Psalm 7

New American Standard Bible

The LORD Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

A [a]Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD [b]concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

7 O LORD my God, in You I have taken refuge;

Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,

2 Or he will tear [c]my soul like a lion,

[d]Dragging me away, while there is none to deliver.

3 O LORD my God, if I have done this,

If there is injustice in my hands,

4 If I have rewarded evil to [e]my friend,

Or have plundered [f]him who without cause was my adversary,

5 Let the enemy pursue [g]my soul and overtake [h]it;

And let him trample my life down to the ground

And lay my glory in the dust. [i]Selah.

6 Arise, O LORD, in Your anger;

Lift up Yourself against the rage of my adversaries,

And arouse Yourself [j]for me; You have appointed judgment.

7 Let the assembly of the peoples encompass You,

And over [k]them return on high.

8 The LORD judges the peoples;

[l]Vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.

9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous;

For the righteous God tries the hearts and [m]minds.

10 My shield is [n]with God,

Who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a righteous judge,

And a God who has indignation every day.

12 If [o]a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword;

He has bent His bow and [p]made it ready.

13 He has also prepared [q]for Himself deadly weapons;

He makes His arrows fiery shafts.

14 Behold, he travails with wickedness,

And he conceives mischief and brings forth falsehood.

15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,

And has fallen into the hole which he made.

16 His mischief will return upon his own head,

And his violence will descend upon [r]his own pate.

17 I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness

And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Footnotes

a. Psalm 7:1 I.e. Dithyrambic rhythm; or wild passionate song

b. Psalm 7:1 Or concerning the words of

c. Psalm 7:2 Or me

d. Psalm 7:2 Or Rending it in pieces, while

e. Psalm 7:4 Lit him who was at peace with me

f. Psalm 7:4 Or my adversary without cause

g. Psalm 7:5 Or me

h. Psalm 7:5 Or me

i. Psalm 7:5 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude

j. Psalm 7:6 One ancient version reads O my God

k. Psalm 7:7 Lit it

l. Psalm 7:8 Lit Judge

m. Psalm 7:9 Lit kidneys, figurative for inner man

n. Psalm 7:10 Lit upon

o. Psalm 7:12 Lit he

p. Psalm 7:12 Lit fixed it

q. Psalm 7:13 Or His deadly weapons

r. Psalm 7:16 I.e. the crown of his own head

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

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