The Meaning of Psalms 9:6 Explained

Psalms 9:6

KJV: O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.

YLT: O thou Enemy, Finished have been destructions for ever, As to cities thou hast plucked up, Perished hath their memorial with them.

Darby: O enemy! destructions are ended for ever. Thou hast also destroyed cities, even the remembrance of them hath perished.

ASV: The enemy are come to an end, they are desolate for ever; And the cities which thou hast overthrown, The very remembrance of them is perished.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

O thou enemy,  destructions  are come to a perpetual  end:  and thou hast destroyed  cities;  their memorial  is perished  with them. 

What does Psalms 9:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 9:1-20 - Confidence In The Righteous Judge
The Chaldee version adds to the inscription, "concerning the death of the champion who went out between the camps," referring to the death of Goliath. This is the first of the Acrostic or Alphabetical Psalms, of which there are nine: Psalms 9:1-20; Psalms 10:1-18; Psalms 25:1-22; Psalms 34:1-22; Psalms 37:1-40; Psalms 111:1-10; Psalms 112:1-10; Psalms 119:1-176; Psalms 145:1-21.
There is a predominant note of praise, Psalms 9:1-5; Psalms 9:11-12; Psalms 9:14. Let memory heap fuel on the altar of praise. In the resurrection of our Lord, God indeed rebuked our arch-enemy, and his strongholds are now wastes, Zechariah 3:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:4; Colossians 2:15. But there is a corresponding note of trust, Psalms 9:7-12. Calamity drives us to God. The more we know the more we trust Him. Doubt is born of ignorance. Leave God to vindicate; He will not forget, Psalms 9:12. There is a petition for further help, Psalms 9:13; Psalms 9:19-20. We have been at the gates of death, Psalms 9:13; here are the gates of the Holy City, Psalms 9:14. Compare Psalms 9:15 and Esther 7:10. God does not forget; forget Him not, Psalms 9:12; Psalms 17:1-15. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 9

1  David praises God for executing judgment
11  He incites others to praise him
13  He prays that he may have cause to praise him

What do the individual words in Psalms 9:6 mean?

Enemy are finished destructions forever and cities you have destroyed has perished Even their memory it
הָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ תַּ֥מּוּ חֳרָב֗וֹת לָ֫נֶ֥צַח וְעָרִ֥ים נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ אָבַ֖ד זִכְרָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה

הָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב ׀  Enemy 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
תַּ֥מּוּ  are  finished 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: תָּמַם  
Sense: to be complete, be finished, be at an end.
חֳרָב֗וֹת  destructions 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: חָרְבָּה  
Sense: a place laid waste, ruin, waste, desolation.
לָ֫נֶ֥צַח  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵצַח  
Sense: eminence, perpetuity, strength, victory, enduring, everlastingness.
וְעָרִ֥ים  and  cities 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ  you  have  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָתַשׁ  
Sense: to pull up, expel, root out, pluck up.
אָבַ֖ד  has  perished 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
זִכְרָ֣ם  Even  their  memory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: זֵכֶר 
Sense: memorial, remembrance.