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A meditation by David, which he sang to Yahweh, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite.

Yahweh, my God, I take refuge in you.
    Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,
lest they tear apart my soul like a lion,
    ripping it in pieces, while there is no one to deliver.
Yahweh, my God, if I have done this,
    if there is iniquity in my hands,
if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me
    (yes, I have delivered him who without cause was my adversary),
    let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it;
yes, let him tread my life down to the earth,
    and lay my glory in the dust. Selah.
Arise, Yahweh, in your anger.
    Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries.
Awake for me. You have commanded judgment.
    Let the congregation of the peoples surround you.
    Rule over them on high.
Yahweh administers judgment to the peoples.
    Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness,
    and to my integrity that is in me.
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
    but establish the righteous;
    their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God.
10 My shield is with God,
    who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
    yes, a God who has indignation every day.
12 If a man doesn’t repent, he will sharpen his sword;
    he has bent and strung his bow.
13 He has also prepared for himself the instruments of death.
    He makes ready his flaming arrows.
14 Behold,[a] he travails with iniquity.
    Yes, he has conceived mischief,
    and brought out falsehood.
15 He has dug a hole,
    and has fallen into the pit which he made.
16 The trouble he causes shall return to his own head.
    His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.
17 I will give thanks to Yahweh according to his righteousness,
    and will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High.

Footnotes

  1. 7:14 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

Psalm 7

An Ode of David, [probably] in a wild, irregular, enthusiastic strain, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite.

O Lord my God, in You I take refuge and put my trust; save me from all those who pursue and persecute me, and deliver me,

Lest my foe tear my life [from my body] like a lion, dragging me away while there is none to deliver.

O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands,

If I have paid back with evil him who was at peace with me or without cause have robbed him who was my enemy,

Let the enemy pursue my life and take it; yes, let him trample my life to the ground and lay my honor in the dust. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Arise, O Lord, in Your anger; lift up Yourself against the rage of my enemies; and awake [and stir up] for me the justice and vindication [that] You have commanded.

Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about You, and return on high over them.

The Lord judges the people; judge me, O Lord, and do me justice according to my righteousness [my rightness, justice, and right standing with You] and according to the integrity that is in me.

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the [uncompromisingly] righteous [those upright and in harmony with You]; for You, Who try the hearts and emotions and thinking powers, are a righteous God.(A)

10 My defense and shield depend on God, Who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a righteous Judge, yes, a God Who is indignant every day.

12 If a man does not turn and repent, [God] will whet His sword; He has strung and bent His [huge] bow and made it ready [by treading it with His foot].

13 He has also prepared for him deadly weapons; He makes His arrows fiery shafts.

14 Behold, [the wicked man] conceives iniquity and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies.

15 He made a pit and hollowed it out and has fallen into the hole which he made [before the trap was completed].

16 His mischief shall fall back in return upon his own head, and his violence come down [with the loose dirt] upon his own scalp.

17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His rightness and justice, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.