Here is an appropriate song of victory and thanksgiving for the Church to sing on Sunday.  By his dying, Christ has overcome the devil and given us a pledge of the victory.  He will win in the Church and in our soul.  The enemies spoken of are not the forces of earth, but those of hell.  Nor must we think of an earthly victory.  Rather, our victory as Christians will be like that of Christ, who seemed to be defeated in the eyes of men.

Theme:  Thanksgiving

Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * narrábo ómnia mirabília tua.
2  Lætábor et exsultábo in te: * psallam nómini tuo, Altíssime.

I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; * I will speak of all thy marvellous works.
2  I will be glad and rejoice in thee; * yea, my songs will I make of thy Name, O thou Most Highest.

First motive:  God has judged our enemies

3  In converténdo inimícum meum retrórsum: * infirmabúntur, et períbunt a fácie tua.
4  Quóniam fecísti judícium meum et causam meam: * sedísti super thronum, qui júdicas justítiam.
5  Increpásti Gentes, et périit ímpius: * nomen eórum delésti in ætérnum, et in sæculum sæculi.
6  Inimíci defecérunt frámeæ in finem: * et civitátes eórum destruxísti.

3  While mine enemies are driven back, * they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
4  For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; * thou art set in the throne that judgest right.
5  Thou hast rebuked the heathen, and the ungodly hath perished; * thou hast put out their name for ever, yea for ever and ever.
6  The swords of the enemy have failed unto the end; * and their cities thou hast destroyed.

Second motive:  God protects his own

7  Périit memória eórum cum sónitu: * et Dóminus in ætérnum pérmanet.
8  Parávit in judício thronum suum: * et ipse judicábit orbem terræ in æquitáte, judicábit pópulos in justítia.
9  Et factus est Dóminus refúgium páuperi: * adjútor in opportunitátibus, in tribulatióne.
10  Et sperent in te qui novérunt nomen tuum: * quóniam non dereliquísti quæréntes te, Dómine.

7  Their memorial is perished with great noise : * but the Lord shall endure for ever.
8  He hath also prepared his seat for judgment : * for he shall judge the world in righteousness, and minister true judgment unto the people.
9  And the Lord is become a refuge for the poor, * even an helper in due time of trouble.
10  And they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee; * for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Thanks and praise be unto him

11  Psállite Dómino, qui hábitat in Sion: * annuntiáte inter Gentes stúdia ejus:
12  Quóniam requírens sánguinem eórum recordátus est: * non est oblítus clamórem páuperum.
13  Miserére mei, Dómine: * vide humilitátem meam de inimícis meis.
14  Qui exáltas me de portis mortis, * ut annúntiem omnes laudatiónes tuas in portis fíliæ Sion.

11  O praise ye the Lord which dwelleth in Sion; * declare his ways among the heathen.
12  For when he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them, * and forgetteth not the complaint of the poor.
13  Have mercy upon me, O Lord; * consider the humiliation which I suffer from mine enemies.
14  Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death; * that I may shew all thy praises within the ports of the daughter of Sion.

Above all, for punishing our enemies

15  Exsultábo in salutári tuo: * infíxæ sunt Gentes in intéritu, quem fecérunt.
16  In láqueo isto, quem abscondérunt, * comprehénsus est pes eórum.
17  Cognoscétur Dóminus judícia fáciens: * in opéribus mánuum suárum comprehénsus est peccátor.
18  Convertántur peccatóres in inférnum, * omnes Gentes quæ obliviscúntur Deum.
19  Quóniam non in finem oblívio erit páuperis: * patiéntia páuperum non períbit in finem.

15  I will rejoice in thy salvation: * the heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made.
16  In the same net which they hid privily * is their foot taken.
17  The Lord shall be known when he executeth judgment; * the ungodly is trapped in the work of his own hands.
18  The wicked shall be turned into hell, * and all the people that forget God.
19  For the poor shall not alway be forgotten; * the patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever.

Finale

20  Exsúrge, Dómine, non confortétur homo: * judicéntur Gentes in conspéctu tuo.
21  Constítue, Dómine, legislatórem super eos: * ut sciant Gentes quóniam hómines sunt.

20  Up, Lord, and let not man be strengthened; * let the heathen be judged in thy sight.
21  Appoint, O Lord, a lawgiver over them, * that the heathen may know themselves to be but men.

