When we pray, what are we doing? Are we performing a religious activity?
Are we doing something for ourselves to clear our minds and work things out?
Is it like meditation? Is it chanting?
When we pray, we are talking with, listening to and receiving from our very personal God, the creator of the universe. Our God not only created us, but-after a great plan of redemption played out over history- he saved us through his Son Jesus Christ.
We are not just bettering ourselves. We are trusting in the one who makes us “better” or holy. We are talking to him and taking counsel from him. He is not ashamed to call us brother or sister. He is not ashamed of our lowly state of being. He took our sin on his body and took carried our burdens in his heart.
Hebrews 2:10-11 “In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.Both the one who makes people holyand those who are made holyare of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”
When we read what David says in this Psalm today, and as we approach the throne of grace with confidence that God will hear us and do more than we can ask or imagine, be sure to detect and remember 2 things in this passage:
- Who is God?
- What is my response?
Many people today talk about avoiding emotionalism in worship and prayer, but we see that David’s heart is VERY emotional about The Lord. His emotions are connected with the truth, though. He is overwhelmed with who God is, what he has done and what he knows he will do in the future. David pens a prayer of praise, acknowledging truth and petitions to God in faith.
When we pray, sometimes it will be emotional. Sometimes it will not. But, it should always, always, always be from our heart to God’s heart and grounded in the truth of: 1. Who is God and 2. Who am I/What is my response? When presenting Psalm 9 today, I have highlighted the verses that show our response in orange and I highlighted God’s characteristics and actions in purple.
The verses that deal with the enemies of God are underlined.
Note the structure of the prayer goes back and forth dealing with these three topics. David spends a great deal of time praising God and declaring his attributes. This should be our practice in prayer. This increases our faith and gives us a powerful way to approach-based on who he is!
The first time through is a straight read and it will be followed with a heart-felt and truth-driven prayer based on Psalm 9.
Psalm 9
(NKJV)
Prayer and Thanksgiving for theLord’s Righteous Judgments
To the Chief Musician. Tothe tune of“Death of the Son.”A Psalm of David.
9I will praiseYou,OLord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
2I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.3When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
4For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
5You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.6O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has perished.
7But theLordshall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
8He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.9TheLordalso will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
10And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You,Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.11Sing praises to theLord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people.
12When He avenges blood, He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the humble.13Have mercy on me, OLord!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
14That I may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of the daughter of Zion.
I will rejoice in Your salvation.15The nations have sunk down in the pitwhichthey made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
16TheLordis knownbythe judgment He executes;
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.See AlsoHow You Can Take Refuge In God - Living By Faith BlogPsalm 9:9-10 - Prayers and PetitionsCommit to the Lord and he will establish your plans - Proverbs 16:3 — Faith ChapelWhat does Psalm 7:10 mean?Meditation.Selah
17The wicked shall be turned into hell,
Andall the nations that forget God.
18For the needy shall not always be forgotten;
The expectation of the poor shallnotperish forever.19Arise, OLord,Do not let man prevail;
Let the nations be judged in Your sight.
20Put them in fear, OLord,
Thatthe nations may know themselvesto be butmen.Selah
Prayer time:
(Remember that declaring the truth about God and the truth about ourselves and our enemies puts everything in perspective and is an act of faith that moves mountains!)
Psalm 9
9I will praiseYou,OLord, with my whole heart; teach me to praise you with my whole heart, Lord. Perfect my praise and cleanse my life that I may give you a life of praise, lifted up in everything I do. I love you, Lord and I give you the offering of my lips today, the praises that you deserve.
I will tell of all Your marvelous works. You have done so much in my life! You have delivered me from my past, from sin, you have healed my diseases and brought my family out of the chains of sin and death. You have given me victory in my life over so many strongholds. You are my stronghold now, Oh Lord!
(Here take the time to praise the Lord for 5 things he has set you free from and forgiven you for. Say them out loud and if you can, write them down. You don’t need to stop at 5, but I encourage you to at least list 5 things the Lord has done in your life recently and even things in the past.)
