Mazmur 9:5-20
Konteks9:5 You terrified the nations with your battle cry; 1
you destroyed the wicked; 2
you permanently wiped out all memory of them. 3
9:6 The enemy’s cities have been reduced to permanent ruins; 4
you destroyed their cities; 5
all memory of the enemies has perished. 6
9:7 But the Lord 7 rules 8 forever;
he reigns in a just manner. 9
9:8 He judges the world fairly;
he makes just legal decisions for the nations. 10
9:9 Consequently 11 the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; 12
he provides safety in times of trouble. 13
9:10 Your loyal followers trust in you, 14
for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help. 15
9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, who rules 16 in Zion!
Tell the nations what he has done! 17
9:12 For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; 18
he did not overlook 19 their cry for help 20
“Have mercy on me, 22 Lord!
See how I am oppressed by those who hate me, 23
O one who can snatch me away 24 from the gates of death!
9:14 Then I will 25 tell about all your praiseworthy acts; 26
in the gates of Daughter Zion 27 I will rejoice because of your deliverance.” 28
9:15 The nations fell 29 into the pit they had made;
their feet were caught in the net they had hidden. 30
9:16 The Lord revealed himself;
he accomplished justice;
the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. 31 (Higgaion. 32 Selah)
9:17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol; 33
this is the destiny of 34 all the nations that ignore 35 God,
9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored, 36
the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed. 37
Don’t let men be defiant! 39
May the nations be judged in your presence!
Let the nations know they are mere mortals! 41 (Selah)
[9:5] 1 tn The verb גָּעַר (ga’ar) is often understood to mean “rebuke” and in this context taken to refer to the
[9:5] 2 tn The singular form is collective (note “nations” and “their name”). In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). In this context the hostile nations who threaten Israel/Judah are in view.
[9:5] 3 tn Heb “their name you wiped out forever and ever.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 5 probably refer to a recent victory (definite past or present perfect use), although they might express what is typical (characteristic use).
[9:6] 4 tn Heb “the enemy – they have come to an end [in] ruins permanently.” The singular form אוֹיֵב (’oyev, “enemy”) is collective. It is placed at the beginning of the verse to heighten the contrast with יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the
[9:6] 5 tn Heb “you uprooted cities.”
[9:6] 6 tn Heb “it has perished, their remembrance, they.” The independent pronoun at the end of the line is in apposition to the preceding pronominal suffix and lends emphasis (see IBHS 299 §16.3.4). The referent of the masculine pronoun is the nations/enemies (cf. v. 5), not the cities (the Hebrew noun עָרִים [’arim, “cities”] is grammatically feminine). This has been specified in the present translation for clarity; many modern translations retain the pronoun “them,” resulting in ambiguity (cf. NRSV “their cities you have rooted out; the very memory of them has perished”).
[9:7] 7 tn The construction vav (ו) + subject highlights the contrast between the exalted
[9:7] 8 tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, see v. 4). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.
[9:7] 9 tn Heb “he establishes for justice his throne.”
[9:8] 10 tn Heb “the peoples.” The imperfect verbal forms in v. 8 either describe God’s typical, characteristic behavior, or anticipate a future judgment of worldwide proportions (“will judge…”).
[9:9] 11 tn Following the imperfect in v. 9, the construction vav (ו) conjunctive + shortened form of the prefixed verb הָיָה (hayah) indicates a consequence or result of the preceding statement. The construction functions this same way in Pss 81:15 and 104:20.
[9:9] 12 tn Heb “and the
[9:9] 13 tn Heb “[he is] an elevated place for times in trouble.” Here an “elevated place” refers to a stronghold, a defensible, secure position that represents a safe haven in times of unrest or distress (cf. NEB “tower of strength”; NIV, NRSV “stronghold”).
[9:10] 14 tn Heb “and the ones who know your name trust in you.” The construction vav (ו) conjunctive + imperfect at the beginning of the verse expresses another consequence of the statement made in v. 8. “To know” the
[9:10] 15 tn Heb “the ones who seek you.”
[9:11] 16 tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, and therefore ruling – see v. 4). Another option is to translate as “lives” or “dwells.”
[9:11] 17 tn Heb “declare among the nations his deeds.”
[9:12] 18 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.
[9:12] 19 tn Heb “did not forget.”
[9:12] 20 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.
[9:13] 21 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
[9:13] 22 tn Or “show me favor.”
[9:13] 23 tn Heb “see my misery from the ones who hate me.”
[9:13] 24 tn Heb “one who lifts me up.”
[9:14] 25 tn Or “so that I might.”
[9:14] 26 tn Heb “all your praise.” “Praise” stands by metonymy for the mighty acts that prompt it.
[9:14] 27 sn Daughter Zion is an idiomatic title for Jerusalem. It appears frequently in the prophets, but only here in the psalms.
[9:14] 28 tn Heb “in your deliverance.”
[9:15] 30 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.
[9:16] 31 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).
[9:16] 32 tn This is probably a technical musical term.
[9:17] 33 tn Heb “the wicked turn back to Sheol.” The imperfect verbal form either emphasizes what typically happens or describes vividly the aftermath of the
[9:17] 34 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).
[9:17] 35 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.
[9:18] 37 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.
[9:19] 38 sn Rise up,
[9:20] 40 tn Heb “place,
[9:20] 41 tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).
