PSALM 9:13–20 Put Them in Their Place, LORD!
READ: PSALM 9:13–20 (REVELATION 18:19–24)
V. 20 “Let the nations know that they are but men!”
Sometimes don’t you just want to put certain people in their place? People who think too highly of themselves need to be put in their place at some point. Otherwise their behaviour only goes from bad to worse. Who hasn’t longed for the day when the arrogant and abusive would be taken down a peg or two? It’s hard to put up with people like that.
Imagine the almighty, holy, and perfectly wise God. As he works out his plan for mankind, he has to put up with people who forget the revelation of his glory in creation and in his word. God has to endure nations who try to destroy those who place their trust in him. Every day he looks on arrogant people who believe that old serpent who said from the beginning that if they ignore God’s commands they’ll be like him. How can the LORD stand the wait?
With that in mind we can well understand why David calls on God to arise. He asks God to take the arrogant heathen nations, who despise God and constantly attack his people, and “put them in fear, O LORD! Let the nations know they are but men!” (v. 20). David urges the LORD to step forward with his judgment and to humble those hateful, prideful peoples.
David is expressing Israel’s hope for what God would do through the promised Messiah. He would come not only with deliverance for his people, but also with judgment against those who despise God and persecute those who seek him (Isa. 34). Jesus Christ has come with his deliverance from sin and misery for his people. He is now coming again to judge the nations and to show them that he is King of kings and they are but men.
On that day the kings and the rich and the powerful, along with many others who arrogantly ignored God, will be called to account. They will hide themselves in caves and among mountains, calling out, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Rev. 6:16).
Do not worry about the arrogant but rather pray for their repentance while there is still time. For Christ’s return to judge the living and the dead is approaching and all will be put in their proper place.
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