Psalm 9:16

The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) The Lord.—Better, Jehovah hath made himself known. He hath executed judgment, snaring the wicked in the work of his own hands.

Higgaion. Selah.—Higgaion occurs three times in the Psalms—here. Psalm 19:14, and Psalm 92:4 (Heb.). In the two latter places it is translated; in Psalm 19:14, “meditation;” in Psalm 92:4, “solemn sound.” Both meanings are etymologically possible, but the word apparently, indicates some change in the music, or possibly, as joined with selah, a direction to some particular part of the orchestra.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:11-20 Those who believe that God is greatly to be praised, not only desire to praise him better themselves, but desire that others may join with them. There is a day coming, when it will appear that he has not forgotten the cry of the humble; neither the cry of their blood, or the cry of their prayers. We are never brought so low, so near to death, but God can raise us up. If he has saved us from spiritual and eternal death, we may thence hope, that in all our distresses he will be a very present help to us. The overruling providence of God frequently so orders it, that persecutors and oppressors are brought to ruin by the projects they formed to destroy the people of God. Drunkards kill themselves; prodigals beggar themselves; the contentious bring mischief upon themselves: thus men's sins may be read in their punishment, and it becomes plain to all, that the destruction of sinners is of themselves. All wickedness came originally with the wicked one from hell; and those who continue in sin, must go to that place of torment. The true state, both of nations and of individuals, may be correctly estimated by this one rule, whether in their doings they remember or forget God. David encourages the people of God to wait for his salvation, though it should be long deferred. God will make it appear that he never did forget them: it is not possible he should. Strange that man, dust in his and about him, should yet need some sharp affliction, some severe visitation from God, to bring him to the knowledge of himself, and make him feel who and what he is.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth - By what; he does in his dealings with men, in dispensing rewards and punishments, bestowing blessings upon the righteous, and sending punishments upon the ungodly. That is, his character can be learned from his dealings with mankind; or, by studying the dispensation of his Providence, we may learn what he is. This is always a fair and proper way of estimating character, alike in regard to God and man; and it is proper, at all times, to study what God does, to learn what he is.

The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands - The same sentiment which is expressed here occurs in Psalm 7:16. The idea is that the wicked are the cause of their own destruction; their own devices and designs are the means of their ruin, and they are made their own executioners. It is this to which the writer seems particularly to refer in the former part of the verse, when he says that "the Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth." This great principle is brought out in his dealings with human beings, that the course which wicked men pursue is the cause of their own ruin. The laws of God in a great measure execute themselves, and men bring upon themselves their own destruction. It is the highest perfection of government to make ttle laws execute themselves.

Higgaion - Margin, "Meditation." This word occurs elsewhere only in the following places, Psalm 19:14, rendered meditation; Psalm 92:3, rendered solemn sound; Lamentations 3:62. rendered device. Its proper meaning is, murmur; muttering; the utterance of a low sound, as the low sound of a harp; or the murmuring or muttering of one who talks to himself; and then meditation. Compare the notes at Psalm 2:1, on the word "imagine," Margin, meditate, - the verb from which this is derived. Gesenius supposes that it is here a musical sound. So it is understood by the Septuagint - ᾠδὴ διαψάλματος ōdē diapsalmatos. It is not known why it is introduced here. There seems to be nothing in the sense which demands it, as there is no particular reason why the reader should pause and meditate here rather than in any other place in the psalm. It is doubtless a mere musical pause, though perhaps indicating the kind of pause in the music, as some special sound or interlude on the musical instrument that was employed.

Selah - Another musical term, see the notes at Psalm 3:2. This indicates a general pause; the word Higgaion denotes the particular kind of pause.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16. Higgaion—means "meditation," and, combined with Selah, seems to denote a pause of unusual solemnity and emphasis (compare [573]Ps 3:2). Though Selah occurs seventy-three times, this is the only case in which Higgaion is found. In the view which is given here of the retribution on the wicked as an instance of God's wise and holy ordering, we may well pause in adoring wonder and faith.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The Lord is known, or, hath made himself known, or famous even among his enemies, by his most wise counsels and wonderful works.

By the judgment which he executeth upon the wicked, as it followeth.

Higgaion is either a musical term, or a note of attention, a kind of behold, intimating that the matter deserves deep and frequent meditation, or consideration, as the word signifies.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth,.... The judgment which God will execute upon antichrist, and the antichristian powers, will be a means of making known his name, his glory, his perfections, in all the earth; as his wisdom, power, justice, and goodness; see Exodus 9:16. The destruction of antichrist will be the Lord's doing, and it will be a righteous one; it will be a just retaliation; as he has killed with the sword, multitudes of his followers shall be killed with the sword; as he has led captive, he shall be taken captive at the battle of Armageddon; as he has burnt, many of the martyrs of Jesus, he shall be cast into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. Some read these words as two sentences, "The Lord is known; he hath executed judgment" (n): the latter of these refers not to the ministration of justice in the providential government of the world, or at the last day in the general judgment; but to the judgment of the great whore, or antichrist, at which time the Lord will be known in his Gospel in all the world; the earth will be tilled with the knowledge of him, and he, and he alone, will be exalted; his name will be great and glorious throughout the earth; all shall know him, from the least to the greatest; and their knowledge of him will be very clear and comprehensive;

the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands; not Goliath, as Kimchi thinks, who was slain by David with his own sword, though this was true of him in the letter and type; but the wicked one, the man of sin and son of perdition, antichrist, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all craftiness and wily stratagems, called the depths of Satan, Revelation 2:24; but his own sins shall take him, and he shall be holden with the cords of his iniquities, and be rewarded double for all his sins; what is before figuratively expressed is here literally declared; or, "he hath snared the wicked in or by the work of his hands" (o), that is, God.

