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Psalm 9 · a question people ask

What does the title's "Set to “The Death of the Son”" (9:1) mean? Is it about Jesus?

In the text

The title says only this: "For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Death of the Son.” A Psalm by David" (9:1). The WEB prints the words in quotation marks. In Hebrew they are almut labben, and both words are tagged with one Strong's number. Brown-Driver-Briggs calls labben here "of dubious meaning". Strong's gives the words as "from 4191 and 1121 with the preposition and article interposed; 'To die for the son', probably the title of a popular song". The psalm itself names no son. Its only other death is in "lift me up from the gates of death" (9:13), which in Hebrew is another word, mavet. The New Testament doesn't quote the title, and these notes don't say more about it than the lexicons do.

The verses

“For the Chief Musician. Set to “The Death of the Son.” A Psalm by David. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart. I will tell of all your marvelous works.”
Psalm 9:1 · World English Bible
“Have mercy on me, LORD. See my affliction by those who hate me, and lift me up from the gates of death,”
Psalm 9:13 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 9

Psalm 9: A high tower for the oppressed

"The LORD reigns forever" (9:7) has, in Hebrew, the verb of "You sit on the throne" (9:4): the LORD sits forever, and "He has prepared his throne for judgment" (9:7). And the psalm's "He will judge the world in righteousness" (9:8) is, in the WEB, word for word what Paul told Athens God will do "by the man whom he has ordained" (Acts 17:31).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions