But the LORD shall endure forever;
He has prepared His throne for judgment.
He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in
uprightness. (Psalms
9:7-8 )
Jesus Christ has risen—and that
changes everything! His victory over
death, hell, and the grave assures the believer of justification and the
unbeliever of judgment. Paul put it this
way, “because He has appointed a day on
which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.
He has given assurance of this to all by
raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31 ) If the grave was the end of Him, then it is
the end for us—and there is no concern for the future. “If the
dead do not rise, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’” (1 Cor.15:32 ) Paul
says that is the reasonable thing to do—enjoy this life, cramming whatever
pleasure in that you can, if that’s all there is. Yet, because He lives, I can face
tomorrow—and with hope since the judgment meant for me has passed on
Christ. Because He lives the wicked face
judgment. Those who reject that gracious
payment then have no choice but to someday stand face to face before this One
they have spurned—and hear the pronouncement of judgment in the lake of fire. God’s righteous judgment is the theme of Psalm 9 .
David begins with a word of PRAISE
(v.1-2). No reason for God’s children to
fear judgment for their sins, for that judgment has passed upon Christ. We have reason to rejoice in Him and share a
message of good news to the world.
There is also bad news—and that is
if we continue in our rebellion against God—if we like those in the
parable—speaking of the people of that day—cry, “We will not have this man to reign over us!” (Luke 19:14 ), then God will let
us have our way. There is a line God has
fixed, however, beyond which sinful man may not pass—an appointed time when the
pent-up wrath of God is released. It is
that which the Psalmist speaks of next—a word about PUNISHMENT (v.3-8). David faced fierce foes—but their real hate
was ultimately against His God. God
identifies with His people. An attack on
us, is an assault on Him—and in His time that will come to an abrupt halt.
Logically, then David next speaks
a word about PROTECTION (v.9-14). The
sentence upon the rebellious is the salvation of the righteous. In times of trouble, when the enemy lashes
out in fury, God is our refuge. We can
trust in Him, and not be afraid. That
does not mean we may not suffer—even be slain—for our faith, but that God will
avenge the blood of His martyrs. Our
lives are in His hands. There is a
protective hedge around us. Satan has
not power to harm us except to the degree God permits—and we may be confident
that what the God of perfect love and wisdom allows will always be for our
ultimate good and His glory!
The concluding stanza of the psalm
is a word about PERDITION (v.15-20).
Individuals will be judged in eternity, but nations are judged now. To forget God and to oppress the poor is to
shake a fist in the face of the Almighty.
That never ends well—and America
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