Psalm 7

Prayer for Justice

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

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

Yahweh 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[e] 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;[f](J)
You have ordained[g] a judgment.(K)
Let the assembly of peoples gather around You;(L)
take Your seat[h] on high over it.(M)
The Lord judges the peoples;(N)
vindicate me, Lord,
according to my righteousness and my integrity.[i](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[j]
is a righteous God.(R)
10 My shield is with[k] 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,
God[l] will sharpen His sword;(V)
He has strung[m] 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,
and his violence falls on the top of his head.(AA)

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 7:1 Perhaps a passionate song with rapid changes of rhythm, or a dirge
  2. Psalm 7:1 LXX, Aq, Sym, Theod, Jer read of the Cushite
  3. Psalm 7:2 Lit he
  4. Psalm 7:2 Lit ripping, and without a rescuer
  5. Psalm 7:4 Or me and have spared
  6. Psalm 7:6 LXX reads awake, Lord my God
  7. Psalm 7:6 Or me; ordain
  8. Psalm 7:7 MT reads and return
  9. Psalm 7:8 Lit integrity on me
  10. Psalm 7:9 Lit examines hearts and kidneys
  11. Psalm 7:10 Lit on
  12. Psalm 7:12 Lit He
  13. Psalm 7:12 Lit bent; that is, bent the bow to string it

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

A Shiggaion[a] of David which he sang to Yahweh

on account of Cush, a Benjaminite.[b]

O Yahweh, my God, in you I have taken refuge.
Save me from all who pursue me, and deliver me.
Or else he will tear me apart like a lion,
ripping to pieces, with none to deliver.
O Yahweh, my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
if I have repaid my ally[c] with harm,
or if I have plundered my enemy without cause,
let the enemy of my soul pursue,
and overtake and trample my life into the ground,
and lay my honor in the dust. Selah
Rise up, O Yahweh, in your anger,
and lift yourself up against the wrath[d] of my oppressors,
and awake for me,
since you have commanded judgment.
And let the assembly of peoples surround you,
and over it return on high.
Yahweh judges the nations.
O Yahweh, vindicate me
according to my innocence[e] and according to my integrity within me.
Let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
but establish the righteous,
and test the hearts and innermost being, O righteous God.
10 My shield is with God
who saves the upright of heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
and a God who has indignation every day.
12 If he[f] does not repent, he[g] will sharpen his sword.
He has bent his bow and he has strung[h] it.
13 And he has prepared for him weapons of death.
He has made his arrows fiery shafts.
14 See, he[i] travails with[j] evil.
He is pregnant with trouble,
and he gives birth to deception.
15 He makes a pit and digs it out,
then falls in the trap he has made.
16 His trouble comes back on his head,
and his violence comes down on his skull.
17 I will thank Yahweh according to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of Yahweh, the Most High.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 7:1 Meaning uncertain; perhaps a lamentation
  2. Psalm 7:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  3. Psalm 7:4 Literally “one being at peace with me”
  4. Psalm 7:6 Or “outbursts”
  5. Psalm 7:8 Or “righteousness”
  6. Psalm 7:12 That is, a person
  7. Psalm 7:12 That is, God
  8. Psalm 7:12 Literally “prepared”
  9. Psalm 7:14 That is, the wicked
  10. Psalm 7:14 Or “conceives”