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Psalm 7

A song[a] of David to the Eternal regarding Cush, the Benjaminite.

O Eternal my God, in You I seek refuge.
    Save me from those who are chasing me. Rescue me,
Or else they will tear me to pieces as a lion devours his prey;
    they will carry me off with no one to snatch me from their jaws.

O Eternal my God, if I have done anything wrong to deserve this,
    if there is blood on my hands,
If I have mistreated a friend,
    or if I have stolen from an adversary without just cause,
Then let my enemy come after me and catch me,
    stomping me into the ground, ending my life,
    and grinding my honor into the dirt.

[pause][b]

Arise, O Eternal One, inflamed by Your anger.
    Come and counter the rage of my adversaries;
    open Your eyes, my God; hear my plea for justice once and for all.

Let the people gather around You.
    Return to Your rightful place above them in the high court.
The Eternal will judge the nations.
    Judge me now, Eternal One, according to my virtue and integrity.

Please, bring the evil actions of these wicked, wicked people to an end!
    But secure the righteous,
For You, righteous God,
    examine our hearts and minds.
10 God is my defender;
    He rescues those who have a pure heart.
11 God is a just judge;
    He passes judgment daily against the person who does evil.

12 If the wicked do not turn from their evil deeds, God will sharpen His sword;
    He will bend His bow, stringing it in readiness.
13 Yes, He has prepared His deadly weapons
    with His arrows flaming hot.
14 See, my enemies are fertile with evil.
    They conceive trouble
    and give birth to deception.
15 They prepare a trap, digging a deep pit,
    and fall into the snare they have made.
16 The trouble they plan will return to punish them,
    and their violent acts will come back to haunt them.

17 As a result, I will thank the Eternal for His justice
    and sing praises in honor of the Eternal, Most High.

Footnotes

  1. 7:title Hebrew, shiggaion, meaning is uncertain.
  2. 7:5 Literally, selah, likely a musical direction from a Hebrew root meaning “to lift up”

Psalm 7

A shiggaion[a] by David; he sang it to Yahweh about the slanderous words of Cush, a descendant of Benjamin.

O Yahweh my Elohim, I have taken refuge in you.
    Save me, and rescue me from all who are pursuing me.
        Like a lion they will tear me to pieces
            and drag me off with no one to rescue me.

O Yahweh my Elohim,
    if I have done this—
        if my hands are stained with injustice,
        if I have paid back my friend with evil
            or rescued someone who has no reason to attack me—[b]

then let the enemy chase me and catch me.
    Let him trample my life into the ground.
        Let him lay my honor in the dust. Selah

Arise in anger, O Yahweh.
    Stand up against the fury of my attackers.
    Wake up, my God.[c]
    You have already pronounced judgment.
        Let an assembly of people gather around you.
            Take your seat high above them.
Yahweh judges the people of the world.
    Judge me, O Yahweh,
    according to my righteousness,
    according to my integrity.

Let the evil within wicked people come to an end,
    but make the righteous person secure,
        O righteous Elohim who examines thoughts and emotions.
10 My Magen is Elohim above,
    who saves those whose motives are decent.

11 Elohim is a fair Shophet,
    an El who is angered by injustice every day.
12 If a person does not change, Elohim sharpens his sword.
    By bending his bow, he makes it ready to shoot.
13 He prepares his deadly weapons
    and turns them into flaming arrows.
14 See how that person conceives evil,
    is pregnant with harm,
        and gives birth to lies.
15 He digs a pit and shovels it out.
    Then he falls into the hole that he made for others.
16 His mischief lands back on his own head.
    His violence comes down on top of him.

17 I will give thanks to Yahweh for his righteousness.
    I will make music to praise the name of Yahweh Elyon.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 7:1 Unknown musical term.
  2. Psalm 7:4 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.
  3. Psalm 7:6 Greek; Masoretic Text “Wake up to me.”