What does Psalm 9:10 mean?
ESV: And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
NIV: Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
NASB: And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You.
CSB: Those who know your name trust in you because you have not abandoned those who seek you, Lord.
NLT: Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.
KJV: And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
NKJV: And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Verse Commentary:
The Lord is not a disinterested engineer who wound up the world and left it to unwind on its own. He is transcendent and mindful of the cares and concerns of His people. Therefore, those who know His name put their trust in Him. They are assured that God not only knows, but cares, when they are in pain.
David notes that God is with His people not just when everything is going smoothly. He is even there when trials buffet them. In Psalm 23, David testifies that the Lord is his shepherd. He is David's shepherd when He makes him lie down in green pastures or leads him beside still waters. The Lord is also David's shepherd in the valley of the shadow of death. David fears no evil because the Lord is with him (Psalm 23). Hebrews 13:5 assures believers that the Lord will never forsake them.
Verse Context:
Psalm 9:9–20 turns David's attention to various groups of people of Israel. He mentions the oppressed, those who trust in the Lord, the afflicted, the needy, and the poor. He sees the Lord as a safe, secure place, a God who is mindful of His people, and the supplier of hope to the poor.
Chapter Summary:
David praises God in a song which follows an acrostic pattern: the psalm is divided into phrases which begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The pattern continues through Psalm 10, leading some to suggest they were intended as a single work, or as closely related halves. In this psalm, David promises to praise God for His great deeds, including awesome victory over evil. The Lord's eternal justice is also praised, as David asks for further rescue from those who seek to kill him. The passage ends with a prayer for God to remind mankind of His authority.
Chapter Context:
This is a thanksgiving song, where David shows appreciation for the Lord's rescue. This shares similar themes to Psalm 10, though from a very different tone. Some scholars think Psalms 9 and 10 were originally a single work. This is part of the first section of the book of Psalms, including Psalms 1 through 41.
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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