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Commentary on Psalms 9 verses 11–20
In these verses,
I. David, having praised God himself, calls upon and invites others to praise him likewise, Psa 9:11. Those who believe God is greatly to be praised not only desire to do that work better themselves, but desire that others also may join with them in it and would gladly be instrumental to bring them to it: Sing praises to the Lord who dwelleth in Zion. As the special residence of his glory is in heaven, so the special residence of his grace is in his church, of which Zion was a type. There he meets his people with his promises and graces, and there he expects they should meet him with their praises and services. In all our praises we should have an eye to God as dwelling in Zion, in a special manner present in the assemblies of his people, as their protector and patron. He resolved himself to show forth God's marvellous works (Psa 9:1), and here he calls upon others to declare among the people his doings. He commands his own subjects to do it, for the honour of God, of their country, and of their holy religion; he courts his neighbours to do it, to sing praises, not, as hitherto, to their false gods, but to Jehovah who dwelleth in Zion, to the God of Israel, and to own among the heathen that the Lord has done great things for his people Israel, Psa 126:3, Psa 126:4. Let them particularly take notice of the justice of God in avenging the blood of his people Israel on the Philistines and their other wicked neighbours, who had, in making war upon them, used them barbarously and given them no quarter, Psa 9:12. When God comes to make inquisition for blood by his judgments on earth, before he comes to do it by the judgment of the great day, he remembers them, remembers every drop of the innocent blood which they have shed, and will return it sevenfold upon the head of the blood-thirsty; he will give them blood to drink, for they are worthy. This assurance he might well build upon that word (Deu 32:43), He will avenge the blood of his servants. Note, There is a day coming when God will make inquisition for blood, when he will discover what has been shed secretly, and avenge what has been shed unjustly; see Isa 26:21; Jer 51:35. In that day it will appear how precious the blood of God's people is to him (Psa 72:14), when it must all be accounted for. It will then appear that he has not forgotten the cry of the humble, neither the cry of their blood nor the cry of their prayers, but that both are sealed up among his treasures.
II. David, having praised God for former mercies and deliverances, earnestly prays that God would still appear for him; for he sees not all things put under him.
1.He prays, (1.) That God would be compassionate to him (Psa 9:13): "Have mercy upon me, who, having misery only, and no merit, to speak for me, must depend upon mercy for relief." (2.) That he would be concerned for him. He is not particular in his request, lest he should seem to prescribe to God; but submits himself to the wisdom and will of God in this modest request, "Lord, consider my trouble, and do for me as thou thinkest fit."
2.He pleads, (1.) The malice of his enemies, the trouble which he suffered from those that hated him, and hatred is a cruel passion. (2.) The experience he had had of divine succours and the expectation he now had of the continuance of them, as the necessity of his case required: "O thou that liftest me up, that canst do it, that hast done it, that wilt do it, whose prerogative it is to lift up thy people from the gates of death!" We are never brought so low, so near to death, but God can raise us up. If he has saved us from spiritual and eternal death, we may thence take encouragement to hope that in all our distresses he will be a very present help to us. (3.) His sincere purpose to praise God when his victories should be completed (Psa 9:14): "Lord, save me, not that I may have the comfort and credit of the deliverance, but that thou mayest have the glory, that I may show forth all thy praise, and that publicly, in the gates of the daughter of Zion;" there God was said to dwell (Psa 9:11) and there David would attend him, with joy in God's salvation, typical of the great salvation which was to be wrought out by the Son of David.
