< Psalms 7 >
1 Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning Cush a Benjamite. O LORD my God, in Thee have I taken refuge; save me from all them that pursue me, and deliver me;
Yahweh my God, I come to you to protect me. Rescue me, save me from all those who are pursuing me [in order to harm me].
2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
If you do not do that, they will tear me into pieces like a lion does [when it attacks the animals it wants to kill], and no one will save me [from them].
3 O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
Yahweh my God, if I have done anything that is wrong,
4 If I have requited him that did evil unto me, or spoiled mine adversary unto emptiness;
if I have done evil to some friend who did good things to me, or if, for no good reason, I have spared (OR, acted violently toward) those who were my enemies,
5 Let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it, and tread my life down to the earth; yea, let him lay my glory in the dust. (Selah)
allow my enemies to pursue me and capture me. Allow them to trample me into the ground and leave me [SYN] [lying dead] in the dirt.
6 Arise, O LORD, in Thine anger, lift up Thyself in indignation against mine adversaries; yea, awake for me at the judgment which Thou hast commanded.
But Yahweh, because you are [very] angry [with those who pursue me], arise and attack/defeat my enemies who are furiously/angrily [attacking me] Do to them what is just!
7 And let the congregation of the peoples compass Thee about, and over them return Thou on high.
Gather around you the people of [all] nations, and rule them from where you are in heaven [MTY].
8 O LORD, who ministerest judgment to the peoples, judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.
Yahweh, judge the people of [all] nations! And, Yahweh, show that I have done nothing that is wrong.
9 Oh that a full measure of evil might come upon the wicked, and that Thou wouldest establish the righteous; for the righteous God trieth the heart and reins.
God, you know what every person is thinking, and because you are righteous, you [always] do what is just/right. [So now] stop evil people from doing wicked [deeds], and defend [all of us who are] righteous!
10 My shield is with God, who saveth the upright in heart.
God, you protect me like a shield [protects soldiers] [MET]; you protect all those who are righteous in their inner being.
11 God is a righteous judge, yea, a God that hath indignation every day:
You judge [everyone] correctly, and every day you punish [wicked people].
12 If a man turn not, He will whet His sword, He hath bent His bow, and made it ready;
Whenever your enemies do not (repent/change their behavior), [it is as though] [MET] you sharpen your sword and put a string on your bow [to get ready to kill them].
13 He hath also prepared for him the weapons of death, yea, His arrows which He made sharp.
You are preparing your weapons that kill those whom they strike; the arrows that you will shoot have flaming tips.
14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity; yea, he conceiveth mischief, and bringeth forth falsehood.
Wicked people tell lies, and they think that they surely will be able to do [MET] the evil things that they are planning to do [just as surely as] a pregnant woman [knows that she is going to give birth to a child] [MET].
15 He hath digged a pit, and hollowed it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
But when they dig a deep pit [to trap others], they themselves will fall into it.
16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violence shall come down upon his own pate.
They themselves will experience the trouble that they want to cause others to have; they will hurt themselves by the violent things that they want to do to others.
17 I will give thanks unto the LORD according to His righteousness; and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
I praise Yahweh because he [always acts] righteously/justly; I sing to praise Yahweh, the one who is much greater than any other god.