Introduction
David praises God for the benefits which he has granted to Israel in general, and to himself in particular, Psalm 9:1-6 . He encourages himself in the Lord, knowing that he will ever judge righteously, and be a refuge for the distressed, Psalm 9:7-10 . He exhorts the people to praise God for his judgments, Psalm 9:11 , Psalm 9:12 ; prays for mercy and support; and thanks God for his judgments executed upon the heathen, Psalm 9:13-16 . He foretells the destruction of the ungodly, Psalm 9:17 ; prays for the poor and needy, and against their oppressors, Psalm 9:18-20 .
The inscription to this Psalm in the Hebrew text is, To the chief Musician upon Muth-lab-ben, A Psalm of David. The Chaldee has, "A Song of David, to be sung concerning the Death of the Strong Man, (or champion, דגברא degabra ), who went out between the Camps," that is, Goliath, on account of whose defeat this Psalm has been supposed by many to have been composed. The date in the margin is several years posterior to the death of Goliath. See the introduction.
The Vulgate: A Psalm of David, for the end; concerning the secrets of the Son."
The Septuagint and Aethiopic are the same with the Vulgate.
The Syriac: "A Psalm of David concerning Christ's receiving the throne and the kingdom, and defeating his enemies.
The Arabic: "Concerning the mysteries of the Son, as to the glory of Christ, his resurrection, and kingdom, and the destruction of all the disobedient."
Houbigant causes the Hebrew title to agree with the Vulgate, Septuagint, and Ethiopic, by uniting מות על al muth , "concerning the death," into the word עלמות alamoth , which signifies secret, or hidden things. "To the chief musician, or conqueror; secrets concerning the Son: A Psalm of David.
About a hundred MSS. and printed editions unite the words as above. Some translate עלמות alamoth , "concerning the youth or infancy; the infancy of the Son." Several of the fathers have on this ground interpreted it, "concerning the incarnation of our Lord." Indeed the title and the Psalm have been so variously understood, that it would be as painful as it would be useless to follow the different commentators, both ancient and modern, through all their conjectures.
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