III. David by faith foresees and foretels the certain ruin of all wicked people, both in this world and in that to come.
1.In this world, Psa 9:15, Psa 9:16. God executes judgment upon them when the measure of their iniquities is full, and does it, (1.) So as to put shame upon them and make their fall inglorious; for they sink into the pit which they themselves digged (Psa 7:15), they are taken in the net which they themselves laid for the ensnaring of God's people, and they are snared in the work of their own hands. In all the struggles David had with the Philistines they were the aggressors, Sa2 5:17, Sa2 5:22. And other nations were subdued by those ward in which they embroiled themselves. The overruling providence of God frequently so orders it that persecutors and oppressors are brought to ruin by those very projects which they intended to be destructive to the people of God. Drunkards kill themselves; prodigals beggar themselves; the contentious bring mischief upon themselves. Thus men's sins may be read in their punishment, and it becomes visible to all that the destruction of sinners is not only meritoriously, but efficiently, of themselves, which will fill them with the utmost confusion. (2.) So as to get honour to himself: The Lord is known, that is, he makes himself known, by these judgments which he executes. It is known that there is a God who judges in the earth, that he is a righteous God, and one that hates sin and will punish it. In these judgments the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The psalmist therefore adds here a note extraordinary, commanding special regard, Higgaion; it is a thing to be carefully observed and meditated upon. What we see of present judgments, and what we believe of the judgment to come, ought to be the subject of our frequent and serious meditations.
2.In the other world (Psa 9:17): The wicked shall be turned into hell, as captives into the prison-house, even all the nations that forget God. Note, (1.) Forgetfulness of God is the cause of all the wickedness of the wicked. (2.) There are nations of those that forget God, multitudes that live without God in the world, many great and many mighty nations, that never regard him nor desire the knowledge of his ways. (3.) Hell will, at last, be the portion of such, a state of everlasting misery and torment - Sheol, a pit of destruction, in which they and all their comforts will be for ever lost and buried. Though there be nations of them, yet they shall be turned into hell, like sheep into the slaughter-house (Psa 49:14), and their being so numerous will not be any security or ease to them, nor any loss to God or the least impeachment of his goodness.
IV. David encourages the people of God to wait for his salvation, though it should be long deferred, Psa 9:18. The needy may think themselves, and others may think them, forgotten for a while, and their expectation of help from God may seem to have perished and to have been for ever frustrated. But he that believes does not make haste; the vision is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak. We may build upon it as undoubtedly true that God's people, God's elect, shall not always be forgotten, nor shall they be disappointed of their hopes from the promise. God will not only remember them, at last, but will make it to appear that he never did forget them; it is impossible he should, though a woman may forget her sucking child.
V. He concludes with prayer that God would humble the pride, break the power, and blast the projects, of all the wicked enemies of his church: "Arise, O Lord! (Psa 9:19), stir up thy self, exert thy power, take thy seat, and deal with all these proud and daring enemies of thy name, and cause, and people." 1. "Lord, restrain them, and set bounds to their malice: Let not man prevail; consult thy own honour, and let not weak and mortal men prevail against the kingdom and interest of the almighty and immortal God. Shall mortal man be too hard for God, too strong for his Maker?" 2. "Lord, reckon with them: Let the heathen be judges in thy sight, that is, let them be plainly called to an account for all the dishonour done to thee and the mischief done to thy people." Impenitent sinners will be punished in God's sight; and, when their day of grace is over, the bowels even of infinite mercy will not relent towards them, Rev 14:10. 3. "Lord, frighten them: Put them in fear, O Lord! (Psa 9:20), strike a terror upon them, make them afraid with thy judgments." God knows how to make the strongest and stoutest of men to tremble and to flee when none pursues, and thereby he makes them know and own that they are but men; they are but weak men, unable to stand before the holy God - sinful men, the guilt of whose consciences make them subject to alarms. Note, It is a very desirable thing, much for the glory of God and the peace and welfare of the universe, that men should know and consider themselves to be but men, depending creatures, mutable, mortal, and accountable.
In singing this psalm we must give to God the glory of his justice in pleading his people's cause against his and their enemies, and encourage ourselves to wait for the year of the redeemed and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion, even the final destruction of all anti-christian powers and factions, to which many of the ancients apply this psalm.
And already clearly David, bearing testimony to the truth, sings, "Let sinners be turned into Hades, and all the nations that forget God." They forget, plainly, Him whom they formerly remembered, and dismiss Him whom they knew previous to forgetting Him. There was then a dim knowledge of God also among the nations.
