Псалом 9

The inscription “on the death of Laben” still remains unclear. It can be assumed that it indicates a method, a motive for singing a psalm based on the model of a song that began with these words and did not survive until later times. The psalm is alphabetical, beginning each verse with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, but not always, however, in strict sequence and in accordance with the present order. In euros In the Bible, this psalm is divided into two: the ninth psalm of the Russian Bible ends in the Hebrew 21 s., and from 22 there is already 10 Psalms, also alphabetical. The Latin Bible follows the Hebrew order of division of the psalm, and the Greek. and Slavs, combine the Jewish 9 and 10 psalms into one, the ninth. The absence of an inscription above Psalm 10 in Hebrew. Bible, the same alphabetical order and the similarity of both psalms in the expression of thoughts give the right to conclude about the unity of their author, David. The psalm was written about the victory won by David over the Syrians (the first part of the psalm 1-21 v.) and the attack at that time on Judea in the southern part of the Edomites, who caused enormous devastation among the defenseless population, since the soldiers were then in the north under the command of David in the fight against the Syrians (see also “on the origin of the Psalter” by St. N. Vishnyakov pp. 206–210). The first part of the psalm is one of thanksgiving and praise. David promises to praise God (2–4) because He protected him from his enemies and gave him the power to destroy their cities (4–7). This victory revealed the judgment of God over the pagan people in defense of the righteous. Since God is eternal, the righteous who are always oppressed will find protection in Him (8–11). For the help provided, one must eternally praise the One who lives in Zion (12–13). May the Lord extend the help that he provided to David in the present war into the future; let all the pagan peoples who forget God perish, let them realize in His terrible judgment over them that “they are men” (14-21). The second half of the psalm is of petitionary content. Why do You, Lord, give success to the wicked when he does not believe in Your Providence on earth, is self-confident in his power, and in his actions strives to cause as much harm as possible to the poor righteous person through various cunning actions and ambushes (22-32). Arise, O Lord, to defend the oppressed and punish the unbelief of the wicked in You (33-34). You see how great the suffering of the righteous is; punish the wicked and thereby make people fear not man, but Your righteous judgment (35-39). Ps.9:2. I will praise [You], Lord, with all my heart, and proclaim all Your wonders. Ps.9:3. I will rejoice and triumph in You, I will sing to Your name, O Most High. “To proclaim all Your wonders” - to sing of the victories that David won over the Syrians with the help of God. - “To triumph in You” - to organize solemn holidays in the name of God. Ps.9:5. for You have executed my judgment and my litigation; You have sat on the throne, righteous Judge. Ps.9:6. You were indignant with the nations, you destroyed the wicked, you blotted out their name forever and ever. David's victory is the expression and fulfillment of Divine judgment over the pagan Syrians. They, as the wicked, who did not honor the true God, were rejected by Him and weakened to the point that they had neither cities nor weapons (Art. 6) and their political and military power was overthrown for a long time (“their name was blotted out forever and ever” (Art. 6)). Ps.9:8. But the Lord abides forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment, Ps.9:9. and He will judge the world in righteousness, He will execute judgment on the nations in righteousness. Ps.9:10. And the Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble; The fact that the God of David is the true God and the Eternal Judge of all nations is the basis of the faith of all the oppressed righteous that they will always find protection in Him. Probably, by the oppressed righteous man, David meant the Jewish people, to whom he wanted to instill his faith in God as his constant patron and only protector. Ps.9:11. and those who know Your name will trust in You, because You do not forsake those who seek You, O Lord. "Those who know the name of God." To know the name of God means to recognize Him as the only true God and to serve Him. Ps.9:12. Sing to the Lord who dwells in Zion, proclaim His deeds among the nations, God is called living in Zion because the Ark of the Covenant was there, where He always dwelt. Ps.9:13. for He exacts blood; remembers them, does not forget the cry of the oppressed. God "seeks blood." David's wars were defensive, he waged them under duress, when neighboring pagan peoples attacked the borders of his state, shedding the blood of his subjects, in whose defense he rebelled. This was the case during the attack of the Syrians described in the psalm, the fight against which was caused by attacks on their part. Ps.9:15. that I may proclaim all Thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in Thy salvation. “At the gates of the daughter of Zion” - at the gates of the city of Jerusalem. Usually the gate was the most visited place for its inhabitants, hence chanting at the gates of the city - chanting loudly. Ps.9:20. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail, and let the nations be judged before Thy presence. Ps.9:21. Bring fear, O Lord, upon them; let the nations know that they are human. “Arise, Lord, let not man prevail” - let the Lord be the only arbiter of the destinies of nations, let their happiness or misfortune depend on Him alone, as the true Judge, and not on human art and military successes, which may belong to the wicked. The dominance of the latter would be the strengthening and spread of wickedness on earth. Therefore, David prays to God that He, through some special deeds, would show the whole world that power over it belongs only to Him, and that all nations would know that “they are men,” from Heb. enosh – weak, powerless. Ps.9:22. Why, Lord, do you stand afar off and hide Yourself during sorrow? The content of the psalm is of a petitionary nature. Since the southern borders of Judea were then devastated by the Edomites, the inhabitants of these areas did not have the strength to fight them, because everyone capable of bearing arms was in the north fighting the Syrians, they were defenseless. David portrays this helplessness when he says that the Lord “stands” away from them and hides “his help.” Ps.9:25. In his arrogance the wicked despises the Lord: “he will not seek”; in all his thoughts: “There is no God!” Both in the preceding verses and in the following, David depicts the self-confidence of his enemies in their victory and in the impunity of the devastation they cause; the wicked says about God: “he will not require it,” the Jewish God is not able to do anything to them now. Ps.9:27. He says in his heart: “I will not be moved; no evil will befall me throughout generation and generation"; The successes of the Edomites over the Jews instilled in them the confidence that now they would not waver, and “no harm would befall them from generation to generation,” i.e., that the weakened Jews would not be able to recover from the evil inflicted on them for several generations, and during this time the Edomites would retain a military and political advantage. Ps.9:29. sits in ambush outside the courtyard, kills the innocent in hidden places; his eyes spy on the poor; Ps.9:30. lies in wait in a hidden place, like a lion in a den; lies in wait to capture the poor; he grabs the poor man, dragging him into his net; In addition to arrogance, reaching the point of disdain for Jehovah, which David spoke about earlier (see Ps. 9:25), enemies are distinguished by the morally untidy methods of their actions: they are insidious, deceitful, and vindictive. Ps.9:32. says in his heart: “God has forgotten, He has hidden His face, He will never see.” The enemy explains his success by saying that God “forgot” the Jews and “will never see them again,” that He has turned away from the Jewish people and will no longer pour out His mercies on them. Ps.9:33. Arise, O Lord, [my] God, lift up Your hand, do not forget the oppressed [Thine to the end]. Ps.9:34. Why does the wicked despise God, saying in his heart: “You will not require it”? Ps.9:35. You see, for You look upon insults and oppression in order to repay with Your hand. The poor man betrays himself to you; to the orphan you are a helper. David prays to God to rise up in defense of the oppressed Jews in order to punish the arrogance of the enemy, who is confident that “You will not demand”, you will not now be able to protect your oppressed and lonely people, who are devoted to You. Ps.9:36. Break the arm of the wicked and evil, so that you will seek and not find his wickedness. “Crush the muscle” - overthrow the force; “so that we may seek and not find his wickedness” - so that no trace of him remains, so that he, as an opponent of God, is completely destroyed. Ps.9:37. The Lord is king forever, forever; The pagans will disappear from His land. Ps.9:38. God! You hear the desires of the humble; strengthen their heart; open your ear, Ps.9:39. to give justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man may not fear again on earth. Since the power over the whole world belongs to God, and He is the patron of the pious, David is confident that the Lord will destroy all the pagans on earth and for the partial realization of this future David prays to God even now: may the Lord hear the prayer of the humble Jews and protect them, and this protection will clearly show all people that they fear only God, and not man ("let no more man fear on earth"). 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