A High Tower for the Oppressed

20 versesThanksgiving and PrayerThe heading attributes it to David and addresses it to the Chief Musician, set to "The Death of the Son

Psalm 9 summary: what it means

Psalm 9 opens with wholehearted thanks. The speaker praises God for turning back his enemies and for sitting on the throne as a righteous judge. The first half looks back on nations rebuked and cities overthrown, then looks up to a Lord who reigns forever and judges the world fairly. Verse 9 gives the psalm its clearest picture: the Lord as a high tower for the oppressed in times of trouble. Verse 10 adds that he has not forsaken those who seek him.

At verse 13 the praise turns into a personal request for mercy, to be lifted up from the gates of death. The enemies fall into the pit and the net they made themselves. The psalm ends on a promise that the needy will not always be forgotten, and a plea for the Lord to rise and remind the nations that they are only men.

Psalm 9: A High Tower for the Oppressed

World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-9

Psalm 9 commentary: explained verse by verse

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart.I will tell of all your marvelous works.

The psalm begins with thanks given with the whole heart, not part of it. The speaker also promises to tell of God's marvelous works, so the thanks is meant to be heard by others.

Also read Psalm 145:1-3, Psalm 103:1-2, Psalm 138:1, 1 Chronicles 16:24

I will be glad and rejoice in you.I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Gladness, rejoicing and singing are stacked together in one line. The name used here, Most High, sets God above every enemy the psalm goes on to describe.

Also read Psalm 43:4, Philippians 4:4, Daniel 5:18, Psalm 92:4

When my enemies turn back,they stumble and perish in your presence.

The enemies turn back, stumble and perish in God's presence. The speaker does not claim credit for their fall. It happens because God is there.

Also read Isaiah 64:3, Revelation 20:11, Psalm 68:1-2, Psalm 76:7

For you have maintained my just cause.You sit on the throne judging righteously.

Also read 1 Peter 2:23, Psalm 89:14, Psalm 96:13, Psalm 45:6-7

You have rebuked the nations.You have destroyed the wicked.You have blotted out their name forever and ever.

Also read Psalm 78:55, 1 Samuel 17:45-51, Proverbs 10:7, 2 Samuel 21:15-22

The enemy is overtaken by endless ruin.The very memory of the cities which you have overthrown has perished.

The ruin of the enemy is called endless. Even the memory of the overthrown cities has perished. The verse shows how completely the threat has been removed.

Also read 1 Samuel 31:7, Psalm 46:9, Isaiah 14:6-8, Isaiah 10:13-14

But the LORD reigns forever.He has prepared his throne for judgment.

Also read Psalm 102:24-27, Psalm 103:19, Psalm 50:3-5, Hebrews 13:8

He will judge the world in righteousness.He will administer judgment to the peoples in uprightness.

Also read Psalm 98:9, Revelation 20:12-13, Psalm 99:4, Romans 2:5-6

The LORD will also be a high tower for the oppressed;a high tower in times of trouble.

This verse gives the psalm its clearest picture. The LORD is pictured as a high tower for the oppressed, a raised place of safety, and the phrase is repeated for times of trouble. The KJV reads a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

Also read Psalm 48:3, Psalm 62:8, Psalm 20:1, Psalm 46:7

Those who know your name will put their trust in you,for you, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Knowing God's name leads to trusting him. The reason given is a record of what God has done: he has not forsaken those who seek him. The verse ties trust to experience rather than to feeling.

Also read Isaiah 45:19, 1 Chronicles 28:9, 1 John 2:3, Jeremiah 29:13

Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion,and declare among the people what he has done.

Also read Psalm 105:1-2, Psalm 96:10, Psalm 66:5, Psalm 148:13-14

For he who avenges blood remembers them.He doesn’t forget the cry of the afflicted.

Also read Exodus 3:9, 2 Kings 24:4, Psalm 22:24, Revelation 6:9-10

Have mercy on me, LORD.See my affliction by those who hate me,and lift me up from the gates of death,

Here the psalm changes direction. After twelve verses of praise, the speaker asks for mercy, points to those who hate him, and asks to be lifted from the gates of death.

Also read Isaiah 38:10, Psalm 25:19, John 2:6, Psalm 86:13

that I may show all of your praise.I will rejoice in your salvation in the gates of the daughter of Zion.

