Psalm 9:15-20 “The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made. In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken. The LORD has made himself known. He has executed judgement. The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah. The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol, even all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever. Arise, LORD! Don’t let man prevail. Let the nations be judged in your sight. Put them in fear, LORD. Let the nations know that they are only men. Selah.”

Evildoers end up in the pit they make themselves, whether they are people or nations. Rebelling against God and against His children is a dangerous proposition. God cares for all his people, not just kings! Oppressors should fear, because the needy and poor cry out to God and He hears them.

If you know God, how does it make you feel that God loves you, cares about you, and hears your prayers?

1 Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.”

For additional worship: Psalm 9 (Fighting for Me) (feat. Darin Kaihoi)

Note: “Meditation” is an interesting term. It’s only found in three Psalms. Some think it is a musical notation (perhaps signifying a quieter setting), while others think it means something like meditation. Put together with “Selah,” it could be a time of quiet contemplation. Perhaps we are to pause and consider what it means that the wicked will be ensnared by the works of their own hands. Hoisted on their own petards. They will fall into their own pits. The world would call it “karma.” We recognize that God is sovereign, and that He cares for His own.

Psalm 9:7-14 “But the LORD reigns forever. He has prepared his throne for judgement. He will judge the world in righteousness. He will administer judgement to the peoples in uprightness. The LORD will also be a high tower for the oppressed; a high tower in times of trouble. Those who know your name will put their trust in you, for you, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion, and declare amongst the people what he has done. For he who avenges blood remembers them. He doesn’t forget the cry of the afflicted. Have mercy on me, LORD. See my affliction by those who hate me, and lift me up from the gates of death, that I may show all of your praise. I will rejoice in your salvation in the gates of the daughter of Zion.”

David reminds us of God’s faithfulness and righteousness. It’s why we can put our trust in Him. He is our place of refuge and promises that he will never leave us or forsake us.

Hebrews 13:5 “he has said, ‘I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.’”

Do you have a problem in your life? Even if it’s not someone persecuting or hating you, you can cry out to God for help because He is merciful! And when He helps, however He does, we should rejoice and tell others about His faithfulness.

For additional worship: Jesus, Lover of My Soul (Michael Card)

Psalm 9:1-6 “For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Death of the Son.” A Psalm by David. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart. I will tell of all your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in you. I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish in your presence. For you have maintained my just cause. You sit on the throne judging righteously. You have rebuked the nations. You have destroyed the wicked. You have blotted out their name forever and ever. The enemy is overtaken by endless ruin. The very memory of the cities which you have overthrown has perished.”

David sees how God has worked on his behalf, and he is moved to praise.

How has God worked on our behalf? He’s saved us. He’s given us His Spirit. He’s provided His Word. He’s given us the church. He’s defeated death, hell, and Satan! He’s given us a home in heaven. Perhaps you can look back at other ways he has helped you specifically. And, beyond that, we look forward to a time when all of God’s (and our) enemies will be utterly defeated and Jesus will sit on His throne victorious!

Revelation 19:11-16 “I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself. He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called ‘The Word of God.’ The armies which are in heaven, clothed in white, pure, fine linen, followed him on white horses. Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He treads the wine press of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.'”

For additional worship: Sing to the Lord with all of Your Heart

Psalm 8:1-9 “For the Chief Musician; on an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by David. LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens! From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength, because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained, what is man, that you think of him? What is the son of man, that you care for him? For you have made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet: All sheep and cattle, yes, and the animals of the field, the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas. LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

God is to be praised! When we consider not only creation, but the dominion that mankind has over it, we rejoice in God’s majesty. Even babies praise His name and put His enemies to shame! He is both sovereign (Lord = Adonai), and personal (LORD = YHWH, Israel’s covenant name for God). He is to be feared and loved. We recognize God as Creator and Savior through Jesus Christ!

Colossians 1:15-20 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.”

