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In You I Have Taken Refuge

A [a]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to Yahweh concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite.

O Yahweh my God, (A)in You I have taken refuge;
Save me from all those who pursue me, and (B)deliver me,
Lest he tear [b]my soul (C)like a lion,
Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

O Yahweh my God, if I have done this,
If there is (D)injustice in my hands,
If I have (E)rewarded evil to him who [c]is at peace with me,
Or have (F)plundered my adversary without cause,
Let the enemy pursue [d]my soul and overtake [e]it;
And let him trample my life down to the ground
And cause my glory to dwell in the dust. [f]Selah.

(G)Arise, O Yahweh, in Your anger;
(H)Lift up Yourself against (I)the fury of my adversaries,
And (J)arouse Yourself [g]for me; You have appointed judgment.
Let the congregation of the (K)peoples encompass You,
And over [h]them return on high.
Yahweh (L)judges the peoples;
[i](M)Give justice to me, O Yahweh, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.
O let (N)the evil of the wicked come to an end, but (O)establish the righteous;
For the righteous God (P)tests the hearts and [j]minds.
10 My (Q)shield is [k]with God,
Who (R)saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a (S)righteous judge,
And a God who has (T)indignation every day.

12 If [l]a man (U)does not repent, He will (V)sharpen His sword;
He has (W)bent His bow and prepared it.
13 He has also prepared [m]for Himself deadly weapons;
He makes His (X)arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, he travails with wickedness,
And he (Y)conceives mischief and gives birth to falsehood.
15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has (Z)fallen into the hole which he made.
16 His (AA)mischief will return upon his own head,
And his (AB)violence will descend upon [n]his own skull.

17 I will give thanks to Yahweh (AC)according to His righteousness
And will (AD)sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 7 Title Possibly a wild, passionate, and animated song
  2. Psalm 7:2 Or me
  3. Psalm 7:4 Lit was
  4. Psalm 7:5 Or me
  5. Psalm 7:5 Or me
  6. Psalm 7:5 Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude
  7. Psalm 7:6 One ancient version O my God
  8. Psalm 7:7 Lit it
  9. Psalm 7:8 Lit Judge
  10. Psalm 7:9 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man
  11. Psalm 7:10 Lit upon
  12. Psalm 7:12 Lit he
  13. Psalm 7:13 Or His deadly weapons
  14. Psalm 7:16 The crown of his own head

Psalm 7

Prayer for Justice

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

Lord my God, I seek refuge in you;(A)
save me from all my pursuers and rescue me,(B)
or they[a] will tear me like a lion,
ripping me apart with no one to rescue me.(C)

Lord my God, if I have done this,
if there is injustice on my hands,(D)
if I have done harm to one at peace with me(E)
or have plundered[b] my adversary without cause,(F)
may an enemy pursue and overtake me;
may he trample me to the ground(G)
and leave my honor in the dust.(H)Selah

Rise up, Lord, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my adversaries;(I)
awake for me;[c](J)
you have ordained a judgment.(K)
Let the assembly of peoples gather around you;(L)
take your seat on high over it.(M)
The Lord judges the peoples;(N)
vindicate me, Lord,
according to my righteousness and my integrity.(O)

Let the evil of the wicked come to an end,(P)
but establish the righteous.(Q)
The one who examines the thoughts and emotions[d]
is a righteous God.(R)
10 My shield is with God,(S)
who saves the upright in heart.(T)
11 God is a righteous judge
and a God who shows his wrath every day.(U)

12 If anyone does not repent,
he will sharpen his sword;(V)
he has strung his bow and made it ready.(W)
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he tips his arrows with fire.(X)

14 See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil,
conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit.(Y)
15 He dug a pit and hollowed it out
but fell into the hole he had made.(Z)
16 His trouble comes back on his own head;
his own violence comes down on top of his head.(AA)

17 I will thank the Lord for his righteousness;
I will sing about the name of the Lord Most High.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. 7:2 Lit he
  2. 7:4 Or me and have spared
  3. 7:6 LXX reads awake, Lord my God
  4. 7:9 Lit examines hearts and kidneys