The rescue has a purpose: so the speaker can show all of God's praise in public. The gates of death in verse 13 are set against the gates of the daughter of Zion here.

Also read Psalm 116:18-19, Isaiah 12:3, Psalm 79:13, Psalm 118:19-20

The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made.In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken.

The nations have sunk into the pit they dug, and their own foot is caught in the net they hid. The psalm presents this as justice that fits the wrong.

Also read Proverbs 22:8, Psalm 35:8, Proverbs 5:22, Psalm 37:15

The LORD has made himself known.He has executed judgment.The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah.

The Lord makes himself known by carrying out judgment. The wicked are snared by the work of their own hands, repeating the idea of verse 15. The line closes with the words Meditation and Selah.

Also read Psalm 92:3, Exodus 14:4, Psalm 83:17-18, 1 Samuel 6:19-20

The wicked shall be turned back to Sheol,even all the nations that forget God.

The wicked are turned back to Sheol, along with all the nations that forget God. The King James Version renders the same line as "turned into hell". Forgetting God is what puts whole nations in this position.

Also read Jeremiah 18:15, Psalm 106:13, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, Isaiah 5:14

For the needy shall not always be forgotten,nor the hope of the poor perish forever.

This is the psalm's word of hope for the poor. The needy will not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor will not perish forever. The word always admits that, for now, they may be forgotten.

Also read Psalm 102:17, Proverbs 24:14, Proverbs 23:18, Luke 1:53

Arise, LORD! Don’t let man prevail.Let the nations be judged in your sight.

Also read Genesis 32:28, Zephaniah 3:8, Isaiah 51:9, Psalm 3:7

Put them in fear, LORD.Let the nations know that they are only men. Selah.

The last request is that the nations be put in fear and learn that they are only men. The psalm asks for human pride to be put back in its place.

Also read Ezekiel 28:9, Jeremiah 32:40, Psalm 62:9, Isaiah 31:3

A prayer from Psalm 9

LORD, I will give thanks to you with my whole heart and tell of your marvelous works. You sit on the throne and judge the world in righteousness. Be a high tower for the oppressed, a high tower in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust you, for you have not forsaken those who seek you. You do not forget the cry of the afflicted. Have mercy on me, see my trouble, and lift me up from the gates of death, so that I may tell of your praise. Let the needy not always be forgotten, and let the hope of the poor not perish. Amen.

Psalm 9 Bible study questions

In verse 9, what does the LORD become for the oppressed, and in what times?
Verse 12 says God does not forget the cry of the afflicted; how does verse 18 return to the same idea?
The psalm moves from praise in verses 1 and 2 to a plea for mercy in verse 13; how do praise and need sit together in your own prayers?
Verse 18 says the needy shall not always be forgotten; who in your community might feel forgotten right now?
Psalm 9:9 calls the LORD a refuge in times of trouble; how does Psalm 46:1 put a similar idea?

Questions about Psalm 9

What does Psalm 9 mean?

It is a song of thanks to God as a fair judge who has turned back the speaker's enemies, followed by a prayer for mercy and a promise that the needy will not be forgotten forever.

Who wrote Psalm 9?

The heading attributes it to David and addresses it to the Chief Musician, set to "The Death of the Son." The text does not say when or why it was written.

What does Psalm 9:9 say about trouble?

It calls the Lord a high tower for the oppressed, a high tower in times of trouble. The picture is of a raised, safe place out of reach of those who oppress.

What does Psalm 9:10 say in the KJV?

"And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee."

What does Psalm 9:17 say in the KJV?

"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." The World English Bible has "turned back to Sheol" for the same line.

What is the message of Psalm 9:18?

It promises that the needy will not always be forgotten and that the hope of the poor will not perish forever.

Psalm 9 KJV: the King James Version

I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.1

I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.2

When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.3

For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.4

Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.5

O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.6

But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.7

And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.8

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.9

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.10

Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.11

When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.12

Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:13

That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.14

The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.15

The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.16

The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.17

For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.18

Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.19

Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.20

Psalm 9 in Hebrew

The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.

