Devotional Short Note of Psalm 9: David’s
name appears as header for chapter 9 but not for 10. Some wants to connect 9-10
as one psalm. Especially some later ancient versions like Greek and Latin
wanted to do that, but it is not necessary. The Psalm itself is full of pockets
of separate content themes that are repeated again in other Psalms, not only in
Psalm 9 or Psalm 10. Pockets of thanksgiving are throughout the whole Psalm
corpus. It is actually throughout the Bible. The Investigative Judgment pocket
reoccur a number of times in chapters 9-10. God and His protection of the
humble and oppressed is a theme pocket that appears many times in the Psalms as
a whole and in chapters 9-10. The images of the Executive Judgment are
appearing in pockets throughout the Psalm corpus and also in chapters 9-10.
Although David talked as if God has accomplished eschatology for him by
subduing the nations, for example in 9:17 where the perfect form of the verb
described it as a past event in David’s experience, yet in 9:21 it is clear
that it is actually not yet: “Set terror over them, O Lord; let the nations
know they are but men”. So when we see eschatological themes mentioned by
David, he outlines the final result of the wicked and the final result of the
faithful. David started by saying he wants to thank the Lord (future verbs
used) (9:2a-3b). He describes Why and How because his enemies “will stumble and
will perish”. It is not yet and the future forms of the verbs are used (Psalm
9:4b). What he is sure about the Lord in his now of his life, is that God has “done
my judgment [misphat = destiny] and my investigative judgment [din = cause]”. Christ
took away our Hell and Second Death for us and is also our Highpriest in the
Heavenly courts since 1844. David in hope claims both. The Father (Almighty of
Daniel 7) is sitting on the throne as the righteous judge (9:5b). When the
Investigative Judgment is done, the Second Coming past, at the Hell event after
the millennium, David can see in vision the completion of eschatology when he says
“You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked, You have blotted out
their names for ever and ever” (9:6). Did it happen in David’s day? No. The biblical
doctrine of judgment displays the periods of God’s schedule and David saw
enlightened that future event as a past virtually, like a “heavenly Youtube”
played for him. He saw the result of his enemy in advance: they will be no more
“for ever” (9:7). The Almighty on His throne in Daniel 7, also David saw
virtually in advance, “and the Lord is enthroned forever” (9:8). He then uses a
word that is very important: “establishing”. The word is konen and is related
to kūn for “prepared”. David says: “establishing [process in mind since it is a
participle] His throne for [executive] judgment”. The purpose of the
Investigative Judgment since 1844 is to “establish” harmony in the universe.
The stigma of saved sinners has to be cleared by the High Priest Christ on
their behalf according to Daniel 7. It is since 1844 according to Daniel 8:14.
The cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary (Daniel 8:14) is because of the actions
of Satan and the Little Horn proxy of Daniel 8:10, 12 and Satan himself in
Daniel 8:11 where it is stated that Satan “threw down [hashlik, see the
masculine = Satan, and not the horn = feminine use of the verb here] the makun [=
niche of tranquility, niche of equilibrium of peace and harmony, thus related
to kanun and kun in root mentioned above in Psalm 9:8b] of His Sanctuary”. In
this verse in Psalm 9:8b David saw the “picking up” action of broken pieces of
the Chinese vase by Satan in Daniel 8:11 and mending it together again by
Christ since 1844 in Daniel 8:14, as an accomplished task and thus the
Investigative Judgment is over, only the Executive Judgment of Hell remains for
the wicked later. David step back to say that when God establishes His throne for
judgment, it also includes the Investigative Judgment that precedes this final
Executive Judgment and that “He will judge [notice the future tense, not an
action in David’s day] the inhabited world [tebal, a special use for world] in righteousness”
(9:9). “He [Christ our High Priest] will investigate-judge [din as opposed to
misphat as executive judgment] to the peoples [remnant of faithful ones] with
uprightness” (9:9b). Christ was perfect and no taint of sin was in Him. That is
why He qualifies to be our High Priest since 1844 on our behalf. Then follows
the patch of David thinking of how God feels about the oppressed and the humble
which is repeated elsewhere again (9:19; 10:14b-c and 10:17-18). Of course the
whole Psalms let this pocket with the oppressed and humble them reappear. In
9:13 God has remembered the humble. In 9:12 it may sound as if David thinks he
is living in Zion but no, it is those who will be saved at the end-time will
live in the New Jerusalem coming from heaven and that is the Zion that David is
shown virtually here in 9:12. They are the saved and remnant coming out of the
Investigative Judgment cleared and through the time of Trouble after that
resurrected and taken to heaven by Christ. From 9:14 David wants to move from
theoretical and virtual events in future to practical application in his life
now. The eschatological frame is well-known by him. But what he appeals for
here in 9:14,, is that the Lord help him in his affliction domestically. The
reason is given in 9:15 so that he can praise the Lord in the “gates of the
daughter of Zion”. He “will tell” (future). Remember there are going to be a
retelling also for us in heaven one day. Nations made for themselves pits and
sunk in what their own hands designed (9:16). Again in 9:17 David returns to
the eschatological theme pocket by adding another one showing that God is
finished with His Executive Judgment and that things are not so good for the
evil. It is not present in David’s day already because in 9:18 he says “the
wicked shall [future] return to Sheol”. God shall not forget the needy (9:19).
This is the pocket on the theme of the status of the needy and the poor. Is judgment
over for David? No, in 9:20 he hopes that God “will judge the nations” (yishphathu).
The (yi-) shows you it is future. Did they already receive “Executive Judgment”
from God? No. In line with biblical doctrine embedded by the Holy Spirit in
unison language and content, David is asking that terror be set over them [not
yet] but that eschatological day at the Hell event.