Psalm 9 - Our God is a Righteous Judge

Today we will be looking a Psalm 9 and thinking about how our God is the righteous judge of all the earth. The title of this Psalm tells us that David is the writer. But we can’t be sure when he wrote it or what was the occasion that motivated him to write it. The commentators have dozens of various opinions and speculations as to the specifics as to why and when it was written. The most common view is that “the Death of the Son” is referring to the victory God gave David over Goliath, and years later when David as king of Israel is dealing with Israel’s national enemies, he is reminding himself of God’s righteous judgment that will take care of them too. The emphasis of this Psalm 9 is on joyful praise. Read verses 1, 2, 11, and 14. “I will praise you…” (v. 1). “I will be glad and rejoice in you…”(v. 2).  “I will sing praises to your name…” (v. 2). “Sing praises to the LORD…” (v. 11). “That I may tell of all your praise…” (v. 14). David was assured, that in the midst of all his troubles and his enemies, that his greatest defense was a joyful heart full of praise for his righteous God! In this Psalm we especially see the emphasis on God's care of Israel and His righteous judgment on the nations that attacked His people. You find the theme of judgment and justice in verses 4, 7-8, 16 and 19-20. “You sat on the throne judging in righteousness” (v. 4). “But the LORD shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment. He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness” (vv. 7-8). “The LORD is known by the judgment He executes”(v. 16). The chapter ends with this plea from David, “Arise, O LORD, Do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged in Your sight. Put them in fear, O LORD, That the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah” (Psalm 9:19-20). This prophetic prayer and plea is not only a cry of David for his present situation, but it also looks forward to the day when the Lord Jesus Christ will return to the earth at the end of the Tribulation with the armies of heaven to defeat all His enemies. We are reminded that there has been an epic battle being waged ever since the Lord spoke the words recorded in Genesis 3:15, when God said there would be enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. Ever since there has been a war going on between the forces of Satan and the forces of God.  In Genesis 12:1-3, when God called Abram to become the father of the nation of Israel, that would give us the Bible and produced the Messiah, the focus of this conflict has been on the nation of Israel. (See Rev. 12.) That battle goes on today. Since as believers, we are spiritually Abraham’s seed, we face daily warfare with these evil forces! Psalm 9 is a great assurance that our God is a righteous judge, and we are on the winning side! You can put your trust in Him (v. 10). God bless!