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1 לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ עַלְמ֥וּת לַבֵּ֗ן מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃

2 אוֹדֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה בְּכָל־לִבִּ֑י אֲ֝סַפְּרָ֗ה כָּל־נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ ׃

3 אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה בָ֑ךְ אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

4 בְּשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַ֥י אָח֑וֹר יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ וְ֝יֹאבְד֗וּ מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃

5 כִּֽי־עָ֭שִׂיתָ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י וְדִינִ֑י יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ לְ֝כִסֵּ֗א שׁוֹפֵ֥ט צֶֽדֶק׃

6 גָּעַ֣רְתָּ ג֭וֹיִם אִבַּ֣דְתָּ רָשָׁ֑ע שְׁמָ֥ם מָ֝חִ֗יתָ לְעוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃

7 הָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ תַּ֥מּוּ חֳרָב֗וֹת לָ֫נֶ֥צַח וְעָרִ֥ים נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה׃

8 וַֽ֭יהוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם יֵשֵׁ֑ב כּוֹנֵ֖ן לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט כִּסְאֽוֹ׃

9 וְה֗וּא יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק יָדִ֥ין לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃

10 וִ֘יהִ֤י יְהוָ֣ה מִשְׂגָּ֣ב לַדָּ֑ךְ מִ֝שְׂגָּ֗ב לְעִתּ֥וֹת בַּצָּרָֽה׃

11 וְיִבְטְח֣וּ בְ֭ךָ יוֹדְעֵ֣י שְׁמֶ֑ךָ כִּ֤י לֹֽא־עָזַ֖בְתָּ דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ יְהוָֽה׃

12 זַמְּר֗וּ לַ֭יהוָה יֹשֵׁ֣ב צִיּ֑וֹן הַגִּ֥ידוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃

13 כִּֽי־דֹרֵ֣שׁ דָּ֭מִים אוֹתָ֣ם זָכָ֑ר לֹֽא־שָׁ֝כַ֗ח צַעֲקַ֥ת עניים׃

14 חָֽנְנֵ֬נִי יְהוָ֗ה רְאֵ֣ה עָ֭נְיִי מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י מְ֝רוֹמְמִ֗י מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי מָֽוֶת׃

15 לְמַ֥עַן אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה כָּֽל־תְּהִלָּ֫תֶ֥יךָ בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י בַת־צִיּ֑וֹן אָ֝גִ֗ילָה בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃

16 טָבְע֣וּ ג֭וֹיִם בְּשַׁ֣חַת עָשׂ֑וּ בְּרֶֽשֶׁת־ז֥וּ טָ֝מָ֗נוּ נִלְכְּדָ֥ה רַגְלָֽם׃

17 נ֤וֹדַ֨ע ׀ יְהוָה֮ מִשְׁפָּ֪ט עָ֫שָׂ֥ה בְּפֹ֣עַל כַּ֭פָּיו נוֹקֵ֣שׁ רָשָׁ֑ע הִגָּי֥וֹן סֶֽלָה׃

18 יָשׁ֣וּבוּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה כָּל־גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם שְׁכֵחֵ֥י אֱלֹהִֽים׃

19 כִּ֤י לֹ֣א לָ֭נֶצַח יִשָּׁכַ֣ח אֶבְי֑וֹן תִּקְוַ֥ת ענוים תֹּאבַ֥ד לָעַֽד׃

20 קוּמָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אַל־יָעֹ֣ז אֱנ֑וֹשׁ יִשָּׁפְט֥וּ ג֝וֹיִ֗ם עַל־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃

21 שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ מוֹרָ֗ה לָ֫הֶ֥ם יֵדְע֥וּ גוֹיִ֑ם אֱנ֖וֹשׁ הֵ֣מָּה סֶּֽלָה׃

Psalm 9 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible

The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 9, verses 1 to 21 there.

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1 Unto the end, for the hidden things of the Son. A psalm for David.

2 I will give praise to thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: I will relate all thy wonders.

3 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing to thy name, O thou most high.

4 When my enemy shall be turned back: they shall be weakened and perish before thy face.

5 For thou hast maintained my judgment and my cause: thou hast sat on the throne, who judgest justice.

6 Thou hast rebuked the Gentiles, and the wicked one hath perished: thou hast blotted out their name for ever and ever.

7 The swords of the enemy have failed unto the end: and their cities thou hast destroyed. Their memory hath perished with a noise.

