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Psalms 9 and 10 probably belong together as a unit, since in Hebrew they are linked together by an acrostic pattern beginning with aleph in 9:1 and ending with taw in Psalm 10:17. Another reason the psalms probably belong together is that there is no heading in Hebrew for Psalm 10. Many manuscripts therefore treat Psalms 9 and 10 as one unit. The Septuagint, the Greek translation, treats these two psalms as a single psalm of thirty-nine verses. Both psalms are pleas of deliverance from the wicked, but Psalm 9 begins with a prayer of thanksgiving for deliverance (9:1-3), and then alternates between two passages portraying God’s role as judge of the nations (9:4-8, 15-20) with a section acknowledging God as the refuge of all who trust in him (9:9-14), and a description of judgment on the wicked (9:15-20).
The psalm opens with an advance notice of thanksgiving for deliverance and restoration. The English sentence “I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart;” (9:1a) reflects the meaning of the Hebrew verb more accurately than the translation, “I will praise….” The Hebrew verb used is connected to the offering of a thanksgiving sacrifice in the temple to celebrate deliverance from trouble. From the rest of the psalm, it is clear that the psalmist is still suffering and still hopes for deliverance in the future, but the psalm still opens on this confident note of thanksgiving.
The phrase “with all my heart” indicates that the psalmist’s thanksgiving proceeds from the center of his being, the center of the human will and of trust in God. “I will speak of all thy marvelous works” (9:1b) shows that his thanksgiving is rooted in his appreciation of all God’s wonderful works in creation and in history.
The psalmist’s intention to be glad and rejoice in the Lord reminds us of Hannah’s rejoicing in 1 Samuel 2:1 and of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s rejoicing in the Magnificat. This rejoicing the psalmist expresses in songs of thanksgiving (Psalm 9:2b).
In verse 3, it is perhaps the case that the songs of thanksgiving will be sung to the Lord when the psalmist’s enemies are driven back, when the mere presence of the Lord will cause his enemies to fall. We can, of course, interpret this psalm as referring to the Lord Jesus Christ who rejoices in the Lord at his resurrection, when his enemies are driven back, and fail in their intention to destroy him and his mission forever.
We can indeed say that on the basis of Christ’s resurrection, it is clear that God maintained his right and his cause and issued true and righteous judgment from his throne. In that case, the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ to the right hand of the Father, far above all authority and power in heaven and on earth, marks the beginning of God’s rebuke of the heathen and the ungodly, as well as a sign of their perpetual defeat and destruction (9:5-6).
The theme of God’s judgement of the unrighteous is continued in verses 7 and 8, incorporating as it does the administration of true judgment upon the world.
In verses 9 and 10, there is also the emphasis on God being a defence for the oppressed and a refuge, a place of safety in their time of trouble. Verse 10 extends God’s protection to all who know his Name and put their trust in him, since he has never failed anyone who seeks him. Knowing God’s Name means belonging to him and to his covenant community. Verse 11 tells people to praise the Lord who dwells in Zion and to make people know of his deeds. Verse 12 reminds the reader that when the Lord avenges the shed blood of his faithful ones, he remembers them and their prayers.
In verse 13, the psalmist returns to the reality of his own suffering at the hands of his enemies, that have left him at the gates of death and in dire need of salvation. The purpose of his plea for deliverance is that when God rescues him, he may tell of God’s praises at the gates of Jerusalem (v.14).
In the final five verses, the psalmist expresses his faith in God’s just judgement, and the certain destruction of the ungodly and the wicked, while God remembers and rescues the poor and meek. He prays that God will not let human beings continue to oppress the poor and exploit them (“have the upper hand”), but that they will be judged in God’s sight, and have the fear of God by which they will know that they are only human beings subject to God’s judgement.
CONCLUSION
The psalm teaches us to give thanks to God in all our trials, and to show confidence and trust in the Lord to rescue us and give us the victory, while it also reminds us that human oppressors will not continue forever, but will be judged by God, so that all oppression and exploitation of God’s people by the unrighteous will one day cease.