Tell It Again

Psalm 9 “Tell It Again”

“Tell us more, daddy! Read it again, mommy!” Maybe you’ve heard these words from your children before. When I was small, my dad would tell us bed time stories focused on the fictional character McKelvey. The 4 of us kids would gather around in our PJs and listen to the next installment of adventures in the life of McKelvey.

Zachariah is a bit young for elaborate serial bedtime stories, but he is old enough to want certain books read over and over again. Right now his favorite nap time books are Clifford and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. He has heard these books hundreds of times and does not tire of hearing them again.

Stories can powerfully shape how we think about life. They influence the way we think about the past, the way we live in the present, and the way we plan for the future. Psalm 9 is a story in one sense of God’s just rule. It is an account of his judgment of the rebellious nations and his salvation of his people. We are told in this Psalm to recount his wonderful deeds. When we recount God’s wonderful deeds, it shapes the way we think and live. God’s wonderful deeds in this Psalm refer to his just rule over the world and over his people.

Read Psalm 9

This psalm divides into 2 main sections:
-verses 1-12 are praise to God for his just rule
-verses 13-20 are a prayer to God for his just rule
Verses 1-12 focus on what God has done and who he is. Verses 13-20 focus on prayer for God’s to rule with justice on our behalf.

First, then, verses 1-12: we praise God for his just rule.

Verse 1 and 2 contain 4 expressions of praise. The first line of verse 1 is a general expression of praise: it shows the intensity or depth of praise (with our whole heart). The next 3 expressions of praise form an outline of what is to follow in verses 3-12
-I will show forth (recount) your marvelous works. This is what verse 3-6 focus on. They speak of what God has done in the past.
-I will be glad and rejoice in thee. In verses 7-10, the psalmist rejoices in who God for his people.
-I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. Two verses of praise wrap up the first section. Sing praise- the word is used in verse 2 and verse 11.

That’s the outline for verses 1-12

We praise God for his just rule by:

1. Recounting his works (3-6)
The works of God that the psalmist recounts are his justice over the rebellious nations. God has made a complete end of these nations who rejected his rule. This is not the action of some disgruntled deity zapping anyone who wiggles in church. No, God’s rule is RIGHTEOUS judgment- verse 4. This is not justice on a whim, but justice based on the absolute stand of God’s holiness. Because it is righteous judgment, it is fair.

We praise God for his just rule by
2. Rejoicing in his person (7-10)
The focus changes from actions done in the past to characteristics of God and actions of God done in the present. God has judged righteously in the past because he sits enthroned forever. He judges justly because he is the judge of the whole world. Because of this, his people can take refuge in him. He is a stronghold in times of trouble. The judge of all the earth is a safe place to hide from trouble. God is very kind to those who know him…who trust him…who seek him. God will not forget about you if you know him.

We praise God for his just rule by
3. Singing his praises (11-12)
The appropriate response to God’s awesome action in the past and his kindness in the present is to praise him with song. Not just a thankful heart, but a thankful mouth. With words…with songs. Words said and songs sung around others. “Declare among the people…” vs 11. The cycle of salvation is not complete until we have returned praise to God for what he has done for us.

I know I’ve used quite a few illustrations from my time in South America Besides that, I had a very ordinary and sometimes boring childhood. When we were packing to go to Guyana, we loaded 2 20’ shipping containers with our belongings and many other items for other missionaries down there. In a week or two we landed in Guyana with only our luggage we took on the plane. Our stuff in the containers took its time. It took 4 months for it to arrive and clear customs. During that time we lived in a guest house for missionaries. We were stuck waiting for our stuff.

We should feel the same way as Christians. We have arrived at salvation but we are waiting for the rest of our stuff to arrive from God. We know God and he knows us. We are safe. But we face injustice and suffering in this world. We are waiting for him to show up with big containers of justice…big containers of blessing for his children. We are waiting for the judge of all the world to make all things right. This is the tension that we find in verses 13-20. God is the judge. He has judged. Be we are still waiting for final judgment for the wicked. We are still waiting for final salvation for God’s people.

2. We pray for God’s just rule (13-20)
Verse 13-14 and verses 19-20 are prayers that mark off this section from the section of praise that precedes it. Sandwiched between these prayers are the judgment of the wicked in verses 15-18.
1. Prayer for salvation (13-14)
The psalmist asks for God’s saving grace. He desires to be lifted from the gates of death in verse 13. Then in verse 14 he asks to arrive at the gates of the daughter of Zion—that is the city of Jerusalem. When he enters those gates he can praise God in the temple. He asks for salvation so that he can praise God. Again, completing the cycle of salvation. God gives us salvation so we can praise him.

2. Judgement on the wicked (15-18)
In verses 15-16, the judgment of God has been accomplished in the past. The nations almost judge themselves because their evil comes back to bite them. In verses 17-18, the Psalmist looks toward the future for God’s judgement of the nations. Not only that, but the rescuing of the needy and poor. God will not forget about his afflicted people!

3. Prayer for justice (19-20)
The Psalm ends with a prayer for God’s judgment on the nations. The hope of this prayer is that God would be known as God. And that men would be known as very much human. God’s judgment and salvation is to show himself as the God of the universe! Everything God does is for the ultimate purpose of making himself look amazing. And we are his children, we are part of that purpose. And one way we do that is by praising him…because he is amazing.

This prayer looks toward the future. Judgment is coming! Our salvation is for sure! We have arrived safely in Christ, but we are waiting for God to show up with boatloads of blessing.

The psalmist has taken 20 verses to recount the story of God’s just rule. This is a part of the story of the Bible we need to replay in our head day after day. “God will judge. God will save. We have a fantastic future in Christ.” There is a pastor of church that leads his congregation in this mantra…a statement that you repeat.

1. I’m a complete idiot.
2. My future is incredibly bright.
3. Anyone can get in on this.

We need to have the gospel on repeat in the stereo of our minds. This story, if believed and treasured will change the way we think and live. How does the story of God’s just rule affect the way we live?

1. God’s just rule is a reason for praise
When God moves and rescues us, he does it so we would recount his praise and rejoice in his salvation (vs 14). Let’s not forget about God’s justice at the back of the fridge. Get it out, cook it up, and share it others. Let’s sing about and rejoice that God will bring our final salvation.

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great Name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

2. God’s just rule is a comfort for the present
When we face injustice in this world…when we are sinned against in little or big ways: God is a stronghold for us. He is a fortress. He has not forgotten about us. We are 100% safe in Christ’s hand and in his Father’s hand. Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are always safe spiritually. Physically, we are invincible until God calls us home…then we have the hope of the resurrection.

3. God’s just rule is confidence for the future
As Christians we will often feel like we have arrived but we are waiting for our stuff to show up. You may wonder: where are all God’s blessings? Where is his justice? Will my suffering ever end? Psalm 9 says: yes! The whole Bible shouts: victory is coming! Not only are we promised justice for all the evil done against us, but we will rule with Christ in victory over sin, evil, death, and hell.

As we wait, we build up our confidence…our hope…by recounting the story of what God has done. The story of who he is and the story of what he will do. We will live happily ever after with Christ. And that’s not a fairy tale. It’s true. It’s going to happen. Guaranteed.