Psalms 9:2
in Psalms 9I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I will be glad and exult in thee; I will sing praise to thy name, O thou Most High.
KJV
I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.
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This verse in Psalms 9
Commentary
12 notes on this verse"I will be glad." Here he gives thanks as regards the heart. Some narrate their goods to others and rejoice in themselves, like sinners. Lk. 18, of the Pharisee who said: "I thank you that I am not," etc. But this man rejoices in God …
This site's exposition
with all my heart
on Psalms 9:1-2
The psalm opens in praise, before it asks God for anything. Thanks with all my heart is paired with an account of all God's wonders, sung to the name of the Most High. The petition waits until verse 13.
This site's exposition
I will be glad and rejoice in You
Verses 1 and 2 hold four lines, give thanks, recount, be glad and sing praise, and in Hebrew each opens with aleph. Franz Delitzsch counted Psalms 9 and 10 as one alphabetic psalm. Most High renders Elyon, the name of God at Genesis 14:18.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
This … is pleasure properly speaking; at least as far as all other things are concerned, they are pleasure in name only, bereft of substance. This lifts human beings above this world, this liberates the soul from the body, this gives it wings in heaven's direction, this elevates it above worldly things, this gives freedom from evil, and rightly so.… After all, people loving those other things are quickly if unwillingly brought to a point of oblivion since what they love perishes and wastes away. By contrast, this love is infinite, everlasting, possessing the greater pleasure and the greater gain; furthermore, the lover is encouraged by the fact that this will never be destroyed.
This is a particular habit of a lover. Those in love, you know, sing songs to their beloved; even if they are not in sight, they comfort themselves with the song. That is just what the inspired author does. Since it is not possible to see God, he composes songs to him, holding converse with him in song, stirring up desire and gaining the impression of seeing him—or, rather, stirring up the desire of many people through the singing of hymns and songs. In other words, just as lovers recite the praises of their beloved and bandy their names about, exactly so does he.
"I will be glad and exult in Thee" (ver. 2). Not any more in this world, not in pleasure of bodily dalliance, not in relish of palate and tongue, not in sweetness of perfumes, not in joyousness of passing sounds, not in the variously coloured forms of figure, not in vanities of men's praise, not in wedlock and perishable offspring, not in superfluity of temporal wealth, not in this world's getting, whether it extend over place and space, or be prolonged in time's succession: but, "I will be glad and exult in Thee," namely, in the hidden things of the Son, where "the light of Thy countenance hath been stamped on us, O Lord:" for, "Thou wilt hide them," saith he, "in the hiding place of Thy countenance." He then will be glad and exult in Thee, who tells all Thy marvels. And He will tell all Thy marvels (since it is now spoken of prophetically), "who came not to do His own will, but the will of Him who sent Him."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Joy and praise are properly expressed by singing psalms. When God has shown himself to be above the proud enemies of the church we must take occasion thence to give glory to him as the Most High. The triumphs of the Redeemer ought to be the triumphs of the redeemed; see Rev. xii.
I will be glad and rejoice in thee,....
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
Gladness and joy are the appropriate spirit in which to praise the goodness of the Lord. Birds extol the Creator in notes of overflowing joy, the cattle low forth his praise with tumult of happiness, and the fish leap up in his worship with excess of delight. Moloch may be worshipped with shrieks of pain, and Juggernaut may be honoured by dying groans and inhuman yells, but he whose name is Love is best pleased with the holy mirth, and sanctified gladness of his people.
Gladness and joy are the appropriate spirit in which to praise the goodness of the Lord. Birds extol the Creator in notes of overflowing joy, the cattle low forth his praise with tumult of happiness, and the fish leap up in his worship with excess of delight. Moloch may be worshipped with shrieks of pain, and Juggernaut may be honoured by dying groans and inhuman yells, but he whose name is Love is best pleased with the holy mirth, and sanctified gladness of his people. Daily rejoicing is an ornament to the Christian character, and a suitable robe for God's choristers to wear. God loveth a cheerful giver, whether it be the gold of his purse or the gold of his mouth which he presents upon his altar. I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. Songs are the fitting expression of inward thankfulness, and it were well if we indulge ourselves and honoured our Lord with more of them. Mr. B. P. Power has well said, "The sailors give a cheery cry as they weigh anchor, the ploughman whistles in the morning as he drives his team; the milkmaid sings her rustic song as she sets about her early task; when soldiers are leaving friends behind them, they do not march out to the tune of the 'Dead March in Saul,' but to the quick notes of some lively air. A praising spirit would do for us all that their songs and music do for them; and if only we could determine to praise the Lord, we should surmount many a difficulty which our low spirits never would have been equal to, and we should do double the work which can be done if the heart be languid in its beating, if we be crushed and trodden down in soul. As the evil spirit in Saul yielded in olden time to the influence of the harp of the son of Jesse, so would the spirit of melancholy often take flight from us, if only we would take up the song of praise.
I will be glad and rejoice in thee - I am glad that thou hast heard my prayer, and showed me mercy; and I will rejoice in thee, in having thee as my portion, dwelling and working in my heart.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
I will be glad - I will rejoice, and will express my joy. And rejoice in thee - I will exult; I will triumph. That is, he would express his joy in God - in knowing that there was such a Being; in all that he had done for him; in all the evidences of his favor and friendship. Will sing praise to thy name - To thee; the name often being put for the person. O thou Most High - Thou who art supreme - the God over all. See the notes at Psa 7:17.
The words behind it
6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה | ʾesmechah | I will rejoice | H8055 → | 155 times |
| וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה | veeeltzah | and I will exult | H5970 → | 8 times |
| בָ֑ךְ | vakh | in you | ||
| אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה | ʾazamerah | I will sing praises to | H2167 → | 45 times |
| שִׁמְךָ֣ | shimkha | name your | H8034 → | 864 times |
| עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ | elyon | O Most High | H5945 → | 53 times |
אֶשְׂמְחָ֣הI will rejoice
ʾesmechahH8055 →155 times
וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣הand I will exult
veeeltzahH5970 →8 times
בָ֑ךְin you
vakh
אֲזַמְּרָ֖הI will sing praises to
ʾazamerahH2167 →45 times
שִׁמְךָ֣name your
shimkhaH8034 →864 times
עֶלְיֽוֹן׃O Most High
elyonH5945 →53 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 28:7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song.
it leads to
- Psalms 30:11–12
You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
- Psalms 56:3–4
When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
- Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom…
- Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Isaiah 12:2
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and He also has become my salvation.”
- Psalms 30:11–12
Through
Psalms 5:11But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever shout for joy. May You shelter them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.
it leads to
- Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- Revelation 19:1–7
After this I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude in heaven, shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God!
- Psalms 68:3
But the righteous will be glad and rejoice before God; they will celebrate with joy.
- Romans 8:28
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; 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, Vol. 1; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 9:2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.