Higgaion. Selah; of the latter of these words; see Gill on Psalm 3:2; the former signifies "meditation"; Jarchi paraphrases it "let us meditate on this, selah"; Aben Ezra interprets it, "I will show forth this in truth"; the Chaldee paraphrase is, "the righteous shall rejoice for ever"; the note of Kimchi and Ben Melech is, "this salvation is to us meditation and praise"; upon the whole the sense seems to be this, that God's judgments upon antichrist, and the antichristian states, and the deliverance of his people from their yoke and tyranny, are things worthy of the meditation of the saints, and afford just matter of joy, praise, and thanksgiving.

(n) "notus est Dominus; judicium fecit", Pagninus, Montanus, Gussetius; so Vatablus, Musculus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis, and Ainsworth. (o) "illaqueavit iniquum per opus (vel in opere) manunm ipsius", Gussetius.

Geneva Study Bible

{h} The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

(h) The mercy of God toward his saints must be declared and the fall of the wicked must always be considered.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. Jehovah hath made himself known, he hath executed judgment,

Snaring the wicked in the work of his own hands.

For God’s revelation of Himself in judgment comp. Psalm 48:3 (R.V.): Exodus 7:5; Exodus 14:4; Exodus 14:18; Ezekiel 38:23.

Higgaion] A musical term, rendered a solemn sound in Psalm 92:3, and here in conjunction with Selah directing the introduction of a jubilant interlude, to celebrate the triumph of the divine righteousness.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth; rather, the Lord hath made himself known; he executeth judgment (see the Revised Version; and comp. Ezekiel 20:9). The two clauses are grammatically distinct, though no doubt closely connected in their meaning. God makes himself known - manifests his character, by the judgments which he executes, shows himself just, perhaps severe, certainly One who "will not at all acquit the wicked" (Nahum 1:3). The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Some translate, "he snareth the wicked," or, "by snaring the wicked" - the special way in which God manifests himself (see Kay, p. 31; 'Speaker's Commentary,' vol. 4. p. 190). Higgaion. This word is found in three other places only, viz. Psalm 19:14; Psalm 92:3; and Lamentations 3:61. In the first it is translated "meditation," and has clearly that meaning; in the second it is supposed to mean "a gentle strain:" in the third it seems best rendered by "musing" or "reflection." Here it stands by itself, as a sort of rubrical direction, like the following word, "Selah." Some suppose it a direction to the choir to play a gentle strain of instrumental music as an interlude; others regard it as enjoining upon the congregation a space of quiet "meditation" (see Hengstenberg, ad loc.; and compare Professor Alexander's work, 'The Psalms translated and explained,' p. 45). Selah (see the comment on Psalm 3:2). Psalm 9:16

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

(Heb.: 9:16-17) And, as this ט-strophe says, the church is able to praise God; for it is rescued from death, and those who desired that death might overtake it, have fallen a prey to death themselves. Having interpreted the ה-strophe as the representation of the earlier צעקת עניּים we have no need to supply dicendo or dicturus, as Seb. Schmidt does, before this strophe, but it continues the praett. preceding the ח-strophe, which celebrate that which has just been experienced. The verb טבע (root טב, whence also טבל) signifies originally to press upon anything with anything flat, to be pressed into, then, as here and in Psalm 69:3, Psalm 69:15, to sink in. טמנוּ זוּ (pausal form in connection with Mugrash) in the parallel member of the verse corresponds to the attributive עשׂוּ (cf. יפעל, Psalm 7:16). The union of the epicene זוּ with רשׁת by Makkeph proceeds from the view, that זוּ is demonstrative as in Psalm 12:8 : the net there (which they have hidden). The punctuation, it is true, recognises a relative זוּ, Psalm 17:9; Psalm 68:29, but it mostly takes it as demonstrative, inasmuch as it connects it closely with the preceding noun, either by Makkeph (Psalm 32:8; Psalm 62:12; Psalm 142:4; Psalm 143:8) or by marking the noun with a conjunctive accent (Psalm 10:2; Psalm 31:5; Psalm 132:12). The verb לכד (Arabic to hang on, adhere to, IV to hold fast to) has the signification of seizing and catching in Hebrew.

In Psalm 9:17 Ben Naphtali points נודע with ā: Jahve is known (part. Niph.); Ben Asher נודע, Jahve has made Himself known (3 pers. praet. Niph. in a reflexive signification, as in Ezekiel 38:23). The readings of Ben Asher have become the textus receptus. That by which Jahve has made Himself known is stated immediately: He has executed judgment or right, by ensnaring the evil-doer (רשׁע, as in Psalm 9:6) in his own craftily planned work designed for the destruction of Israel. Thus Gussetius has already interpreted it. נוקשׁ is part. Kal from נקשׁ. If it were part. Niph. from יקשׁ the ē, which occurs elsewhere only in a few עע verbs, as נמם liquefactus, would be without an example. But it is not to be translated, with Ges. and Hengst.: "the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands," in which case it would have to be pointed נוקשׁ (3 praet. Niph.), as in the old versions. Jahve is the subject, and the suffix refers to the evil-doer. The thought is the same as in Job 34:11; Isaiah 1:31. This figure of the net, רשׁת (from ירשׁ capere), is peculiar to the Psalms that are inscribed לדוד. The music, and in fact, as the combination הגיון סלה indicates, the playing of the stringed instruments (Psalm 92:4), increases here; or the music is increased after a solo of the stringed instruments. The song here soars aloft to the climax of triumph.