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Psalm 7
New International Version
Psalm 7
New International Version
Psalm 7[a]
A shiggaion[b](A) of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, a Benjamite.
1 Lord my God, I take refuge(B) in you;
save and deliver me(C) from all who pursue me,(D)
2 or they will tear me apart like a lion(E)
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue(F) me.
3 Lord my God, if I have done this
and there is guilt on my hands(G)—
4 if I have repaid my ally with evil
or without cause(H) have robbed my foe—
5 then let my enemy pursue and overtake(I) me;
let him trample my life to the ground(J)
and make me sleep in the dust.[c](K)
6 Arise,(L) Lord, in your anger;
rise up against the rage of my enemies.(M)
Awake,(N) my God; decree justice.
7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
while you sit enthroned over them on high.(O)
8 Let the Lord judge(P) the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,(Q)
according to my integrity,(R) O Most High.(S)
9 Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
and make the righteous secure—(T)
you, the righteous God(U)
who probes minds and hearts.(V)
10 My shield[d](W) is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.(X)
11 God is a righteous judge,(Y)
a God who displays his wrath(Z) every day.
12 If he does not relent,(AA)
he[e] will sharpen his sword;(AB)
he will bend and string his bow.(AC)
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.(AD)
Footnotes
- Psalm 7:1 In Hebrew texts 7:1-17 is numbered 7:2-18.
- Psalm 7:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 7:5 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
- Psalm 7:10 Or sovereign
- Psalm 7:12 Or If anyone does not repent, / God
Psalm 7
Contemporary English Version
Psalm 7
Contemporary English Version
(Written by David.[a] He sang this to the Lord because of Cush from the tribe of Benjamin.)
The Lord Always Does Right
1 You, Lord God,
are my protector.
Rescue me and keep me safe
from all who chase me.
2 Or else they will rip me apart
like lions attacking a victim,
and no one will save me.
3 I am innocent, Lord God!
4 I have not betrayed a friend
or had pity on an enemy[b]
who attacks for no reason.
5 If I have done any of this,
then let my enemies
chase and capture me.
Let them trample me to death
and leave me in the dirt.
6 Get angry, Lord God!
Do something!
Attack my furious enemies.
See that justice is done.
7 Make the nations come to you,
as you sit on your throne[c]
above them all.
8 Our Lord, judge the nations!
Judge me and show that I
am honest and innocent.
9 (A) You know every heart and mind,
and you always do right.
Now make violent people stop,
but protect all of us
who obey you.
10 You, God, are my shield,
the protector of everyone
whose heart is right.
11 You see that justice is done,
and each day
you take revenge.
12 Whenever your enemies refuse
to change their ways,
you sharpen your sword
and string your bow.
13 Your deadly arrows are ready
with flaming tips.
14 An evil person is like a woman
about to give birth
to a hateful, deceitful,
and rebellious child.
15 (B) Such people dig a deep hole,
then fall in it themselves.
16 The trouble they cause
comes back on them,
and their heads are crushed
by their own evil deeds.
17 I will praise you, Lord!
You always do right.
I will sing about you,
the Lord Most High.
Psalm 7
New King James Version
Psalm 7
New King James Version
Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies
A (A)Meditation[a] of David, which he sang to the Lord (B)concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite.
7 O Lord my God, in You I put my trust;
(C)Save me from all those who persecute me;
And deliver me,
2 (D)Lest they tear me like a lion,
(E)Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
3 O Lord my God, (F)if I have done this:
If there is (G)iniquity in my hands,
4 If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me,
Or (H)have plundered my enemy without cause,
5 Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me;
Yes, let him trample my life to the earth,
And lay my honor in the dust. Selah
6 Arise, O Lord, in Your anger;
(I)Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies;
(J)Rise up [b]for me to the judgment You have commanded!
7 So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You;
For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
8 The Lord shall judge the peoples;
(K)Judge me, O Lord, (L)according to my righteousness,
And according to my integrity within me.
9 Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,
But establish the just;
(M)For the righteous God tests the hearts and [c]minds.
10 [d]My defense is of God,
Who saves the (N)upright in heart.
11 God is a just judge,
And God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he does not turn back,
He will (O)sharpen His sword;
He bends His bow and makes it ready.
13 He also prepares for Himself instruments of death;
He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.
14 (P)Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity;
Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit and dug it out,
(Q)And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 (R)His trouble shall return upon his own head,
And his violent dealing shall come down on [e]his own crown.
17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness,
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Footnotes
- Psalm 7:1 Heb. Shiggaion
- Psalm 7:6 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX O Lord my God
- Psalm 7:9 Lit. kidneys, the most secret part of man
- Psalm 7:10 Lit. My shield is upon God
- Psalm 7:16 The crown of his own head
Psalm 7
English Standard Version
Psalm 7
English Standard Version
In You Do I Take Refuge
A (A)Shiggaion[a] of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.
7 O Lord my God, in you do I (B)take refuge;
(C)save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
2 lest like (D)a lion they tear my soul apart,
rending it in pieces, with (E)none to deliver.
3 O Lord my God, (F)if I have done this,
if there is (G)wrong in my hands,
4 if I have repaid (H)my friend[b] with evil
or (I)plundered my enemy without cause,
5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it,
and let him (J)trample my life to the ground
and lay my glory in the dust. Selah
6 (K)Arise, O Lord, in your anger;
(L)lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
(M)awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.
7 Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;
over it return on high.
8 The Lord (N)judges the peoples;
(O)judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
and may you establish the righteous—
you who (P)test (Q)the minds and hearts,[c]
O righteous God!
10 My shield is (R)with God,
who saves (S)the upright in heart.
11 God is (T)a righteous judge,
and a God who feels (U)indignation every day.
12 If a man[d] does not repent, God[e] will (V)whet his sword;
he has (W)bent and (X)readied his bow;
13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
making his (Y)arrows (Z)fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked man (AA)conceives evil
and is (AB)pregnant with mischief
and gives birth to lies.
15 He makes (AC)a pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole that he has made.
16 His (AD)mischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own skull his violence descends.
17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will (AE)sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
Footnotes
- Psalm 7:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 7:4 Hebrew the one at peace with me
- Psalm 7:9 Hebrew the hearts and kidneys
- Psalm 7:12 Hebrew he
- Psalm 7:12 Hebrew he
New International Version (NIV) 
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Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.