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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.”

Psalm 7

Plea for Help against Persecutors

A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

O Lord my God, in you I take refuge;
    save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,(A)
or like a lion they will tear me apart;
    they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.(B)

O Lord my God, if I have done this,
    if there is wrong in my hands,(C)
if I have repaid my ally with harm
    or plundered my foe without cause,(D)
then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,
    trample my life to the ground,
    and lay my soul in the dust. Selah

Rise up, O Lord, in your anger;
    lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
    awake, O my God;[a] you have appointed a judgment.(E)
Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,
    and over it take your seat[b] on high.(F)
The Lord judges the peoples;
    judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
    and according to the integrity that is in me.(G)

O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
    but establish the righteous,
you who test the minds and hearts,
    O righteous God.(H)
10 God is my shield,
    who saves the upright in heart.(I)
11 God is a righteous judge
    and a God who has indignation every day.(J)

12 If one does not repent, God[c] will whet his sword;
    he has bent and strung his bow;(K)
13 he has prepared his deadly weapons,
    making his arrows fiery shafts.(L)
14 See how they conceive evil
    and are pregnant with mischief
    and bring forth lies.(M)
15 They make a pit, digging it out,
    and fall into the hole that they have made.(N)
16 Their mischief returns upon their own heads,
    and on their own heads their violence descends.(O)

17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness
    and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.(P)

Footnotes

  1. 7.6 Or awake for me
  2. 7.7 Cn: Heb return
  3. 7.12 Heb he