8 But the Lord remaineth for ever. He hath prepared his throne in judgment:

9 And he shall judge the world in equity, he shall judge the people in justice.

10 And the Lord is become a refuge for the poor: a helper in due time in tribulation.

11 And let them trust in thee who know thy name: for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee, O Lord.

12 Sing ye to the Lord, who dwelleth in Sion: declare his ways among the Gentiles:

13 For requiring their blood he hath remembered the: he hath not forgotten the cry of the poor.

14 Have mercy on me, O Lord: see my humiliation which I suffer from my enemies.

15 Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all thy praises in the gates of the daughter of Sion.

16 I will rejoice in thy salvation: the Gentiles have stuck fast in the destruction which they have prepared. Their foot hath been taken in the very snare which they hid.

17 The Lord shall be known when he executeth judgments: the sinner hath been caught in the works of his own hands.

18 The wicked shall be turned into hell, all the nations that forget God.

19 For the poor man shall not be forgotten to the end: the patience of the poor shall not perish for ever.

20 Arise, O Lord, let not man be strengthened: let the Gentiles be judged in thy sight.

21 Appoint, O Lord, a lawgiver over them: that the Gentiles may know themselves to be but men.

Psalm 9 in Latin

The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 9, verses 1 to 21.

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1 In finem, pro occultis filii. Psalmus David.

2 Confitebor tibi, Domine, in toto corde meo; narrabo omnia mirabilia tua.

3 Lætabor et exsultabo in te; psallam nomini tuo, Altissime.

4 In convertendo inimicum meum retrorsum; infirmabuntur, et peribunt a facie tua.

5 Quoniam fecisti judicium meum et causam meam; sedisti super thronum, qui judicas justitiam.

6 Increpasti gentes, et periit impius: nomen eorum delesti in æternum, et in sæculum sæculi.

7 Inimici defecerunt frameæ in finem, et civitates eorum destruxisti. Periit memoria eorum cum sonitu;

8 et Dominus in æternum permanet. Paravit in judicio thronum suum,

9 et ipse judicabit orbem terræ in æquitate: judicabit populos in justitia.

10 Et factus est Dominus refugium pauperi; adjutor in opportunitatibus, in tribulatione.

11 Et sperent in te qui noverunt nomen tuum, quoniam non dereliquisti quærentes te, Domine.

12 Psallite Domino qui habitat in Sion; annuntiate inter gentes studia ejus:

13 quoniam requirens sanguinem eorum recordatus est; non est oblitus clamorem pauperum.

14 Miserere mei, Domine: vide humilitatem meam de inimicis meis,

15 qui exaltas me de portis mortis, ut annuntiem omnes laudationes tuas in portis filiæ Sion:

16 exultabo in salutari tuo. Infixæ sunt gentes in interitu quem fecerunt; in laqueo isto quem absconderunt comprehensus est pes eorum.

17 Cognoscetur Dominus judicia faciens; in operibus manuum suarum comprehensus est peccator.

18 Convertantur peccatores in infernum, omnes gentes quæ obliviscuntur Deum.

19 Quoniam non in finem oblivio erit pauperis; patientia pauperum non peribit in finem.

20 Exsurge, Domine; non confortetur homo: judicentur gentes in conspectu tuo.

21 Constitue, Domine, legislatorem super eos, ut sciant gentes quoniam homines sunt.

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Psalm 9 at a glance

Verses	20
Heading in the text	For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Death of the Son.” A Psalm by David.
Attributed to	The heading attributes it to David and addresses it to the Chief Musician, set to "The Death of the Son."
Type	Thanksgiving and Prayer
Number in Greek and Latin Bibles	Psalm 9 (Psalms 9 and 10 are one psalm there)

Read Psalm 9 when you are facing

thanksgiving protection enemies hope

Psalm 9 in other translations

This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 9 in those translations at Bible Gateway.

Where Psalm 9 belongs

Psalms of David Book 1 of the Psalms

How this page was made

The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.

Sources

Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source

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Lucas Pradella

Last checked 25 September 2026 · How pages are checked

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