Chapter Summary

Praise for victory over enemies.

Discussion Questions for Psalms, Chapter 9

1. What does it mean to give thanks with your "whole heart"? (ESV) Are there times when you give thanks to God half-heartedly? What are the effects of doing so?
2. Where in this psalm does David make a request from God? Notice what his prayer consists of first before doing so. How much of our prayers are spent asking God to work in our lives? How much time is spent thanking him for what he has done and worshiping him for who he is? Why is this so?
3. David recounts by name the "wonderful deeds" that God has done in his life. (ESV) Though general thanksgiving is important, why is it just as important to be specific when we are thanking God?
4. In verse 4, David says God gives "righteous judgment" (ESV). What does it mean to judge righteously? Is righteous judgment something we should seek to escape? Why or why not?
5. Verses 5 and 6 imply that those who oppose the Lord will ultimately be forgotten. How can this serve as a comfort to believers in the middle of persecution or oppression from unjust leaders?
6. Read verses 9-10. What do these verses tell us about the character of God? Has your understanding of these qualities shaped your relationship with God in the past? How?
7. According to David, God is the enactor of judgment and the one working against the powers of evil. If those acts belong to God, what role belongs to man?
8. Though salvation comes from God alone, this psalm highlights that man causes his own destruction. Think of a time when your own sin led to destruction in your life. How did God redeem that situation?
9. What does verse 18 tell us of the importance of remembering God's plan throughout Scripture for the redemption and salvation of his children? What comfort does this offer when we walk through a season of suffering?
10. Look at verses 19-20. Even believers sometimes place ourselves on the throne which should be reserved for God alone. Why is the knowledge that we are "but men" so vital in the path towards repentance?

Key Words/Phrase

Praise, vv. 1, 11.

Characters

God, David.

Strong Verse(s)

9, 10, 16, 18.