(Now take time to recount miracles in your life and in the lives of others you know. Healings, marriages reconciled, blessings…)
2I will be gladandrejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name,O Most High. Your name is Holy! Your name is above every other name. By your name you have kept me and preserved my life. You are the Great I AM, the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Father, you have given Jesus the name above all other names and I bear that name. Jesus is proud and not ashamed to be called my brother. Jesus, you are the risen one, my healer and my deliverer. You go by many titles. You are the lover of my soul, you are my King, my friend, my Lord and my God. King of kings and Lord of lords. You are the lamb of God, my Rock and my redeemer. I praise your name and I lift you up, the WAY, the TRUTH, the LIFE! There is one name under heaven, whereby we must be saved and that is your name! I worship your name, Oh Lord, my God!
3When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence. Even when my enemies flee from me, you will subdue them, because you are a God of justice. Even when Satan comes in to steal, kill and destroy and sap my life, you destroy his plans and you crush him underneath my feet (Romans 16:19). Those who take up a banner to fight against you and your people, oh Lord either surrender to you or are destroyed.
4ForYou have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
5You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6O enemy, destructions are finished forever!
And you have destroyed cities;
Even their memory has perished. But, NOW, I declare to the enemies of God, even Satan and his attacks on my life and family, that my God is a God of justice. He has shown me mercy in my life and Satan, in Jesus name, you’re plans are turned back against you, in Jesus name. Flee from my house, my family and my life, in Jesus name!
7But,Lord, youshall endure forever;
You have prepared your throne for judgment. You have collected the information, you have not missed a single piece of evidence. You will execute judgement with justice. I humbly bow down before you acknowledging my sin and ask for the mercy of God! I know that by Jesus’s sacrifice, he took the wrath of God upon his body. I believe in Jesus Christ and thank you that he took my place. I ask that you will defend my life, Lord Jesus. I ask that you will show me what does not please you in my life and bring me, by your Spirit into your truth. I want to live in justice and righteousness through you, Lord Jesus. May I walk in truth and not in a lie. May I walk in who you are and not in the past that you have brought me out of. I claim that in Christ Jesus, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!” You endure forever, Oh Lord. I am but a breath. But, I will be raised up at the last day, with your righteous ones. I pray and thank you for your mercy in Christ Jesus and for the confidence I can have in you, Oh Lord!
8 You willjudge the world in righteousness, Oh Lord,
And you will administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.
9TheLordalso will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble. I will not fear, Oh Lord, when I am oppressed, because I know that you are on my side, in Jesus name! No weapon formed against me will prosper, in Jesus name! Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ who are being oppressed all over the world. I pray for the hungry and those being hunted by evil men, like ISIS. I pray that you will bring the glory of your name to bear and to deliver those who are oppressed. Show me what I can do in your kingdom to stand up for those with no voice and for the poor. Show me what you want me to do and direct my steps, oh Lord! If I am in you, I am the hands and feet of Jesus. Help me to live in your confidence and not in fear. Give me your power and your direction to help those who need help and to pray for those who need prayer.
May your church rise up all over the world to help the oppressed. Keep us from living in selfishness and from focusing on all of our own problems. Lord, you are taking care of our problems! In Jesus name, build your church in strength, truth and righteousness. Deliver those who are sick and those who are being lied to by the devil, in Jesus name. Extinguish the lies of Satan as he comes against those who he is trying to oppress! Lord Jesus, give us faith to stand against the lies!
(Take time now to pray as the Spirit leads you to pray for those who are oppressed by either wicked people or by Satan’s lies. Be sure to pray in Jesus’ name, as that is our authority!)
10And those whoknow Your namewillput their trust in You;
For You,Lord, have not forsaken those whoseek You.
I declare that you have not forsaken me! I will not believe Satan’s lies that you are done with me or that I have gone too far from you for help. Lord, I declare that my trust is in you and that you are a just and merciful God. Your grace extends to those who trust in your name!
11Sing praisesto theLord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people.
(I challenge you to share with a friend today, or a stranger, what The Lord has done for you!)
