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Psalms 7

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A Prayer of Deliverance and Trust 1–2

1
Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: ​
2
Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

David's Oath of Innocence 3–5

3
O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; ​
4
If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)
5
Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

Calling on God to Rise as Judge 6–10

6
Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded. ​
7
So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high.
8
The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.
9
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. ​
10
My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

The Certainty of Divine Judgment 11–17

11
God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. ​
12
If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
13
He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
14
Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. ​
15
He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
16
His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
17
I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalm 7

Verse 1

in thee do I put my trust — Chasah is to take refuge. Two requests follow: ‘save’ (yasha) and ‘deliver’ (natsal), both from ‘all them that persecute’ (radaph, to pursue). The same verb is used in v.5 for the pursuit David invites if he is guilty. ‘Shiggaion’ stands in the title; Habakkuk’s prayer on ‘Shigionoth’ (Hab 3:1) is the only other use of the word.

Verse 3

if there be iniquity in my hands — Vv.3–5 are three ‘if’ clauses, an oath of innocence ending in the penalty David accepts if guilty (v.5). ‘Iniquity’ is evel, injustice or wrong, in ‘my hands’ (kaph). He makes the same plea to Saul, ‘there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand’ (1 Sam 24:11). The charge itself is not named in the psalm.

Verse 6

Arise, O LORD… awake for me — Qum, ‘arise’, is the call of Moses when the ark set forward, ‘Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered’ (Num 10:35). ‘Awake’ (ur) is the same verb that opens Ps 35:23, ‘Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment’. The ‘judgment’ (mishpat) is one the LORD himself has ‘commanded’ (tsavah).

Verse 9

the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins — Bachan is to test, as metal is tried; the ‘reins’ (kilyah) are the kidneys, the inner parts, named with the ‘heart’ in Jer 11:20 and 17:10. Christ says the same of himself: ‘I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts’ (Rev 2:23). ‘Just’ and ‘righteous’ are one word, tsaddiq, used of the people and of God.

Verse 11

God is angry with the wicked every day — El is the name of God here; shaphat, ‘judgeth’, is the verb of v.8, ‘judge me, O LORD’. ‘Is angry’ is zaam, to be indignant, and ‘every day’ makes it continual. Nahum 1:2 says of the LORD that he ‘will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies’.

Verse 14

he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief — Three stages of birth: chabal, to travail, harah, to conceive, and yalad, to bring forth, with three offspring: aven (iniquity), amal (mischief, toil) and sheqer (falsehood). Job 15:35 and Isa 59:4 use the same figure, and James follows it from lust to sin to death (Jas 1:15). The result returns on him in vv.15–16.