Text -- Psalms 9:11-20 (NET)

9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, who rules in Zion! Tell the nations what he has done! 9:12 For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; he did not overlook their cry for help 9:13 when they prayed: “Have mercy on me, Lord! See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, O one who can snatch me away from the gates of death! 9:14 Then I will tell about all your praiseworthy acts; in the gates of Daughter Zion I will rejoice because of your deliverance.” 9:15 The nations fell into the pit they had made; their feet were caught in the net they had hidden. 9:16 The Lord revealed himself; he accomplished justice; the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. (Higgaion. Selah) 9:17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol; this is the destiny of all the nations that ignore God, 9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored, the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed. 9:19 Rise up, Lord! Don’t let men be defiant! May the nations be judged in your presence! 9:20 Terrify them, Lord! Let the nations know they are mere mortals! (Selah)

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 9:11

¹ tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, and therefore ruling – see v. 4). Another option is to translate as “lives” or “dwells.”

² tn Heb “declare among the nations his deeds.”

NET Notes: Psa 9:12

¹ tn Heb “for the one who seeks shed blood remembered them.” The idiomatic expression “to seek shed blood” seems to carry the idea “to seek payment/restitution for one’s shed blood.” The plural form דָּמִים (damim, “shed blood”) occurs only here as the object of דָּרַשׁ (darash); the singular form דָּם (dam, “blood”) appears with the verb in Gen 9:5; 42:22; Ezek 33:6. “Them,” the pronominal object of the verb “remembered,” refers to the oppressed, mentioned specifically in the next line, so the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “did not forget.”

³ tn Heb “the cry for help of the oppressed.” In this context the “oppressed” are the psalmist and those he represents, whom the hostile nations have threatened.

NET Notes: Psa 9:13

¹ tn The words “when they prayed,” though not represented in the Hebrew text, are supplied in the translation for clarification. The petition in vv. 13-14 is best understood as the cry for help which the oppressed offered to God when the nations threatened. The Lord answered this request, prompting the present song of thanksgiving.

² tn Or “show me favor.”

³ tn Heb “see my misery from the ones who hate me.”

⁴ tn Heb “one who lifts me up.”

NET Notes: Psa 9:14

¹ tn Or “so that I might.”

² tn Heb “all your praise.” “Praise” stands by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt it.

³ sn Daughter Zion is an idiomatic title for Jerusalem. It appears frequently in the prophets, but only here in the psalms.

⁴ tn Heb “in your deliverance.”

NET Notes: Psa 9:15

¹ tn Heb “sank down.”

² sn The hostility of the nations against God’s people is their downfall, for it prompts God to intervene and destroy them. See also Ps 7:15-16.

NET Notes: Psa 9:16

¹ tn Heb “by the work of his hands [the] wicked [one] was ensnared. The singular form רָשָׁע (rasha’, “wicked”) is collective or representative here (see vv. 15, 17). The form נוֹקֵשׁ (noqesh) appears to be an otherwise unattested Qal form (active participle) from נָקַשׁ (naqash), but the form should be emended to נוֹקַשׁ (noqash), a Niphal perfect from יָקַשׁ (yaqash).

² tn This is probably a technical musical term.

NET Notes: Psa 9:17

¹ tn Heb “the wicked turn back to Sheol.” The imperfect verbal form either emphasizes what typically happens or describes vividly the aftermath of the Lord’s victory over the psalmist’s enemies. See v. 3.

² tn The words “this is the destiny of” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. The verb “are turned back” is understood by ellipsis (see the preceding line).

³ tn Heb “forget.” “Forgetting God” refers here to worshiping false gods and thereby refusing to recognize his sovereignty (see also Deut 8:19; Judg 3:7; 1 Sam 12:9; Isa 17:10; Jer 3:21; Ps 44:20). The nations’ refusal to acknowledge God’s sovereignty accounts for their brazen attempt to attack and destroy his people.

NET Notes: Psa 9:18

¹ tn Or “forgotten.”

² tn Heb “the hope of the afflicted does [not] perish forever.” The negative particle is understood by ellipsis; note the preceding line. The imperfect verbal forms express what typically happens.

NET Notes: Psa 9:19

¹ sn Rise up, Lord! …May the nations be judged. The psalm concludes with a petition that the Lord would continue to exercise his justice as he has done in the recent crisis.

² tn Or “prevail.”

NET Notes: Psa 9:20

¹ tn Heb “place, Lord, terror with regard to them.” The Hebrew term מוֹרָה (morah, “terror”) is an alternative form of מוֹרָא (mora’; a reading that appears in some mss and finds support in several ancient textual witnesses).

² tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).