Psalm 7
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 7
Prayer for Justice
A Shiggaion[a] of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush,[b] a Benjaminite.
1 Yahweh my God, I seek refuge in You;(A)
save me from all my pursuers and rescue me(B)
2 or they[c] will tear me like a lion,
ripping me apart with no one to rescue me.[d](C)
3 Yahweh my God, if I have done this,
if there is injustice on my hands,(D)
4 if I have done harm to one at peace with me(E)
or have plundered[e] my adversary without cause,(F)
5 may an enemy pursue and overtake me;
may he trample me to the ground(G)
and leave my honor in the dust.(H)
6 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)
7 Let the assembly of peoples gather around You;(L)
take Your seat[h] on high over it.(M)
8 The Lord judges the peoples;(N)
vindicate me, Lord,
according to my righteousness and my integrity.[i](O)
9 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
- Psalm 7:1 Perhaps a passionate song with rapid changes of rhythm, or a dirge
- Psalm 7:1 LXX, Aq, Sym, Theod, Jer read of the Cushite
- Psalm 7:2 Lit he
- Psalm 7:2 Lit ripping, and without a rescuer
- Psalm 7:4 Or me and have spared
- Psalm 7:6 LXX reads awake, Lord my God
- Psalm 7:6 Or me; ordain
- Psalm 7:7 MT reads and return
- Psalm 7:8 Lit integrity on me
- Psalm 7:9 Lit examines hearts and kidneys
- Psalm 7:10 Lit on
- Psalm 7:12 Lit He
- Psalm 7:12 Lit bent; that is, bent the bow to string it
Psalm 7
King James Version
7 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.
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.
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.
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.
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