Psalm 9:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice,

NIV: The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment.

NASB: But the Lord sits as King forever; He has established His throne for judgment,

CSB: But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for judgment.

NLT: But the Lord reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne.

KJV: But the Lord shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.

NKJV: But the Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment.

In contrast to enemies, whom the Lord completely obliterates (Psalm 9:3–6), God lives forever on His throne. David acknowledges that God is, has been, and always will be the Supreme Authority over all of creation. That rule is not only complete, but also completely good (Psalm 9:8).

In Psalm 93:2 the psalmist addresses the Lord saying, "Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting." Psalm 106:48 proclaims, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting." From His throne God "will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed [Jesus]; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).

When Jesus ministered on earth, He demonstrated divinely perfect judgment, rooted in perfect knowledge. John 1:47 tells us Jesus commented on Nathanael when the future disciple was first approaching Him. When Nathanael asked Jesus how He knew him, Jesus replied, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you" (John 1:48). John 2:24¬–25 tells us Jesus did not entrust Himself to the Passover crowd "because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man."

Psalm 9:1–8 opens the song as David ascribes praise to God. He celebrates the Lord for saving him and his army from the nations that attacked him and his people. He recalls the triumph the Lord accomplished over the enemy. The victory evidenced the Lord's righteous judgment and sovereignty. The nations perished but the Lord's name lives forever.

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.