Psalms 7

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

A Shiggaion*Meaning uncertain; perhaps a lamentation of David which he sang to Yahweh

on account of Cush, a Benjaminite.*The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one

1 O Yahweh, my God, in you I have taken refuge.

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

2 Or else he will tear me apart like a lion,

ripping to pieces, with none to deliver.

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

if there is wrong in my hands,

4 if I have repaid my ally*Literally "one being at peace with me" with harm,

or if I have plundered my enemy without cause,

5 let the enemy of my soul pursue,

and overtake and trample my life into the ground,

and lay my honor in the dust. Selah

6 Rise up, O Yahweh, in your anger,

and lift yourself up against the wrath*Or "outbursts" of my oppressors,

and awake for me,

since you have commanded judgment.

7 And let the assembly of peoples surround you,

and over it return on high.

8 Yahweh judges the nations.

O Yahweh, vindicate me

according to my innocence*Or "righteousness" and according to my integrity within me.

9 Let the evil of the wicked come to an end,

but establish the righteous,

and test the hearts and innermost being, O righteous God.

10 My shield is with God

who saves the upright of heart.

11 God is a righteous judge,

and a God who has indignation every day.

12 If he*That is, a person does not repent, he*That is, God will sharpen his sword.

He has bent his bow and he has strung*Literally "prepared" it.

13 And he has prepared for him weapons of death.

He has made his arrows fiery shafts.

14 See, he*That is, the wicked travails with*Or "conceives" evil.

He is pregnant with trouble,

and he gives birth to deception.

15 He makes a pit and digs it out,

then falls in the trap he has made.

16 His trouble comes back on his head,

and his violence comes down on his skull.

17 I will thank Yahweh according to his righteousness,

and I will sing praise to the name of Yahweh, the Most High.