This passage also points to Jesus in a special way. The author of Hebrews sees the son of man not just as mankind, but as pointing to the special Son of Man who is the coming Messiah!

Hebrews 2:5-9 “For he didn’t subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels. But one has somewhere testified, saying, ‘What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don’t yet see all things subjected to him. But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.”

For additional worship: How Majestic is Thy Name (Keith Green)

Psalm 7:12-17 “If a man doesn’t repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has bent and strung his bow. He has also prepared for himself the instruments of death. He makes ready his flaming arrows. Behold, he travails with iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought out falsehood. He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made. The trouble he causes shall return to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head. I will give thanks to the LORD according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”

David warns the evildoers who are after him: if you don’t repent of your sins, God is preparing for war, and He is coming for you! If you continue to lie and deceive, you’ll fall into the pit you’ve dug for me. Your own violence is going to rebound against you. Turn back before it’s too late!

God protects us as well. When we know Jesus, we are His for eternity!

John 6:40 “This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

But there is another way that David’s warning should ring in our heads. When we rebel against God, we set ourselves up for failure. When we discover our own sin, we need to repent. Repentance is more than just feeling sorrow. Repentance is a turning away from sin and turning to God. There are both eternal and temporal aspects to repentance. There is a once and for all turning to Jesus as Savior, and there is the daily confession to make sure our ongoing relationship is where it needs to be.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Have you expressed your belief in Jesus? Do you try to live for Him? Do you confess your mistakes to Him? All are important for a right relationship with Him. And God’s faithfulness to protect and forgive should lead us to praise!

For additional worship: Psalm 7 (Vindicate Me) [feat. Nick Poppens]

Psalm 7:1-11 “A meditation by David, which he sang to the LORD, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite. LORD, my God, I take refuge in you. Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me, lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, ripping it in pieces, while there is no one to deliver. LORD, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands, if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, I have delivered him who without cause was my adversary), let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; yes, let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust. Selah. Arise, LORD, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgement. Let the congregation of the peoples surround you. Rule over them on high. The LORD administers judgement to the peoples. Judge me, LORD, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God. My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, yes, a God who has indignation every day.”

Cush was probably one of Saul’s kinsmen who, like Doeg and the Ziphites, supported Saul and tried to do away with David. Here David basically says to God, “Hey, if I’ve done anything to be worthy of this hatred and pursuit, I’ll accept my death!” But David believes that he is righteous, and that God will ultimately vindicate him because God is a righteous judge. And God will not only vindicate him, but God will judge the wicked as well.

In one sense we are righteous, because the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us. This is positional righteousness:

Romans 8:10 “If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. For Christ is the fulfilment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

However, while we live this life, we aren’t perfect. So, we strive to be better. We strive to have practical righteousness:

1 Peter 1:15-16 “but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all of your behavior, because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.'”

Our goal should be to live in such a way that we can cry out to God through our practical righteousness, not just our positional!

For additional worship: Jesus Lover of my Soul — Michael Card

Psalm 6:6-10 “I am weary with my groaning. Every night I flood my bed. I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief. It grows old because of all my adversaries. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD has heard my supplication. The LORD accepts my prayer. May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed. They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly.”

Lament. Do we do it enough? Does our guilt for not being stronger make us turn away from God rather than turn to Him? Do we really think that God doesn’t know how we feel? Why can’t we pour out our weariness, our grief, our complaints to Him? How else do we get rid of our angst and enter into trust? And we see that here. David has stuff going on. He continually has people after him. He has people rejoicing that he is in trouble. Only one person can help him: God. And he cries his eyes out to God until he feels the peace that passes all understanding. He knows that God hears him, and trusts that God will vindicate and help him.

The warning for us today is that vindication and help can be different than what David experienced. In one sense we’ve already won. We have eternal life! God will never forsake us! And, in this life, we have His Spirit to help us experience His presence, His love, His joy, and His peace, no matter what we go through. David had some specific promises that He could trust in. Our promises are different, but just as trustworthy.

