Corpus Psalterium · Vol. I
Psalm IX (9)
Cantillated — Judicial Progression
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 9 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Death of the Son.” A Psalm by David.
לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַלְמ֥וּת לַבֵּ֗ן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart. I will tell of all your marvelous works.
אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לִבִּ֑י אֲ֝סַפְּרָ֗ה כָּל־נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
I will be glad and rejoice in you. I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה בָ֑ךְ אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃
When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish in your presence.
בְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י אָח֑וֹר יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ וְ֝יֹאבְד֗וּ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃
For you have maintained my just cause. You sit on the throne judging righteously.
כִּֽי־עָ֭שִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י וְדִינִ֑י יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ לְ֝כִסֵּ֗א שׁוֹפֵ֥ט צֶֽדֶק׃
You have rebuked the nations. You have destroyed the wicked. You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
גָּעַ֣רְתָּ ג֭וֹיִם אִבַּ֣דְתָּ רָשָׁ֑ע שְׁמָ֥ם מָ֝חִ֗יתָ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃
The enemy is overtaken by endless ruin. The very memory of the cities which you have overthrown has perished.
הָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ תַּ֥מּוּ חֳרָב֗וֹת לָ֫נֶ֥צַח וְעָרִ֥ים נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה׃
But Yahweh reigns forever. He has prepared his throne for judgment.
וַֽ֭יהוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם יֵשֵׁ֑ב כּוֹנֵ֖ן לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט כִּסְאֽוֹ׃
He will judge the world in righteousness. He will administer judgment to the peoples in uprightness.
וְה֗וּא יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק יָדִ֥ין לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃
Yahweh will also be a high tower for the oppressed; a high tower in times of trouble.
וִ֘יהִ֤י יְהוָ֣ה מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לַדָּ֑ךְ מִ֝שְׂגָּ֗ב לְעִתּ֥וֹת בַּצָּרָֽה׃
Those who know your name will put their trust in you, for you, Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek you.
וְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־עָזַ֖בְתָּ דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ יְהוָֽה׃
Sing praises to Yahweh, who dwells in Zion, and declare among the people what he has done.
זַמְּר֗וּ לַ֭יהוָה יֹשֵׁ֣ב צִיּ֑וֹן הַגִּ֥ידוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃
For he who avenges blood remembers them. He doesn’t forget the cry of the afflicted.
כִּֽי־דֹרֵ֣שׁ דָּ֭מִים אוֹתָ֣ם זָכָ֑ר לֹֽא־שָׁ֝כַ֗ח צַעֲקַ֥ת עניים׃
Have mercy on me, Yahweh. See my affliction by those who hate me, and lift me up from the gates of death,
חָֽנְנֵ֬נִי יְהוָ֗ה רְאֵ֣ה עָ֭נְיִי מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י מְ֝רוֹמְמִ֗י מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת׃
that I may show all of your praise. I will rejoice in your salvation in the gates of the daughter of Zion.
לְמַ֥עַן אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה כָּֽל־תְּהִלָּ֫תֶ֥יךָ בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י בַת־צִיּ֑וֹן אָ֝גִ֗ילָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃
The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made. In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken.
טָבְע֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם בְּשַׁ֣חַת עָשׂ֑וּ בְּרֶֽשֶׁת־ז֥וּ טָ֝מָ֗נוּ נִלְכְּדָ֥ה רַגְלָֽם׃
Yahweh has made himself known. He has executed judgment. The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah.
נ֤וֹדַ֨ע ׀ יְהוָה֮ מִשְׁפָּ֪ט עָ֫שָׂ֥ה בְּפֹ֣עַל כַּ֭פָּיו נוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֑ע הִגָּי֥וֹן סֶֽלָה׃
The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol, even all the nations that forget God.
יָשׁ֣וּבוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה כָּל־גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם שְׁכֵחֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃
For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever.
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א לָ֭נֶצַח יִשָּׁכַ֣ח אֶבְי֑וֹן תִּקְוַ֥ת ענוים תֹּאבַ֥ד לָעַֽד׃
Arise, Yahweh! Don’t let man prevail. Let the nations be judged in your sight.
קוּמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־יָעֹ֣ז אֱנ֑וֹשׁ יִשָּׁפְט֥וּ ג֝וֹיִ֗ם עַל־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃
Put them in fear, Yahweh. Let the nations know that they are only men. Selah.
שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ מוֹרָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם יֵדְע֥וּ גוֹיִ֑ם אֱנ֖וֹשׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
I will give thanks to the Lord
with all my heart
I will tell
all Your wonders
I will rejoice
I will be glad in You
I will sing
to Your name
O Most High
When my enemies turn back
they fall
they perish
before You
You upheld my cause
You judged in righteousness
You sat on the throne
You judged in truth
You reign forever
You reign forever
You judge the world
in righteousness
You reign forever
You reign forever
You judge the nations
in truth
You rebuked the nations
You destroyed the wicked
You erased their name
forever
The enemy is gone
their cities ruined
Even their memory
is gone
But the Lord
remains forever
He has set His throne
for judgment
He judges the world
in righteousness
He rules the peoples
with justice
The Lord is a refuge
for the oppressed
A refuge
in times of trouble
Those who know Your name
trust in You
You do not forsake
those who seek You
Sing to the Lord
who dwells in Zion
Declare His works
among the nations
He remembers blood
He does not forget
The cry
of the afflicted
Be gracious to me
O Lord
See my affliction
from those who hate me
You lift me
from the gates of death
I will declare
Your praise
I will rejoice
in Your salvation
I will declare
Your praise
I will rejoice
in Your salvation
The nations fall
into their own pit
Their trap
catches their own feet
The Lord is known
by His justice
The wicked fall
by their own hands
The wicked return
to the grave
The nations
who forget God
But the needy
are not forgotten
Their hope
will not perish
Arise O Lord
Arise O Lord
Let not man prevail
Arise O Lord
Arise O Lord
Judge the nations
Put them in fear
O Lord
Let the nations know
They are only men
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.