Transcript:
Hi! Welcome to Episode 3 of Psalms for The End Times. Today, I’m going to look at Psalm 9. My name is Annette Bell, and I’m the host of Overcoming the Tribulation, which is mostly focused on preparing our hearts for the return of Christ. If you haven’t already subscribed, I invite you to hit the subscribe button; and also, if you click the notification bell, you’ll receive a notice when I post a new video. OK, I’m going to read Psalm 9.
Future Messianic Prophecy
“Psalm 9. For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David. I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. I love how it starts with praise for the LORD. My enemies turn back. They stumble and perish before You. For You have upheld my right and my cause; You have sat on Your throne, judging righteously. You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever. Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy. You have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished. The LORD reigns forever; He has established His throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness; He will govern the peoples with justice.”
Whenever the wicked are brought to the grave, these verses are partially fulfilled, but ultimately Psalm 9 speaks forward to the days when Jesus will return– Messiah will return, and then He will reign on the earth.
You may have noticed as I read these verses, “You have–“: He’s speaking in past tense. Actually, five times, He says, “You have” done this–according to things that He’s going to do in the future, but He speaks of them in the past tense. I think it’s the same as in Psalm 2, “I have installed My King on Zion, My holy hill.” I think that’s really cool, because, again, past tense for future things just emphasizes how He’s actually really going to do it. It’s a sure thing. And that’s something that’s encouraging to me. When we look around in the world today and we see the wicked get away with crimes, on the one hand, it’s distressing, but on the other hand, it helps us to look forward to the day when Jesus will come and He will be reigning with justice and righteousness. It can help us gain perspective that our hope should be in the Lord, not in human government made of sinful people.
The LORD is a Refuge
“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name will trust in You. For You, LORD have never forsaken those who seek You.”
As sin and trouble multiply on the earth, and we see the oppression coming–even further, it can be so tempting in our humanity to be afraid. But God tells us we can trust Him! He promised He is with us. Emmanuel! God with us. He is with us until the end of the age. He has never forsaken us before, and He never will. So, I pray that we would take it to heart and trust Him, and not be afraid.
Sing Praise
“Sing praises to the LORD enthroned in Zion. Proclaim among the nations what He has done. For He who avenges blood remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted. O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare Your praises in the gates of the Daughter of Zion and there rejoice in Your salvation.”
These verses look backwards and forwards at the justice of God at His coming. Singing praises to God by faith before we see the deliverance of the LORD is important. It reminds me of 2 Chronicles 20, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. And this huge army, made up of three different nations, was coming against them. And they were afraid. And God told them through a prophet, I am going to fight this battle. Just trust me; don’t be afraid. And then the next day, when they went out to fight–to watch the LORD fight for them, King Jehoshaphat had the singers go out in front praising the LORD. And it says that the LORD, when they began to sing, that the LORD set ambushes for them, where the different countries that were coming up against them started to destroy each other. Two countries destroyed one, and then the other two destroyed each other, so that everyone had died.
So, I just think the example in there is awesome about praising the LORD before we see His deliverance. And that reminded me; I just wanted to share it here.
The Wicked are Ensnared by the Work of their Hands
“The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. The LORD is known by His justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Haggaion. Selah.”
This is exactly what happened to Haman, who was killed on the gallows he intended for the righteous Jew Mordecai, as it is written in the Book of Esther. A friend of mine spent some time in Israel and she told me that at Purim in Israel, they sell these cookies called Haman’s Ears, to celebrate the fact that God was victorious over their ancient enemy.
“The wicked return to the grave, all the nations that forget God. But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.”
Eventually, there’s going to be an end to the wicked, but the hope of the afflicted will not be extinguished!
“Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph; let the nations be judged in Your presence. Strike them with terror, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men. Selah.”
One day, God will strike the terrorists with terror, and they will know that He is God and they are but men.
Let us humble ourselves before the LORD and fear Him. Jesus has all the authority in heaven and on earth, and His victory is sure.
Thank you for watching Psalms for the End Times, Episode 3. If you liked it, will you click the like button? Also, I welcome your comments and shares. God bless you! Have a great day.
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