Psalms 9

1 “For the leader of the music; to be sung in the manner or with the voice of maidens. To the Benites, or to Ben. A psalm of David.” I will praise thee, O LORD! with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvellous works.

For the leader;’almuth labben. A psalm of David. With all my heart I will praise the Lord, all your wonders I will rehearse.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou Most High!

I will rejoice and exult in you, singing praise to your name, Most High;

3 All my enemies are turned back; They fall and perish at thy presence.

because backward my foes were turned, they stumbled and perished before you.

4 For thou dost defend my right and my cause; Thou sittest upon the throne, a righteous judge.

My right and my claim you have upheld, you did sit on the throne as a fair judge,

5 Thou rebukest the nations; Thou destroyest the wicked; Thou blottest out their name for evermore!

rebuking the nations, destroying the wicked, and blotting their name out forever and ever.

6 The enemy is fallen, —a desolation for ever! Thou, O LORD! hast destroyed their cities; Their memory itself hath perished!

The foe is vanished, ruined forever, their cities destroyed, their memory perished.

7 The LORD reigneth for ever; He hath prepared his throne for judgment.

See! The Lord is seated forever on the throne he established for judgment,

8 He judgeth the world in righteousness; He administereth judgment to the nations with uprightness.

ruling the world with justice, and judging the nations with equity.

9 Yea, the LORD is a refuge for the oppressed; A refuge in times of trouble.

So the Lord proves a haven to the oppressed, a haven in times of trouble.

10 They who know thy name put their trust in thee; For thou, O LORD! forsakest not them that seek thee!

Well may they trust you who know your name, for those who seek you, you never abandon.

11 Sing praises to the LORD, who reigneth in Zion; Declare his doings among the people!

Sing praise to the Lord, whose home is in Zion, declare his deeds among the nations.

12 As the avenger of blood, he remembereth the distressed; He forgetteth not their complaint.

As avenger of blood, he keeps them in mind, he does not forget the cry of the wretched.

13 “Have pity upon me, [[said I, ]] O LORD! Look upon my affliction through them that hate me; Lift me up from the gates of death:

Show me favour, Lord, see how my foes afflict me, lift me up from the gates of death;

14 That I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion; That I may rejoice in salvation by thee.”

so I may, in your help exulting, tell forth your praise at the gates of Zion.

15 The nations have sunk into the pit which they made; In the net, which they hid, is their own foot taken.

The nations are sunk in the pit which they made, in the net that they hid, their own foot is entangled.

16 Thus it is known that the LORD executeth judgment; The wicked are ensnared in the work of their own hands. [[Stringed instruments. (Pause)

The Lord is revealed in the judgment he wrought, the wicked are snared in their own handiwork. (Selah)

17 The wicked shall be driven into the underworld; Yea, all the nations that forger God. (Sheol h7585)

Let the wicked depart to Sheol, all the nations that live forgetful of God. (Sheol h7585)

18 For the poor shall not always be forgotten; The hopes of the afflicted shall not perish for ever.

For the needy will not be always forgotten, nor the hope of the helpless be lost forever.

19 Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; Let the nations be judged by thee!

Arise, Lord; don’t let them triumph: before your face let the nations be judged.

20 Strike terror into them, O LORD! Let the nations know that they are but men! (Pause)

Strike them with fear, Lord: show the nations how frail they are. (Selah)