I will praise thee, Oh Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works. Psalms 9:1

The first time my grandson became ill the scene crystal clear in my mind, eight month old, I receive a call, he is being air lifted off out of a small mountain town east of San Diego, he is struggling to breathe, I forgot to praise God. I began to bargain with God. Lord, he is so little, enable him to breathe, if you will heal him, I will do X, Y, and Z. However, in this psalm we are to say praise and show trust.

Psalm nine is a psalm of praise, trust and prayer. King David writes this psalm of praise with praises in verses 1-5, 11, 12, and 14. Let us not praise with a divided heart, but with all of our heart. As a child, I learned the song Praise Him, praise him, all ye little children, God is love, God is love. Praising God by recounting all of God’s works from creation to answers to prayers. How are you doing? Will you let your memories of God’s goodness heap coals of fire on the altar of praise?

Predominant assertion of trust in verses 7-12, 18. When calamity occurs does this drive us to God? Do the oppressed, the humble, the needy, and the poor  have encouragement? Do we trust God more when things are going well or when things are rocky? God will never forget you. Per F. B. Meyer, “Doubt is born of ignorance.” When we come to know God we more we trust him and the less we doubt God.

In verses 13, 19, and 20 a petition for help. Lift me from the gates of the death, declaring salvation in the Holy City verses 13 and 14. According to F. B. Meyer, it is a sin to forget God as illustrated in verses 17, “The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God.”

Beloved, how are you doing in the praise, trust and prayer? Is it when calamity occurs or is it in an act of worship? Are you searching for Jesus daily? Prayer consists of praise, admission, request and thanksgiving.

But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the hope of the afflicted will never perish. Psalm 9:18

My grandson is now fifteen and in high school, God did answer our prayers and has answered many more on my grandchildren. I’ve learned that I don’t need to bargain with God. Do you bargain with God? God if you will answer this prayer I will not eat oatmeal cookies ever again. Beloved, pray expectantly, God answers prayers.

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9: 9-10

ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR JESUS?