USB ~ Psalms 7

7 | USCCB

God the Vindicator

1 A plaintive song of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, the Benjaminite.

2 LORD my God, in you I trusted; save me; rescue me from all who pursue me, a

3 Lest someone maul me like a lion, tear my soul apart with no one to deliver.

4 LORD my God, if I have done this,† if there is guilt on my hands,

5 If I have maltreated someone treating me equitably— or even despoiled my oppressor without cause—

6 Then let my enemy pursue and overtake my soul, trample my life to the ground, and lay my honor in the dust. b Selah

III

7 Rise up, LORD, in your anger; be aroused against the outrages of my oppressors. c Stir up the justice, my God, you have commanded.

8 Have the assembly of the peoples gather about you; and return on high above them,

9 the LORD will pass judgment on the peoples. Judge me, LORD, according to my righteousness, and my integrity.

10 Let the malice of the wicked end. Uphold the just one, O just God, d who tries hearts and minds.

11 God is a shield above me saving the upright of heart. e

12 God is a just judge, powerful and patient,† not exercising anger every day.

13 If one does not repent, God sharpens his sword, strings and readies the bow, f

14 Prepares his deadly shafts, makes arrows blazing thunderbolts. g

15 Consider how one conceives iniquity; is pregnant with mischief, and gives birth to deception. h

16 He digs a hole and bores it deep, but he falls into the pit he has made. i

17 His malice turns back upon his head; his violence falls on his own skull.

18 I will thank the LORD in accordance with his justice; I will sing the name of the LORD Most High. j

Footnotes

†. Psalm 7 An individual lament. The psalmist flees to God’s presence in the sanctuary for justice and protection (Ps 7:2-3) and takes an oath that only the innocent can swear (Ps 7:4-6). The innocent psalmist can thus hope for the just God’s protection (Ps 7:7-14) and be confident that the actions of the wicked will come back upon their own heads (Ps 7:15-17). The justice of God leads the psalmist to praise (Ps 7:18).

†. 7:4 Have done this: in the accusation the enemies have made against the psalmist.

†. 7:12 Powerful and patient: the inclusion of these words is drawn from the Septuagint tradition concerning this verse.

7:2 Ps 6:5; 22:21.
7:6 Ps 143:3.
7:7 Ps 9:4; 19:20.
7:10 Ps 17:3; 26:2; 35:24; 43:1; 139:23; Jer 17:10; 20:12.
7:11 Ps 3:4.
7:13 Ps 11:2.
7:14 Is 50:11.
7:15 Jb 15:35; Is 59:4.
7:16 Ps 9:16; 35:8; 57:7; Prv 26:27; Eccl 10:8; Sir 27:26.
7:18 Ps 18:50; 30:5; 135:3; 146:2.