Psalms 9:11
in Psalms 9Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the nations.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Sing praises to Jehovah, who dwelleth in Zion: Declare among the people his doings.
KJV
Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
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This verse in Psalms 9
Commentary
13 notes on this verseAs the special residence of his glory is in heaven, so the special residence of his grace is in his church, of which Zion was a type. There he meets his people with his promises and graces, and there he expects they should meet him with their praises and services.
This site's exposition
who dwells in Zion
on Psalms 9:11-12
The praise goes public here, sung to the LORD who dwells in Zion and proclaimed among the nations. Verse 12 gives the ground: the Avenger of bloodshed remembers, the God who requires an account for blood that has been shed.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
"Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Sion" [Psalm 9:11], is said to them, whom the Lord forsakes not as they seek Him. He dwells in Sion, which is interpreted watching, and which bears the likeness of the Church that now is; as Jerusalem bears the likeness of the Church that is to come, that is, the city of Saints already enjoying life angelical; for Jerusalem is by interpretation the vision of peace. Now watching goes before vision, as this Church goes before that one which is promised, the city immortal and eternal. But in time it goes before, not in dignity: because more honourable is that whither we are striving to arrive, than what we practise, that we may attain to arrive; now we practise watching, that we may arrive at vision. But again this same Church which now is, unless the Lord inhabit her, the most earnest watching might run into any sort of error. And to this Church it was said, "For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are:" [1 Corinthians 3:17] again, "that Christ may dwell in the inner man in your hearts by faith." [Ephesians 3:17] It is enjoined us then, that we sing to the Lord who dwells in Sion, that with one accord we praise the Lord, the Inhabitant of the Church. "Show forth His wonders among the heathen." It has both been done, and will not cease to be done.
Those who are wild in respect of faith and polluted in life, not purified by the righteousness that is according to the law, are called wild beasts. But changed from wild beasts by the faith of the Lord, they become people of God, advancing from the wish to change to the fact.
A drastic alteration of circumstances took place in reality: ancient enemies became friends, those distant became close, slaves became sons, those ignorant became knowledgeable, those in darkness came to be in light, the dead in hope of life the poor became heirs of the kingdom …
What do you mean? Does the one whose throne is heaven and his footstool earth, in whose hands are the bounds of the earth, dwell in Zion? Yes: he refers here to his dwelling, not for him to be circumscribed (his greatness, after all, is unbounded) but to indicate his affinity with the place and his feeling at home there with a view to winning the Jews over to him through this considerateness.… Now, in a spiritual sense Zion refers to the church: "You have approached Mount Zion," remember, "and church of the firstborn." Rightly is the church called a mountain on account of being firm, solid and unshakeable. You see, just as it is impossible to shake a mountain, so too the church of God.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Third, he leads to the second fruit, namely to joy. "Sing psalms to the Lord who dwells in Zion." The Lord is said to dwell in a place not corporally: 2 Sam. 6: David placed the ark in Zion; but according to truth he dwells …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
) and there David would attend him, with joy in God's salvation, typical of the great salvation which was to be wrought out by the Son of David. David by faith foresees and foretels the certain ruin of all wicked people, both in this world and in that to come.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
Being full of gratitude himself, our inspired author is eager to excite others to join the strain, and praise God in the same manner as he himself vowed to do in the first and second verses. The heavenly spirit of praise is gloriously contagious, and he that hath it is never content unless he can excite all who surround him to unite in his sweet employ.
Being full of gratitude himself, our inspired author is eager to excite others to join the strain, and praise God in the same manner as he himself vowed to do in the first and second verses. The heavenly spirit of praise is gloriously contagious, and he that hath it is never content unless he can excite all who surround him to unite in his sweet employ. Singing and preaching, as means of glorifying God, are here joined together, and it is remarkable that, connected with all revivals of gospel ministry, there has been a sudden outburst of the spirit of song. Luther's Psalms and Hymns were in all men's mouths, and in the modern revival under Wesley and Whitefield, the strains of Charles Wesley, Cennick, Berridge, Toplady, Hart, Newton, and many others, were the outgrowth of restored piety. The singing of the birds of praise fitly accompanies the return of the gracious spring of divine visitation through the proclamation of the truth. Sing on brethren, and preach on, and these shall both be a token that the Lord still dwelleth in Zion. It will be well for us when coming up to Zion, to remember that the Lord dwells among his saints, and is to be had in peculiar reverence of all those that are about him.
Declare among the people his doings - It is the duty of all those who have received the salvation of God, to recommend him and his salvation to the whole circle of their acquaintance, Christians, so called, when they meet, seldom speak about God! Why is this? Because they have nothing to say.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Sing praises to the Lord - As the result of these views of his character, and at the remembrance of his doings. The heart of the psalmist is full of exultation and joy at the remembrance of the divine interposition, and he naturally breaks out into these strong expressions, calling on others to rejoice also. Which dwelleth in Zion - On the word Zion, see the notes at Psa 2:6. Compare Psa 3:4; Psa 5:
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
And they will trust in Thee: – It is right that they should trust in Thee – viz.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And the Lord shall be a fortress for the crushed Heb. לדך, an expression of crushed, amenuyze in Old French. In the future, when He establishes His throne for judgment, He will be a fortress for Israel, who are crushed.
Sing praises to the Lord, Who dwells in Zion When He restores His dwelling to Zion, they will praise Him in this manner.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| זַמְּר֗וּ | zameru | sing praises | H2167 → | 45 times |
| לַ֭יהוָה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| יֹשֵׁ֣ב | yoshev | [who] dwells | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| צִיּ֑וֹן | tziyon | Zion | H6726 → | 154 times |
| הַגִּ֥ידוּ | hagidu | declare | H5046 → | 370 times |
| בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים | vaamim | among the peoples | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃ | alilotav | deeds his | H5949 → | 24 times |
זַמְּר֗וּsing praises
zameruH2167 →45 times
לַ֭יהוָהto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
יֹשֵׁ֣ב[who] dwells
yoshevH3427 →1079 times
צִיּ֑וֹןZion
tziyonH6726 →154 times
הַגִּ֥ידוּdeclare
hagiduH5046 →370 times
בָ֝עַמִּ֗יםamong the peoples
vaamimH5971 →1873 times
עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃deeds his
alilotavH5949 →24 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 66:2Sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious.
it leads to
- Psalms 105:2–3
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wonders.
- Revelation 5:13
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to…
- Isaiah 49:13
Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; break forth in song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and He will have compassion on His afflicted ones.
- Isaiah 42:12
Let them give glory to the LORD and declare His praise in the islands.
- Psalms 105:2–3
Through
Psalms 107:22Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare His works with rejoicing.
it leads to
- Psalms 50:14
Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
- Psalms 118:17
I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the LORD has done.
- Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.
- Psalms 105:1–2
Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.
- Psalms 50:14
About Psalms
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 9; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 6; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 9:6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 9:8 and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.