12WhenHe avenges blood,He remembers them;
He does not forget the cry of the humble. God, you will avenge the blood of the innocent. You will avenge the blood of the unborn babies who are slaughtered every day in our nation and around the world. You will hear the cry of their blood coming up from the ground. Avenge their blood, Oh Lord! Avenge the blood of the martyrs who are being beheaded, tortured and killed all over the world, in Jesus name!
13Have mercy on me, OLord!
Consider my trouble from those who hate me,
You who lift me up from the gates of death,
14ThatI may tell of all Your praise
In the gates of the daughter of Zion.
I will rejoice in Your salvation. You have always delivered me from my enemies. There are people out there who hate me, just because of you. Deliver me from gossip, slander, schemes and hateful speech of all kinds. Give me favor in my work place and in my relationships, Oh Lord. Deliver me, Oh Lord! Deliver us from the hands of evil men and women who have set their sights on actually killing people of God. We aren’t used to this in America, but Lord, I thank you that it forces us to seek your face. Give us justice against our enemies. Protect our children from the evil of wicked people who would destroy them. Protect me from the enemy who would come against my family and against me. I want to give testimony of your deliverance, Oh Lord!
15The nations have sunk down in the pitwhichthey made;
In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught. I thank you for exposing the sin of the wicked. I pray that you will continue to expose sin and expose the plots of evil men to destroy the people. I pray that you will expose the sin of the unworthy politicians who are running for office this year, Oh Lord.
16TheLordis knownbythe judgment He executes;
The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Lord, thank you that you allow consequences for our actions to teach us of your ways.
Meditation.Selah
17The wicked shall be turned into hell,
Andall the nations that forget God.
18For theneedy shall not always be forgotten;
The expectation of the poor shallnotperish forever. Thank you, Lord, that though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for though art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
19Arise, OLord,Do not let man prevail;
Let the nations be judged in Your sight.
20Put them in fear, OLord,
Thatthe nations may know themselvesto be butmen.
Father God, in my struggles, I acknowledge your hand at work in my life. I thank you that you allow me to see clearly what has been done in my life has been done by you, Oh Lord!
We desperately want to see ourselves as something and forget you easily. You however, are God. You are in control of this world. Thank you for glorifying yourself in my troubles. Thank you for delivering me! Thank you for teaching the sons of men that they are just men and not God.
Lord Jesus, continue to rescue men and women from darkness today. Bring repentance. Bring salvation to many lives today. Bring revival! (Pray for specific names.)
I need you, Oh Lord, my God! Thank you for loving me, Lord Jesus. Thank you for your Spirit which is my wonderful counselor. Thank you, Oh Lord my God that you are my loving Father.
In Jesus name, Amen!
Selah. (This means to reflect on what you just read.)
As a religious studies expert with a profound understanding of the topic, it's evident that the provided text is a heartfelt prayer and reflection based on Psalm 9 from the New King James Version of the Bible. The author, deeply immersed in their faith, engages in a conversation with their personal God, expressing gratitude, seeking guidance, and acknowledging the divine attributes.
The text explores the nature of prayer, emphasizing a connection with God beyond self-improvement or meditation. It highlights the emotional aspect of worship and prayer, drawing parallels between the psalmist's emotions, grounded in truth, and the believer's experience.
The central themes include:
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Nature of Prayer: The text asserts that prayer involves talking to, listening to, and receiving from a personal God. It distinguishes prayer from mere self-betterment, framing it as a trust-filled dialogue with the divine.
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God's Attributes: The psalmist reflects on the character and actions of God, praising Him for his righteousness, justice, and enduring nature. The narrative underscores God's role as a refuge for the oppressed and a just judge.
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Response to God: The author encourages a heartfelt and truth-driven prayer, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging who God is and understanding one's personal response. The psalmist's emotional expression is presented as a valid and integral aspect of worship.
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Structure of Prayer: The text points out the structure of the prayer in Psalm 9, which involves praising God, declaring His attributes, and addressing the enemies of God. The author suggests that believers can adopt a similar practice in their prayers.
Overall, the text serves as a guide for prayer, combining emotional sincerity with a solid foundation in biblical truth. It encourages believers to reflect on who God is, express their response, and engage in a dialogue that aligns with the principles outlined in Psalm 9.