The first part of Psalm 9 has been full of joyous confidence, but this second part is sunk in sadness and lamentation.  We have to realize that there is more than victory to the kingdom.  We must see its other side: the defeats, the Gethsemane, the tears.  The mystical Christ, and with him the child of God, goes through the world with a cross upon his shoulder.

Plea for help

22  Ut quid, Dómine, recessísti longe, * déspicis in opportunitátibus, in tribulatióne?
23  Dum supérbit ímpius, incénditur pauper: * comprehendúntur in consíliis quibus cógitant.

22  Why standest thou so far off, O Lord, * and hidest thy face in the needful time of trouble?
23  Whilst the wicked man is proud, the poor is set on fire: * they are taken in the counsels that they have devised.

Lamentation over the inroads of the enemy

24  Quóniam laudátur peccátor in desidériis ánimæ suæ: * et iníquus benedícitur.
25  Exacerbávit Dóminum peccátor, * secúndum multitúdinem iræ suæ non quæret.
26  Non est Deus in conspéctu ejus: * inquinátæ sunt viæ illíus in omni témpore.
27  Auferúntur judícia tua a fácie ejus: * ómnium inimicórum suórum dominábitur.
28  Dixit enim in corde suo: * Non movébor a generatióne in generatiónem sine malo.
29  Cujus maledictióne os plenum est, et amaritúdine, et dolo: * sub lingua ejus labor et dolor.
30  Sedet in insídiis cum divítibus in occúltis: * ut interfíciat innocéntem.
31  Oculi ejus in páuperem respíciunt: * insidiátur in abscóndito, quasi leo in spelúnca sua.
32  Insidiátur ut rápiat páuperem: * rápere páuperem, dum áttrahit eum.
33  In láqueo suo humiliábit eum: * inclinábit se, et cadet, cum dominátus fúerit páuperum.
34  Dixit enim in corde suo: Oblítus est Deus, * avértit fáciem suam ne vídeat in finem.

24  For the ungodly is praised in his own heart's desire, * and the unjust man is blessed.
25  The sinner hath provoked the Lord, * according to the multitude of his wrath he will not seek him.
26  He hath not God before his eyes : * his ways are alway grievous.
27  Thy judgments are removed out of his sight, * and therefore shall he rule over all his enemies.
28  For he hath said in his heart, * I shall never be cast down from generation to generation, and shall be without evil.
29  His mouth is full of cursing, bitterness, and fraud: * under his tongue is labour and sorrow.
30  He sitteth lurking in ambush with the rich in the dark places : * that he may murder the innocent.
31  His eyes are set against the poor : * for he lieth waiting secretly; even as a lion lurketh he in his den.
32  He lieth in ambush that he may ravish the poor : * ravish the poor when he draweth him nigh.
33  In his net shall he bring him down : * he will crouch and fall, when he shall have power over the poor.
34  He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten; * he hideth away his face not to see to the end.

Plea for protection

35  Exsúrge, Dómine Deus, exaltétur manus tua: * ne obliviscáris páuperum.
36  Propter quid irritávit ímpius Deum? * dixit enim in corde suo: Non requíret.
37  Vides quóniam tu labórem et dolórem consíderas: * ut tradas eos in manus tuas.
38  Tibi derelíctus est pauper: * órphano tu eris adjútor.
39  Cóntere bráchium peccatóris et malígni: * quærétur peccátum illíus, et non inveniétur.

35  Arise, O Lord God, and lift up thine hand; * forget not the poor.
36  Wherefore hath the wicked blasphemed God, * for he hath said in his heart, He will not require it?
37  Thou seest it, for thou beholdest labour and sorrow, * that thou mayest deliver them into thy hands.
38  The poor man is left unto thee; * for thou art the helper of the orphan.
39  Break thou the arm of the ungodly and malicious; * his sin shall be sought, and shall not be found.

Finale

40  Dóminus regnábit in ætérnum, et in sæculum sæculi: * períbitis, Gentes, de terra illíus.
41  Desidérium páuperum exaudívit Dóminus: * præparatiónem cordis eórum audívit auris tua.
42  Judicáre pupíllo et húmili, * ut non appónat ultra magnificáre se homo super terram.

40  The Lord shall reign for ever, yea for ever and ever, * and ye shall perish, all ye heathen, out of his land.
41  The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor; * thine ear hath heard the preparation of their heart.
42  To judge for the fatherless and for the humble, * that man be no more exalted upon earth.