Psalm 9:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!

NIV: Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.

NASB: Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion; Declare His deeds among the peoples.

CSB: Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Zion; proclaim his deeds among the nations.

NLT: Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.

KJV: Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

NKJV: Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people.

David invites the oppressed—those held down or crushed by others (Psalm 9:9)—to sing praises to God. The reason for celebration is that God is never detached from His people (Psalm 9:10).

This verse makes reference to the Lord's throne in Zion. This is the name of a large hill on the southeastern side of Jerusalem. In prophetic literature, and the Psalms, Zion is often used as a reference to Jerusalem (Psalm 87:2–3). With Israel being God's chosen people, and Jerusalem being the capital city of that nation, references to Zion also appear as metaphors for the kingdom of God (Hebrews 12:22; 1 Peter 2:6).

The ark of the covenant (Exodus 37:1–9) represented God's presence. At the time this psalm was written, the ark was still in Jerusalem. Symbolically, then, David could exclaim that the Lord was "enthroned in Jerusalem." Even in times of trouble God's people can remember that God is firmly seated in authority and power. No one can thwart His will.

The Lord is good all the time. David exhorts God's people to tell others about the Lord's deeds. The deeds David refers to here in verse 11 are likely the wonderful acts the Lord performed on behalf of Israel (Psalm 9:1–6). This might have implied His deliverance of His people from Egypt and His miraculous provisions for them in the wilderness. However, the actions in question might be more personal: what God has done in the lives of the oppressed. Believers today should declare how much God has done for them (Luke 8:39; 1 Peter 2:9–10; 3:15; Romans 10:14–15).

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.

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.

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.