Psalm 9:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: To the choirmaster: according to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

NIV: For the director of music. To the tune of 'The Death of the Son.' A psalm of David. I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

NASB: I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.

CSB: I will thank the Lord with all my heart; I will declare all your wondrous works.

NLT: I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.

KJV: {To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David.} I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

NKJV: {To the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David.} I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.

David's praise in this psalm seems focused on Israel's victory over other nations who had attacked them (Psalm 9:3–6). The reference to whole-hearted thankfulness previews Jesus' indication of the most important commandment (Matthew 22:34–40), found in Deuteronomy 6:5.

The practice of crediting the Lord with victory, not himself, was a consistent theme in David's life. When he was just a youth, he battled Goliath, the Philistine giant. Though the king suited him with his armor, David could not go into battle so clothed because he had not tested the armor. Thus with only his staff, a sling, and five smooth stones, David approached Goliath and said, "I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel…This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand…For the battle is the LORD&APOS;S, and he will give you into our hand" (1 Samuel 17:45–47).

The same Lord gives victory to His people today. Paul writes: "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).

The title for this passage includes an extremely obscure term, Muth-labben. There is another unique, possibly musical references given later in the psalm (Psalm 9:16). It's possible that the word used in the introduction refers to a known song, and this psalm is meant to be sung using that tune.

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.