Psalms 9

1 Yahweh, I will praise you with all of my inner being. I will tell [others] about all the wonderful things that you have done.

For the music director. According to Muth-labben. A psalm of David. I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the amazing things you have done.

2 I will sing to celebrate what you [MTY], who are much greater than all other gods, [have done].

I will be glad and celebrate in you; I will sing praises to your wonderful nature, Most High God.

3 When my enemies realize [that you are very powerful], they stumble, and then they are killed.

Those who hate me retreat; they fall back and die when you confront them.

4 You sat on your throne to judge people, and you have judged fairly/justly concerning me.

For you have judged that I am right; you have decided fairly from your throne of judgment.

5 You rebuked the [people of other] nations and you have gotten rid of the wicked people; you have erased their names forever.

You have condemned the nations; you have destroyed the wicked; you have wiped out their names forever and ever.

6 Our enemies have disappeared; you destroyed their cities, and people do not even remember them any more.

The enemies are finished, ruined forever; their cities are destroyed—even the memory of them is gone.

7 But Yahweh rules forever. He judges [people while he sits] on his throne to judge people,

But the Lord rules forever, his throne is set up for judgment.

8 and he will judge [all the people in] [SYN] the world justly; he will judge the people [of all nations] fairly [DOU].

The Lord judges the world rightly; he judges the nations fairly.

9 Yahweh will be a refuge for those who are oppressed; [yes, he will be like] a shelter for them when they have trouble.

The Lord is a place of safety for those who are oppressed, a fortress in times of trouble.

10 Those who know Yahweh [MTY] trust in him; he never abandons those who come to him ([for help/to worship him]).

Those who know your nature trust in you, for you don't abandon those who come to you.

11 Yahweh rules from Zion [Hill]; praise him while you sing to him. Tell [the people of all] the nations the [marvelous] things that he has done.

Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Zion! Tell the nations what he has done!

12 He does not forget [to punish] those who have murdered others; and he will not ignore people who are crying because they are suffering.

He does not forget to punish murderers; he does not ignore the cries of the suffering.

13 Yahweh, be merciful to me! Look at the ways that my enemies have injured me. Do not allow me to die [because of these injuries].

Be gracious to me, Lord! Look at how my enemies are persecuting me! Grab me back from the gates of death,

14 I want to live in order that I can praise you at the gates of Jerusalem [MTY] and to rejoice because you rescued me.

so I can praise you at Zion's gates, happy that you have saved me.

15 [It is as though] the [wicked people of many] nations have dug a pit for me to fall into [MET], but they have fallen into that same pit. [It is as if] they spread out a net to catch me [MET], but their feet have been caught in that same net.

The nations have fallen into their own pit they dug; their feet are trapped by their own net they set.

16 Because of what you have done, people know that you decide matters [fairly/justly], but [you allow] wicked people to be trapped by the same evil things that they themselves do.

The Lord is known for his fairness; the wicked are trapped by their own actions. (Higgaion, Selah)

17 Wicked people will all [die and] be buried in their graves, and [their spirits] will go to be with all those who have (forgotten about/rejected) you. (Sheol h7585)

The wicked depart, going to the grave—all nations who turn their backs on God. (Sheol h7585)

18 But you will not forget those who are needy/poor; what they confidently expect will certainly happen.

But the needy will not be ignored forever, the hope of those who suffer will not always be dashed.

19 Yahweh, arise and judge the [wicked] people of the nations; do not allow them to think that [because they are strong] they will never be punished.

Stand up, Lord! Don't let human beings win! Let the nations be brought before you for judgment!

20 Yahweh, teach them to be terrified about you. Cause them to know that they are merely human beings.

Lord, terrify them! Let them know they are only human! (Selah)