Psalm 9 — When Praise Rises from the Ruins

“I will give thanks to Adonai with my whole heart;

I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your Name, O Most High.”— Tehillim (Psalm) 9:1–2

Opening Cry

Gratitude is easy when life is peaceful, but Psalm 9 was born from the dust of battle. David’s praise rises from the ashes of survival — from the ruins of fear, loss, and exhaustion. He has seen God’s deliverance not from a distance but through trembling hands and tear-stained nights.

This psalm opens like a breath drawn after danger has passed: “I will give thanks… I will tell… I will rejoice.”Each “I will” is a choice — not emotion, but devotion. It is the decision to bless God before the heart has fully recovered.

In the Valley of Prayer

David’s voice carries both relief and reverence. He remembers that the same God who allowed the struggle has also been his shelter within it. There is no bitterness here — only awe. He has learned that gratitude is not denial of pain; it is the holy work of remembering redemption.

The Hebrew word for “give thanks” is hodu (הוֹדוּ). It means to acknowledge, to confess, to point toward the One who deserves the glory. To thank God is to take the spotlight off of ourselves and turn it toward His faithfulness.

And when David says, “I will tell of Your marvelous works,” the verb saper (סָפַר) means to recount carefully, as one would count jewels. He is not rushing through praise; he is naming mercy bead by bead.

The Rabbi’s Heart

Psalm 9 is one of the earliest psalms of thanksgiving after deliverance from enemies — possibly written after David’s victory over the Philistines (2 Samuel 8). But the beauty of the psalm is not military triumph; it is spiritual transformation.

David declares, “You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging righteously.”The Hebrew word for “maintained” is asah (עָשָׂה) — to act, to accomplish. God’s justice is not theoretical; it is active compassion.

He also uses zakar (זָכַר) — “to remember.”David praises the Lord who remembers the cry of the afflicted. This is not mere recollection; in Scripture, when God “remembers,” He moves. When God remembered Noah, the waters receded (Genesis 8:1). When He remembered Rachel, her womb opened (Genesis 30:22). And when He remembered His covenant, Israel was delivered (Exodus 2:24). So when David says, “He does not forget the cry of the humble,” he’s proclaiming a God who acts on compassion.

For the follower of Yeshua, this psalm echoes through the Gospels: God remembered humanity in its ruin and sent His Son to rebuild what sin destroyed. Through Him, praise rises again — not from palaces, but from the cross and the empty tomb.

A Glimpse of Grace

There is something sacred about praising God from the ruins. Anyone can sing when the walls stand tall; faith sings when the walls are gone.

David ends his psalm not with triumphalism but trust: “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your Name will put their trust in You, for You, Adonai, have not forsaken those who seek You.”

This is grace — that even when all else falls, His presence remains the safe place. We may not understand the timing of justice, but we can rest in the character of the Judge.

Heart Reflection

If we were sitting together at the edge of a long week, I might ask softly:

• What ruins in your life are slowly turning into altars of praise?

• How might gratitude sound if it came not from what’s been restored, but from what God is still holding together?

• Can you name one mercy — one small jewel of grace — that you’ve seen in the rubble?

And then, as the morning light of faith begins to warm your heart, let this prayer become your own:

Prayer of Thanksgiving

You, Adonai, have been my refuge when strength was gone. You remembered me when others forgot. You lifted the dust of sorrow from my face and set my feet upon hope again. You are righteous in all Your ways and tender in Your judgments. I thank You for the mercies that found me in broken places. Teach me to remember — to count Your goodness one grace at a time —until praise rises again from every ruin. In Yeshua’s holy Name, amen.

Shalom and grace, always. 

Scripture Cross-References

• 2 Samuel 8 — David’s victories and gratitude to God

• Genesis 8:1 — “God remembered Noah…”

• Exodus 2:24 — “God heard their groaning and remembered His covenant.”

• Psalm 34:1 — “I will bless Adonai at all times; His praise will continually be in my mouth.”

• Luke 1:72–73 — God remembered His covenant through Messiah

• Philippians 4:4 — “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”