Psalm 9

Psalm 9, in its original form, was written in the acrostic poetic form with the first verse beginning with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each succeeding verse began with the next letter in the alphabet. Knowing this helps me appreciate both the poem and its author. This message was important to the author and he carefully crafted his poem, in form and content, to communicate his message.

The foundation of Old Testament theology was based on a real experience of God’s presence and power coupled with a belief that one day God was going to restore the entire world to its original created order. The people of Israel longed for the coming Day of the Lord, when God’s mercy and justice would freely flow and everything would be made right. Psalm 9 is an expression of this longing for justice. This longing was carried forth in the New Covenant where God’s people still pray for God’s Kingdom to come: God’s will be done, on earth as in heaven.

Verse one sets the tone of the psalm and is helpful in showing us how to pray for the coming reign of Christ on earth:

“I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;

    I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.”

To pray with my whole heart is to recall that my life does not belong to me. My life belongs to God. By creation and redemption, my life, my heart, belong to God. And, my life in God is not to be a secret. The reality of God’s love for me over flows from my heart and I cannot help but tell of all the marvelous things the Lord has done.

Sē’lah

What word or phrase in these verses

Attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for May 10, 2012          Psalm 10