April 16, 2020
PSALM 9:9-10 GOD IS OUR STRONGHOLD
Today’s devotional is a quick reminder about who God is, especially during times of trouble. We are attacked often during these trials to trust ourselves, others, or other means, but this psalm speaks to the value of trusting God.
9 The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Lord God is our Refuge and Stronghold in times of trouble
- God is a faithful God—a God who never gives up on His people.
Context:
Psalms 9 and 10 may have originally been one psalm, as they are in the Septuagint. There is evidence that several of the psalms have been restructured in varying ways (Pss 42, 43). Note that Psalm 10 does not have a new superscription and that the two psalms deal with the same theme. Moreover, they are connected by their form in the Hebrew, as they form a partial acrostic pattern. For nearly each stanza (approximately every other verse) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Ten of the initial letters of verses in Psalm 9 follow the order of the Hebrew alphabet, and seven initial letters in Psalm 10 continue the same pattern. In Hebrew, this pattern is pleasing to the listener and attests to the skill of the poet.
Also, the two psalms have similar wording. For example, “in times of trouble” is found in 9:9 and 10:18, and in only two other passages in the Psalms. Also, each of the two psalms closes with an emphasis on mortal men (9:20; 10:18). Finally, each psalm mentions “the nations” (9:5, 15, 17, 19–20; 10:16).
Yet there is warrant for the two psalms being separate. Psalm 9 is a triumphant song of thanksgiving, while Psalm 10 is a complaint and prayer over godless men in the nation. Because Psalm 9 is complete in itself, it is better to regard Psalm 10 as a related psalm. Although Psalm 9 and 10 are psalms of lament, they present a triumphal determination to praise God.
Psalm 9 is a song of thanksgiving for vindication. Ascribed to David, this psalm is set “to the tune of ‘The Death of the Son.’” What that means is unknown. In the psalm, David praised the Lord for manifesting His righteousness in judging wicked nations, and for being a true and eternal Judge in whom the afflicted may trust. He then prayed that God would give him further cause for praise by seeing his affliction and removing it from him.
Deeper Exposition
Verse 9: When we look at the structure of this psalm, verses 9 and 10 are generally looking at as a statement of confessions. David applied the truth of the previous verses (true and eternal Judge and a Fortress for the afflicted) to people’s needs in verse 9. The afflicted and the oppressed, those who are most frequently ignored or abused by human judgment, are championed by the righteous Judge. The Lord God is their Refuge and Stronghold in times of trouble. The word miśgoḇ, used twice in verse 9 and translated both “refuge” and “stronghold,” suggests security and protection in a high, safe place of retreat.[1] Refuge speaks of a secure height, something inaccessibly high. David was often outdoors and he used images from physical geography to describe the wonder of God’s protective care (Ps 91:1-2).
Verse 10: Finally in verse 10, knowing of God’s security and protection, His own can trust Him. To know the name of God was the OT equivalent of saving faith in the NT. The phrase “have not forsaken” is a further explanation of the meaning of God’s name.[2] Since the Lord is God, He cannot abandon those to whom He has bound Himself. He is a faithful God—a God who never gives up on His people.
An Aside about God the Judge:
However nations might justify and judge their actions, the ultimate Judge of their conduct is God. His righteousness, which flows from His very character, is the final standard against which right and wrong is measured (Ps 9:4). This righteous Judge rebuked the nations of David’s day for failing to do what David had done in Psalm 8—acknowledge God (8:1, 9).
The kingdom of Israel quickly rose to a place of prominence and power under David and his successor, Solomon. This window of opportunity opened during a period in which no one empire dominated the Middle East (c. 1000 BC). Egypt was in decline and Assyria had not yet become a major power. The two Israelite kings seized the moment by strengthening Israel’s defenses, expanding its borders, increasing its trade, and storing up enormous wealth.
Meanwhile, many of Israel’s neighbors continued to ignore God and govern with wickedness. Instead of ruling their people with justice and compassion, they often oppressed them. They also attacked other nations without provocation, destroying innocent people (Ps 9:6). But God responded by destroying the destroyers. He pledged not to forget the needy and helpless, and avenged the injustices they had suffered by blotting out the wicked (9:7-18).
The same righteous God sits in judgment on the world today. He watches what nations do, and will not leave their sins unpunished. Nations and their leaders are still accountable to the Lord for their programs and policies. This fact should kindle a healthy fear of the Lord and a humble recognition that human leaders are only mortal (9:20).
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Miśgoḇ, one of several words used in the Psalms to speak of security and safety in God, is translated “stronghold” in Psalms 18:2; 144:2, and “fortress” in 46:7, 11; 48:3; 59:9, 16–17; 62:2, 6; 94:22. Another Hebrew word translated “refuge” in the Psalms is maḥseh, “shelter from danger.” It is used in 14:6; 46:1; 61:3; 62:7–8; 71:7; 73:28; 91:2, 9. Still another word translated “refuge” in the Psalms in the NIV is mānôs (“a place to flee to,” 59:16; 142:5) from Allen P. Ross, “Psalm,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 798.
[2] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, H. Wayne House, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: Nelson, 1999), 654.