Psalms 9:15

15 The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made; In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken.

Psalms 9:15 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 9:15

The Heathen are sunk into the pit [that] they made
The psalmist having determined to praise the Lord, and called upon others to join with him in it, here enters upon it: for, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra observe, this is (hlht) "the praise" he was desirous to show forth, which is occasioned by the destruction of God's enemies, and the deliverance of his people: by "the Heathen" are meant not the Philistines, as Kimchi interprets it, who thought to cause Israel to fall, and fell themselves; but this is spoken prophetically of the nations of the earth, who have joined in the idolatry of antichrist, the Gentiles, by whom the holy city has been trodden under foot; even the several antichristian states, that will be destroyed by the pouring out of the seven vials, and especially the last, at the battle of Armageddon; and which will be brought on by themselves, with a design to destroy the whole kingdom and interest of Christ, but will issue in their utter ruin, which this phrase is expressive of; see ( Revelation 18:3 ) ( 11:2 ) ( Revelation 16:13 Revelation 16:14 Revelation 16:16 ) ( 19:19-21 ) . The metaphor is taken from hunters, who dig pits for the wild beasts to fall into, that they may the more easily take them, into which they fall themselves; see ( Psalms 7:15 ) . Wicked men are mischievous and crafty, but sometimes they are taken in their own craftiness;

in the net which they laid is their own foot taken;
which may signify the same thing as before, that the mischief they design for others falls upon themselves; only as the former phrase denotes their utter destruction like the sinking of a millstone in the sea, by which the irrecoverable ruin of Babylon is expressed, ( Revelation 18:21 ) ; this may design the restraint and hinderance of them from doing the evil they would; their feet are entangled, that they cannot run to shed blood; and their hands are held, that they cannot perform their enterprise; and their wrath in restrained and made to praise the Lord. The metaphor is taken from fowlers, who lay nets and snares for birds, and cover them that they may not be seen, but fall into them unawares; see ( Psalms 124:7 ) .

Psalms 9:15 In-Context

13 Have mercy on me, LORD. See my affliction by those who hate me, And lift me up from the gates of death;

14 That I may show forth all your praise. In the gates of the daughter of Tziyon I will rejoice in your salvation.

15 The nations have sunk down in the pit that they made; In the net which they hid, their own foot is taken.

16 The LORD has made himself known. He has executed judgment. The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah.

17 The wicked shall be turned back to She'ol, Even all the nations that forget God.