For additional worship: Psalm 6 (Heal Me) by The Psalms Project (feat. Deryck Box) – Official Lyric Video

Psalm 6:1-5 “For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments, upon the eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm by David. LORD, don’t rebuke me in your anger, neither discipline me in your wrath. Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint. LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul is also in great anguish. But you, LORD—how long? Return, LORD. Deliver my soul, and save me for your loving kindness’ sake. For in death there is no memory of you. In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?”

This is a Psalm of lament, where the worshipper cries out to God in despair. Its circumstances are unknown, but whatever is going on, David has considered that his own sin had a part to play in it. He asks for God’s grace and favor to prolong his life so that he can continue to praise God on the earth.

There is a tension in life that we see represented by having both the Old and the New Testaments. We can think that any thoughts of a prolonged life are evil. That we should all want to go to heaven and not be concerned about how long our earthly life is. But the Old Testament reminds us that long life is a gift from God, a thought that is echoed in two places in the New:

1 Peter 3:10 “For, ‘He who would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.'”

Ephesians 6:2-3 “‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with a promise: ‘that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.’”

While we shouldn’t necessarily fear death, we recognize that God has a purpose for us in this life, and it’s not a sin to want to continue to serve and to praise Him here. Especially since we have a chance to influence people for eternity while we live!

For additional worship: Psalm 6 – Isaac Watts

Lord, I can suffer thy rebukes,
When thou with kindness dost chastise;
But thy fierce wrath I cannot bear:
O let it not against me rise.

Pity my languishing estate,
And ease the sorrows that I feel;
The wounds thine heavy hand hath made,
O let thy gentler touches heal!

See how I pass my weary days
In sighs and groans; and when ’tis night
My bed is watered with my tears;
My grief consumes, and dims my sight.

Look, how the powers of nature mourn!
How long, Almighty God, how long?
When shall thine hour of grace return?
When shall I make thy grace my song?

I feel my flesh so near the grave,
My thoughts are tempted to despair;
But graves can never praise the Lord,
For all is dust and silence there.

Depart, ye tempters, from my soul,
And all despairing thoughts, depart;
My God, who hears my humble moan,
Will ease my flesh, and cheer my heart.

Additional notes: Sheol can be either the general abode of the dead, or the place where the wicked go upon death. Here it simply refers to the grave. Everyone dies, their voices are snuffed out, and they can no longer praise God in the land of the living.

We also recognize that the premature taking of life, whether murder or suicide, is seen as wrong in the Bible. Murder is explicitly condemned. Suicide can be seen as “self-murder,” and is shown as the Bible as a product of depression and pain instead of trust and submission.

Psalm 5:7-12 “But as for me, in the abundance of your loving kindness I will come into your house. I will bow towards your holy temple in reverence of you. Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before my face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue. Hold them guilty, God. Let them fall by their own counsels. Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against you. But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them. Let them also who love your name be joyful in you. For you will bless the righteous. LORD, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.”

What a revelation: we can approach God because of the abundance of his steadfast love! That should ignite in us an even greater desire to worship and serve. And our service is for a purpose: to differentiate ourselves from the wicked. Not only do we want to be protected from them, we also don’t want to become like them. Is it strange that we should ask God to help us be different? No, because we understand that we can’t really live for God without the help of His Spirit:

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

Some have trouble with passages that indicate a desire for the wicked to be punished. Although we do live in the New Testament era, we can still pray for the wicked to be exposed and judged for their actions. We actually see that as one of the prayers in Revelation:

Revelation 6:10 “They cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’”

Notice in both the Old and the New Testaments the saints are crying out for God to do the judging, not us!

The last thing that this Psalm reveals is how those who know and trust God respond to His love and protection: we love Him back and rejoice in His name!

For additional worship: Lead Me Lord (with lyrics)