Mazmur 9:3-8

9:3 When my enemies turn back,

they trip and are defeated ¹  before you.

9:4 For you defended my just cause; ² 

from your throne you pronounced a just decision. ³ 

9:5 You terrified the nations with your battle cry; ⁴ 

you destroyed the wicked; ⁵ 

you permanently wiped out all memory of them. ⁶ 

9:6 The enemy’s cities have been reduced to permanent ruins; ⁷ 

you destroyed their cities; ⁸ 

all memory of the enemies has perished. ⁹ 

9:7 But the Lord ¹⁰  rules ¹¹  forever;

he reigns in a just manner. ¹² 

9:8 He judges the world fairly;

he makes just legal decisions for the nations. ¹³ 

Mazmur 9:15-20

9:15 The nations fell ¹⁴  into the pit they had made;

their feet were caught in the net they had hidden. ¹⁵ 

9:16 The Lord revealed himself;

he accomplished justice;

the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. ¹⁶  (Higgaion. ¹⁷  Selah)

9:17 The wicked are turned back and sent to Sheol; ¹⁸ 

this is the destiny of ¹⁹  all the nations that ignore ²⁰  God,

9:18 for the needy are not permanently ignored, ²¹ 

the hopes of the oppressed are not forever dashed. ²² 

9:19 Rise up, Lord! ²³ 

Don’t let men be defiant! ²⁴ 

May the nations be judged in your presence!

9:20 Terrify them, Lord! ²⁵ 

Let the nations know they are mere mortals! ²⁶  (Selah)

[9:3]  ¹ tn Or “perish”; or “die.” The imperfect verbal forms in this line either emphasize what typically happens or describe vividly the aftermath of a recent battle in which the Lord defeated the psalmist’s enemies.

[9:4]  ² tn Heb “for you accomplished my justice and my legal claim.”

[9:4]  ³ tn Heb “you sat on a throne [as] one who judges [with] righteousness.” The perfect verbal forms in v. 4 probably allude to a recent victory (see vv. 5-7). Another option is to understand the verbs as describing what is typical (“you defend…you sit on a throne”).

[9:5]  ⁴ tn The verb גָּעַר (ga’ar) is often understood to mean “rebuke” and in this context taken to refer to the Lord’s “rebuke” of the nations. In some cases it is apparent that scolding or threatening is in view (see Gen 37:10; Ruth 2:16; Zech 3:2). However, in militaristic contexts this translation is inadequate, for the verb refers in this setting to the warrior’s battle cry, which terrifies and paralyzes the enemy. See A. Caquot, TDOT 3:53, and note the use of the verb in Pss 68:30; 106:9; and Nah 1:4, as well as the related noun in Job 26:11; Pss 18:15; 76:6; 104:7; Isa 50:2; 51:20; 66:15.

[9:5]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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 Lord”) in v. 7.

[9:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “you uprooted cities.”

[9:6]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn The construction vav (ו) + subject highlights the contrast between the exalted Lord and his defeated foes (see v. 6).

[9:7]  ¹¹ tn Heb “sits” (i.e., enthroned, see v. 4). The imperfect verbal form highlights the generalization.

[9:7]  ¹² tn Heb “he establishes for justice his throne.”

[9:8]  ¹³ 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…”).

[9:15]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “sank down.”

[9:15]  ¹⁵ 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]  ¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁷ tn This is probably a technical musical term.

[9:17]  ¹⁸ 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.

[9:17]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ 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]  ²¹ tn Or “forgotten.”

[9:18]  ²² 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]  ²³ 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.

[9:19]  ²⁴ tn Or “prevail.”

[9:20]  ²⁵ 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).

[9:20]  ²⁶ tn Heb “let the nations know they [are] man[kind]”; i.e., mere human beings (as opposed to God).