They are shut off, he said, in that they, since they are turned in the opposite direction within, do not see the spirit of Jesus ascending and descending.
O what a terrible disgrace! In the world you went about praised as one of the elect, and when you arrive in the valley of Josaphat, the place of judgement, you are found naked, and all see your sins and ugliness laid bare to God and people. Woe to you at that moment! Where will you turn your face? Will you open your mouth? To say what? Your sins are etched into your soul, which is as black as a hair shirt. What will you do at that moment? Weep? There will be no one to accept your tears. Pray? No one to accept your prayers, for those to whom you are handed over are pitiless. How awful the moment when you hear the terrible, cutting voice, “Sinners, go to hell,” and, “Depart from me, you damned, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,” and again, “I have detested those who transgress.” “I must wipe out of the city of the Lord all who commit iniquities.”
When, by faith and knowledge, the Lord’s people have embraced true life, they surely receive the joy of heaven. The wicked, however, since they do not care about the Lord’s life, are rightly deprived of its blessings. For “let the wicked be taken away so that he shall not see the glory of the Lord.” In the end they, like everyone else, shall hear the universal proclamation of the promise, “Awake, sleeper, and rise up from the dead.” They shall rise and knock on the doors of heaven, saying, “Open to us.” The Lord, however, will rebuke them for rejecting knowledge of him and will tell them, “I do not know you.” And the Holy Spirit speaks against them, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all nations that forget God.”
"Let the sinners be turned into hell" [Psalm 9:17]: that is, let them be given into their own hands, when they are spared, and let them be ensnared in deadly delight. "All the nations that forget God." Because "when they did not think good to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind." [Romans 1:28]
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SUMMARY
Psalms 9:17 delivers a profound declaration of divine justice, asserting that "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." This verse, situated within a psalm of Davidic thanksgiving and prayer, articulates God's unwavering commitment to righteous judgment, revealing the inevitable and inescapable destiny awaiting those individuals and collective entities who persistently oppose His divine will and disregard His sovereign authority. It stands as a stark warning of the ultimate consequences of spiritual rebellion and willful ignorance of the Creator, emphasizing God's active role in bringing about cosmic order and justice.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 9:17 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine judgment with striking force. Most prominent is Parallelism, specifically a form of Synonymous Parallelism where the second clause ("all the nations that forget God") reiterates and expands upon the first ("The wicked shall be turned into hell"). This structure emphasizes that "the wicked" are not solely individuals but also encompass entire "nations that forget God," thereby broadening the scope of divine retribution to include collective entities. The phrase "turned into hell" functions as a powerful Metaphor for ultimate destruction and separation from God's presence, vividly depicting the irreversible fate of the unrighteous. Furthermore, the stark contrast between the implied flourishing and vindication of the righteous (elsewhere in the psalm) and the utter demise of the wicked creates a strong sense of Antithesis, highlighting the two distinct paths and their ultimate, divergent outcomes. The use of "all the nations" could also be seen as a form of Hyperbole, emphasizing the comprehensive and universal nature of God's judgment, leaving no rebellious entity outside its reach.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 9:17 is a foundational statement on God's unwavering justice and His ultimate sovereignty over all creation. It reveals that God is not only the Creator but also the moral Governor of the universe, holding both individuals and nations accountable for their actions and their relationship with Him. The concept of "forgetting God" is profoundly theological; it signifies a deliberate rejection of the source of all life and truth, leading to spiritual death and moral decay. This verse affirms God's commitment to vindicate the oppressed and to ensure that evil does not have the final word. It underscores the biblical truth that there are eternal consequences for rebellion against God, and that His righteous judgment is a necessary outworking of His holy character, ensuring the ultimate triumph of good over evil and the establishment of His perfect kingdom.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 9:17 serves as both a sobering warning and a profound source of comfort for the believer. For those who acknowledge and seek God, it reinforces the steadfast assurance that God is just and will ultimately bring all wickedness to account, providing hope and solace amidst present injustices and the apparent prosperity of the unrighteous. It reminds us that God sees, God knows, and God will act. For individuals and nations alike, it is a stark reminder of the profound and eternal consequences of living without regard for God, of choosing a path of self-will and spiritual amnesia. This verse challenges us to deeply reflect on our own spiritual state and the collective trajectory of our societies, urging a fervent return to acknowledging, honoring, and obeying the Creator. To "forget God" is to invite inevitable judgment, whereas remembering Him, living in obedience to His commands, and seeking His face leads to life, blessing, and eternal security, contrasting sharply with the way of the wicked described in Psalm 1:6.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "hell" mean in Psalms 9:17, given the Old Testament context?
