Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:
Psalm 9:13 turns the doctrine of the previous verse into personal prayer. David has declared that when the LORD makes inquisition for blood, He remembers the humble and does not forget their cry (v.12). Now David becomes one of those who cry out in prayer. His enemies hate him, his trouble is severe, and death appears near; but he appeals to the God who sees, remembers, judges, and delivers. The next verse gives the purpose of his rescue: that he might show forth God’s praise in the gates of Zion and rejoice in His salvation (v.14).
“Have mercy upon me.” David begins with mercy, not merit. He does not tell God that deliverance is owed to him because he is king, righteous in every respect, or more worthy than other men. He asks for mercy. This is the proper posture of a needy saint before God. David prayed elsewhere, “Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me” (Psalm 56:1). Mercy does not deny that David has a righteous cause against his enemies. Psalm 9 says God maintained his right and cause (v.4). But even a saint with a righteous cause against men still approaches God as a dependent man needing divine compassion.
“O LORD.” LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the ancient Hebrew tetragrammaton, JHVH, the name Jehovah by which God made Himself known to Israel (Exodus 6:3). David directs his appeal to Jehovah. The enemies may be many, violent, and hateful, but they are not his final court. The LORD is. Earlier, David had praised Him because He sat in the throne judging right (v.4), and he had declared that the LORD remains for ever and has prepared His throne for judgment (vv.7-8). Prayer therefore rests upon doctrine. David can ask for mercy because he knows who rules. The throne is not vacant while enemies rage. Jehovah sees both the sufferer and those causing the suffering.
“Consider my trouble.” David asks God to look upon his affliction with intent to act. This does not imply that God had failed to notice it. The same psalm has already declared that He remembers the humble and does not forget their cry (v.12). David is asking the righteous Judge to regard his case and answer it. He prayed similarly, “Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred” (Psalm 25:19). Men may overlook suffering, misunderstand it, or refuse to care, but nothing must be explained to God before He can judge rightly. He knows every circumstance, motive, word, injury, and threat.
“Which I suffer.” David does not pretend the trouble is painless. Faith is not denying affliction or speaking as though severe suffering does not hurt. He suffers. The same man who praises God with his whole heart (v.1) can also confess that enemies have brought him near the gates of death. Scripture allows both. The righteous may suffer greatly while still trusting God. The LORD is “a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble” (v.9), which means His people may truly know oppression and trouble. Faith does not require calling evil good or pain pleasant; it requires carrying both to God.
“Of them that hate me.” David identifies the human cause of his trouble. These are not neutral opponents in an ordinary disagreement. They hate him. Hatred can drive slander, persecution, violence, conspiracy, and murder. Yet David does not answer their hatred by taking judgment out of God’s hands. He brings the hatred to the Judge. This agrees with the previous verse: the afflicted cry, and God remembers them. A saint may name an enemy, describe the wrong, and ask God to consider it without surrendering to private vengeance. The duty is to keep the cause clean before God and leave judgment with Him.
“Thou that liftest me up.” David identifies God by His saving work. The same Jehovah who judges enemies raises His servant. David does not say, I will lift myself up. His hope is in divine intervention. Earlier, his enemies were turned back, fell, and perished at God’s presence (v.3). Here David is lifted while they are judged. The contrast magnifies God’s dominion. Past mercies also strengthen present prayer. David had repeatedly escaped death before, and every rescue taught him where to look again. The God who has lifted His people before has not lost His power.
“From the gates of death.” David pictures death as a city with gates opening to receive him. His trouble has brought him to the edge of the grave, but Jehovah can lift him away from it. Men can bring another near death, but God determines life and death and can rescue when human strength has failed. Verse 14 then gives the opposite destination: David asks to be lifted from “the gates of death” so that he may declare God’s praise “in the gates of the daughter of Zion” (vv.13-14). Deliverance has a purpose. God lifts him from the gates of death so his mouth may speak salvation among God’s people. Rescue should produce testimony.
Jesus Christ entered death itself, though no sin or guilt was found in Him. Wicked men hated Him without a cause, falsely accused Him, mocked Him, and put Him to death (John 15:25; Acts 2:23). But death could not hold Him. God raised Him up, “having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it” (Acts 2:24). David was lifted from the gates of death; Christ passed through death and rose victorious, giving His people the strongest possible assurance that death itself is subject to God.
Cry for mercy when enemies hate and trouble you. Ask God to consider the matter, keep your cause clean, and trust Him to lift you according to His will. “That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion” (v.14). Let rescued lips praise the God who rescued them.
Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:
Psalm 9:13 turns the doctrine of the previous verse into personal prayer. David has declared that when the LORD makes inquisition for blood, He remembers the humble and does not forget their cry (v.12). Now David becomes one of those who cry out in prayer. His enemies hate him, his trouble is severe, and death appears near; but he appeals to the God who sees, remembers, judges, and delivers. The next verse gives the purpose of his rescue: that he might show forth God’s praise in the gates of Zion and rejoice in His salvation (v.14).
“Have mercy upon me.” David begins with mercy, not merit. He does not tell God that deliverance is owed to him because he is king, righteous in every respect, or more worthy than other men. He asks for mercy. This is the proper posture of a needy saint before God. David prayed elsewhere, “Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me” (Psalm 56:1). Mercy does not deny that David has a righteous cause against his enemies. Psalm 9 says God maintained his right and cause (v.4). But even a saint with a righteous cause against men still approaches God as a dependent man needing divine compassion.
“O LORD.” LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the ancient Hebrew tetragrammaton, JHVH, the name Jehovah by which God made Himself known to Israel (Exodus 6:3). David directs his appeal to Jehovah. The enemies may be many, violent, and hateful, but they are not his final court. The LORD is. Earlier, David had praised Him because He sat in the throne judging right (v.4), and he had declared that the LORD remains for ever and has prepared His throne for judgment (vv.7-8). Prayer therefore rests upon doctrine. David can ask for mercy because he knows who rules. The throne is not vacant while enemies rage. Jehovah sees both the sufferer and those causing the suffering.
“Consider my trouble.” David asks God to look upon his affliction with intent to act. This does not imply that God had failed to notice it. The same psalm has already declared that He remembers the humble and does not forget their cry (v.12). David is asking the righteous Judge to regard his case and answer it. He prayed similarly, “Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred” (Psalm 25:19). Men may overlook suffering, misunderstand it, or refuse to care, but nothing must be explained to God before He can judge rightly. He knows every circumstance, motive, word, injury, and threat.
“Which I suffer.” David does not pretend the trouble is painless. Faith is not denying affliction or speaking as though severe suffering does not hurt. He suffers. The same man who praises God with his whole heart (v.1) can also confess that enemies have brought him near the gates of death. Scripture allows both. The righteous may suffer greatly while still trusting God. The LORD is “a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble” (v.9), which means His people may truly know oppression and trouble. Faith does not require calling evil good or pain pleasant; it requires carrying both to God.
“Of them that hate me.” David identifies the human cause of his trouble. These are not neutral opponents in an ordinary disagreement. They hate him. Hatred can drive slander, persecution, violence, conspiracy, and murder. Yet David does not answer their hatred by taking judgment out of God’s hands. He brings the hatred to the Judge. This agrees with the previous verse: the afflicted cry, and God remembers them. A saint may name an enemy, describe the wrong, and ask God to consider it without surrendering to private vengeance. The duty is to keep the cause clean before God and leave judgment with Him.
“Thou that liftest me up.” David identifies God by His saving work. The same Jehovah who judges enemies raises His servant. David does not say, I will lift myself up. His hope is in divine intervention. Earlier, his enemies were turned back, fell, and perished at God’s presence (v.3). Here David is lifted while they are judged. The contrast magnifies God’s dominion. Past mercies also strengthen present prayer. David had repeatedly escaped death before, and every rescue taught him where to look again. The God who has lifted His people before has not lost His power.
“From the gates of death.” David pictures death as a city with gates opening to receive him. His trouble has brought him to the edge of the grave, but Jehovah can lift him away from it. Men can bring another near death, but God determines life and death and can rescue when human strength has failed. Verse 14 then gives the opposite destination: David asks to be lifted from “the gates of death” so that he may declare God’s praise “in the gates of the daughter of Zion” (vv.13-14). Deliverance has a purpose. God lifts him from the gates of death so his mouth may speak salvation among God’s people. Rescue should produce testimony.
Jesus Christ entered death itself, though no sin or guilt was found in Him. Wicked men hated Him without a cause, falsely accused Him, mocked Him, and put Him to death (John 15:25; Acts 2:23). But death could not hold Him. God raised Him up, “having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it” (Acts 2:24). David was lifted from the gates of death; Christ passed through death and rose victorious, giving His people the strongest possible assurance that death itself is subject to God.
Cry for mercy when enemies hate and trouble you. Ask God to consider the matter, keep your cause clean, and trust Him to lift you according to His will. “That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion” (v.14). Let rescued lips praise the God who rescued them.