Summary: Psalm 9 – Tells us to give Thanks, Evangelize, Laugh, Laugh again, and Sing

Psalm 9

I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart;

I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;

I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

3 My enemies turn back;

they stumble and perish before you.

4 For you have upheld my right and my cause,

sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.

5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;

you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.

6 Endless ruin has overtaken my enemies,

you have uprooted their cities;

even the memory of them has perished.

7 The LORD reigns forever;

he has established his throne for judgment.

8 He rules the world in righteousness

and judges the peoples with equity.

9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

10 Those who know your name trust in you,

for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

11 Sing the praises of the LORD, enthroned in Zion;

proclaim among the nations what he has done.

12 For he who avenges blood remembers;

he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.

13 LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!

Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,

14 that I may declare your praises

in the gates of Daughter Zion,

and there rejoice in your salvation.

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;

their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.

16 The LORD is known by his acts of justice;

the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.[c]

17 The wicked go down to the realm of the dead,

all the nations that forget God.

18 But God will never forget the needy;

the hope of the afflicted will never perish.

19 Arise, LORD, do not let mortals triumph;

let the nations be judged in your presence.

20 Strike them with terror, LORD;

let the nations know they are only mortal.

Again, the Psalmist is focused on the same three characters (the WTF of the Psalms):

The Wicked

Those who Trust in God

And God, the Father

But by far, the central focus of this psalm is God, the Father:

I counted (in the English text, not the Hebrew)

38 Nouns & pronouns referring to God

22 Verbs describing God’s actions

Among the nouns & adjectives, some stand out:

Lord -9

Righteous Judge, Refuge, Stronghold, Most High

The descriptions of God’s actions:

Upheld me, sitting enthroned, rebuked, blotted out, & uprooted the Wicked

Reigns, established His throne, rules in righteousness, judges with equity, never forsakes, avenges, does not ignore, is known by His acts of justice, He will never forget

& requests for His actions

See, Have mercy, lift me up;

Arise, Strike, let the nations know & be judged

Thanks

Evangelize

Laugh

Laugh again

Sing

Thanks Evangelize Laugh, Laugh Sing

Thanks-according to Research

• Improved physical, emotional, and social well-being

• Greater optimism and happiness,

• Improved feelings of connection in times of loss or crises

• Increased self-esteem

• Heightened energy levels

• Strengthened heart, immune system, and decreased blood pressure

• Improved emotional and academic intelligence

• Expanded capacity for forgiveness

• Decreased stress, anxiety, depression, and headaches

• Improved self-care and greater likelihood to exercise

• Heightened spirituality — ability to see something bigger than ourselves

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-transformative-power-_2_b_6982152.html?section=india

& stimulates several portions of the brain, strengthening the mind’s ability in many healthy ways

http://www.scientificamerican.com/video/gratitude-on-the-brain/

another really nice article on thanks:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2014/11/24/the-power-of-giving-thanks/#cb8ac1c7b8d8

:-)

so, Thanks Evangelize Laugh, Laugh Sing

Evangelize I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

The Apostles, Acts 4 when told not to preach any more in the name of Jesus said ‘how can we help but tell of what we have seen & heard . . . should we obey God or men?’

Matthew 28:20

The Research shows that there are many benefits of telling people your good news

We actually have 3 times as many positive as negative experiences.

But we have two problems: one we have a bias in favor thinking of negative experiences, & two, we get used to good things so don’t notice them. We take the good for granted.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/share-your-good-news-and-you-will-be-better-off/

so

Thanks, Evangelize & Laugh!

2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;

“the JOY of the Lord is my strength” Nehemiah 8:9

‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY . . .” Galatians 5:22

“REJOICE in the Lord always, and again I will say, REJOICE!” Philippians 4:4

“I have come that you might have JOY and that more abundantly” John 10:1

“consider it pure JOY my brothers when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing the testing of your faith works patience . . .” James 1:2

• Benefits of Laughter

Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/emotional-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa6UlTgwZCg

SING!

Thanks, Evangelize, Laugh, Sing

Jesus & His disciples sang. Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26

Paul exhorts the Church to sing Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16

Benefits of Singing

Reduces stress

Increases wellbeing

Increases social harmony (no joke)

Can successfully treat symptoms of stuttering, Parkinson's disease, aphasia, & autism

Singers live, on average, two years longer than non-singers

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2996848/

so

Psalm 9 – Tells us to

Thanks

Evangelize

Laugh

Laugh again

Sing