Psalms 9:12
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For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
In this psalm, I. David praises God for pleading his cause, and giving him victory over his enemies and the enemies of his country (Psa 9:1-6), and calls upon others to join with him in his songs of praise (Psa 9:11, Psa 9:12). II. He prays to God that he might have still further occasion to praise him, for his own deliverances and the confusion of his enemies (Psa 9:13, Psa 9:14, Psa 9:19, Psa 9:20). III. He triumphs in the assurance he had of God's judging the world (Psa 9:7, Psa 9:8), protecting his oppressed people (Psa 9:9, Psa 9:10, Psa 9:18), and bringing his and their implacable enemies to ruin (Psa 9:15-17). This is very applicable to the kingdom of the Messiah, the enemies of which have been in part destroyed already, and shall be yet more and more till they all be made his footstool, which we are to assure ourselves of, that God may have the glory and we may take the comfort. To the chief musician upon Muth-labben. A psalm of David.
Open source ↗9:12 The Lord avenges and saves his servants (18:46) by righteously judging his enemies on earth (58:11). The godly do not seek revenge; they wait for the Lord to vindicate them (94:1-2; Deut 32:35; Rom 12:19).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, as they deserve.”
And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:
For behold, the LORD is coming out of His dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.
For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help.
and also for the innocent blood he had shed. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was unwilling to forgive.
He will turn toward the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their prayer.
So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and He could no longer bear the misery of Israel.
And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them.