CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Psalms 7
Chapter 7 of 150
Chapter Overview
What happens in Psalms 7
A shiggaion of David, which he sang about the words of Cush the Benjamite. David proclaims his innocence and asks God to judge fairly between him and his accuser.
Scripture
Psalms 7
A Cry for Protection
Study note
David takes refuge in God and asks to be saved. He declares his innocence and is willing to accept punishment if he has done wrong.
1 O Lord my God, you are the one I run to for safety. Pull me away from everyone who is chasing me, and set me free. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
2 If you don't, they will rip me apart the way a lion tears its prey to pieces, and nobody will be there to stop them. Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
3 O Lord my God, if I have done something wrong — if my hands are stained with guilt, O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
4 If I have paid back a friend with evil, or taken anything from an enemy without a good reason, 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 then let the enemy hunt me down and catch me. Let him stomp my life into the ground and leave everything I value lying in the dirt. Selah. 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.
God the Righteous Judge
Study note
David calls on God to rise up in anger against injustice. He trusts that God examines hearts and minds and will protect those who are upright.
6 Stand up in your anger, Lord! Rise up against the rage of those who hate me. Wake up, my God — step in and bring the justice you have ordered. 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 Gather all the nations around you, and take your seat above them all to judge. So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high.
8 The Lord is the judge of every nation. So judge me, Lord, based on whether I have done right and whether my heart is honest. The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.
9 Put a stop to the evil that wicked people do, and give those who live right a firm place to stand. You are a God of fairness who looks deep into every heart and mind. 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 God himself is the shield that protects me. He rescues those whose hearts are true. My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.
11 God judges with perfect fairness. Every day his anger burns against those who do evil. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
The Wicked Fall into Their Own Trap
Study note
The wicked prepare weapons but end up destroying themselves. The person who digs a pit falls into it himself.
12 When someone refuses to change their ways, God gets his sword ready. He has already bent his bow and aimed it. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
13 His weapons of death are set and waiting. He turns his arrows into flaming fire. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
14 Take a good look — the wicked person dreams up evil, gets loaded down with trouble, and in the end gives birth to nothing but lies. Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
15 He digs a deep hole hoping to trap someone else, but ends up falling straight into his own trap. He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 All the harm he planned boomerangs right back onto his own head. The violence he started crashes down on top of him. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
17 I will thank the Lord because he always does what is right. I will sing out praise to the name of the Lord Most High. I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
Key Themes
Themes in Psalms 7
Proclaiming innocence before GodGod as righteous judgeThe wicked fall into their own trapsTrusting God's justice over human revenge
Apply This Today
Living Psalms 7
When you are falsely accused, the temptation is to defend yourself at all costs. David chose a different path: He appealed to God as the righteous Judge. You can let go of the need to vindicate yourself. God sees the truth, and those who dig pits for others will eventually fall in themselves.
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