person verb)	Place on a line apart from the diagram next to the '()' indicating the gapped subject an equal sign in between.

Master Diagram

Shapes and colours on grammatical diagram

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	Prepositional phrase	Construct chain	Construct chain within a prepositional phrase	Phrase-level waw	Article and כֹּל
Diagram Shading
Definition	- A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition plus its object. The phrase usually modifies the clause or another constituent in the clause.	- A construct chain, also called a 'genitive phrase', is a grammatical encoding of the relationship 'A of B,' in which A is a phonologically modified noun (in the construct state), and B is a phonologically unmodified noun (the absolute state).	- Some construct chains occur within prepositional phrases	- A waw conjunction can join units of all sizes. Phrase level waw join units at the word or phrase level (i.e., below the level of the clause).	- Definite articles tell you something about the identifiability or inclusiveness about the word it is attached to - כֹּל is a quantifier that tells you about the scope of a word it is attached to

Expanded paraphrase

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• Close but Clear (CBC) translation
• Assumptions which provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences

References

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