Answer: In Psalms 9:17, "hell" translates the Hebrew word shᵉʼôwl (שְׁאוֹל). In the Old Testament, shᵉʼôwl primarily refers to the grave or the realm of the dead, a shadowy, silent place where all, both righteous and wicked, were believed to descend after death. It is not equivalent to the New Testament concept of Gehenna (the hell of eternal punishment) or the "lake of fire" mentioned in Revelation 20:14. However, in contexts of judgment, as in Psalms 9:17, shᵉʼôwl takes on a stronger connotation of destruction, perishing, and being cut off from the land of the living and God's favor. For the wicked, it signifies a definitive and irreversible end to their earthly existence and the cessation of their influence, marking a state of ruin and separation from God's presence, rather than a place of conscious eternal torment as understood in later theology.
Does God still judge nations today, or is this concept limited to ancient times?
Answer: The biblical narrative consistently portrays God as sovereign over all nations, and Psalms 9:17 affirms that "all the nations that forget God" will face judgment. While the specific manifestations of judgment may differ from overt military defeat as seen in ancient Israel, the principle remains: God holds nations accountable for their collective moral and spiritual trajectory. History, both biblical and secular, is replete with examples of nations rising and falling based on their adherence to or departure from divine principles. God's justice is eternal and universal, and His moral law applies to all humanity. Though His patience is great, as seen in 2 Peter 3:9, nations that collectively and persistently forget Him, embrace wickedness, and oppress the vulnerable can expect to experience the consequences of divine displeasure, whether through internal decay, external pressures, or other forms of societal decline.
What does it mean for nations to "forget God"? Is it merely a lack of knowledge?
Answer: To "forget God" in the biblical sense is far more than a simple intellectual oversight or lack of knowledge. It implies a deliberate and active turning away from God, a willful disregard for His laws, His covenant, and His very existence as the sovereign Creator and Judge. It manifests as spiritual apathy, idolatry, moral depravity, and a societal rejection of divine authority, often leading to oppression, injustice, and self-destruction. It is a choice to live as if God does not exist or as if His commands are irrelevant. This active forgetfulness leads to a forfeiture of divine favor and invites judgment, as described in Romans 1:28, where God gives over those who refuse to acknowledge Him.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 9:17, with its stark declaration of judgment upon the wicked and nations that forget God, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound reinterpretation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the psalm foretells a divine reckoning, the New Testament reveals Jesus as the one through whom all judgment is executed, for the Father "has given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man" authority to execute judgment. The "hell" (Hebrew: shᵉʼôwl) into which the wicked are turned is illuminated by Christ's triumph over death and the grave, as He holds "the keys of Death and Hades" keys of Death and Hades. For those who believe in Him, the judgment described in Psalms 9:17 is averted, for "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" no condemnation. Conversely, for those who truly "forget God" by rejecting His Son, Jesus warns of a more profound and eternal separation, a "furnace of fire" where there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth" weeping and gnashing of teeth. Ultimately, Christ's return will usher in the final judgment where all nations will stand before Him, and He will separate the righteous from the wicked, establishing His eternal kingdom where justice reigns supreme and God is never forgotten all the nations will be gathered. Thus, Psalms 9:17 points to the necessity of a divine judge, a role perfectly and redemptively fulfilled in Christ, who offers salvation from the very judgment it describes.