Psalm 9 - Praise God For His Deliverance (Part Three).

We must take seriously the radical contrast between the “wicked” and the “needy.” - "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" (vs. 17-18).

Who are the “needy”? – Here, God’s Word is speaking to us of the godly who recognize their spiritual need of the Lord’s saving grace. By contrasting the “wicked” and the “needy”, God is calling us to come to Him, in our need, and receive, from Him, his salvation.
There are two prayers which we must pray.
We must ask that God will make it known that He is Lord - "Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph;
let the nations be judged in your presence" (v. 19)..

We must ask that we will recognize that we are “but men.” - "Strike them with terror, O LORD;
let the nations know they are but men" (v. 20).

When we recognize that God is God and we are but men, we are ready to be led to the Cross where we learn of both God’s hatred of sin and God’s love for the sinner.
Thus, we come to the point where we are able to share, with the Psalmist, in worshipping the Lord - "I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High" (vs. 1-2).
We worship God as those who have come to trust in Him as the God of our salvation -"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" (vs. 9-10).
Trusting in the Lord, the God of our salvation, our worship is heartfelt worship - "I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart" (v. 1).
Trusting in the Lord, the God of our salvation, our worship is joyful worship - "I will be glad and rejoice in you" (v. 2).