Psalms 7
1 A psalm (shiggaion) of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, from the tribe of Benjamin. Lord my God, you are my protection. Save me from those who persecute me; please rescue me!
A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord about Cush, the Benjamite. Lord my God, I take refuge in you. Deliver me, save me from all who pursue me;
2 Otherwise they will tear me apart like a lion, ripping me to pieces with no one to save me.
or like lions they will tear me to pieces, and rend me, past hope of rescue.
3 If I have done what I'm accused of, if my hands are guilty,
Lord, my God, if my life has been such if my hands have been stained with guilt,
4 If I have paid back a friend with evil, if I have robbed my enemy for no reason,
if friends I paid back with evil, if I plundered my foes without cause,
5 Then let my enemies chase me down; let them trample me in the dust and drag my reputation through the dirt. (Selah)
may the enemy chase and find me, trample my life to the ground, my honour leave in the dirt! (Selah)
6 Stand up, Lord, in your anger, rise up against the fury of my enemies; wake up, Lord, and bring me justice!
Arise, Lord, in anger, against my foes rise in fury. Awake for my help: let justice be done.
7 Bring together the nations before you; rule them from your throne on high.
Gather the nations about you, and sit on your lofty throne,
8 The Lord judges all people. Defend me, Lord, because I do what is right, because of my integrity.
as the Lord, the judge of the peoples. Judge me, Lord, in my innocence and according to my integrity.
9 Please bring an end to the evil done by the wicked; vindicate those who do good, for you are the God of right who examines hearts and minds.
Put an end to the wrong of the wicked, protect the righteous. Searcher of hearts and minds, righteous God.
10 The Most High God is my defense, the one who saves those who live right.
God is my shield: he saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a fair judge who is always hostile to evil.
God is a just judge, constant in righteous anger.
12 If people do not change their minds, he will sharpen his sword. He has bent and strung his bow.
He will sharpen his sword without fail, his bow is bent and ready,
13 He has prepared weapons of death, he has his flaming arrows ready.
his deadly weapons are ready, his arrows he makes of flame.
14 See how the wicked conceive evil! They are pregnant with trouble. They give birth to dishonesty.
The enemy who conceives evil; pregnant with mischief, giving birth to lies,
15 They dig a deep hole to catch people, but then fall into it themselves.
a pit they have made and dug; but into the hole that they made they will fall.
16 The trouble they cause rebounds to hit them on the head; their violence against others comes down on their own skulls.
On their own heads their mischief comes back; on their own skulls their violence comes down.
17 I will thank the Lord because he does what is right; I will sing praises to the name of the Lord Most High.
I will give thanks to the Lord for his justice, and sing to the name of the Lord Most High.
