Psalms 7
1 [A meditation by David, which he sang to the LORD, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite.] LORD, my God, I take refuge in you. Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,
Shiggaion of David; a song which he made to the Lord, about the words of Cush the Benjamite. O Lord my God, I put my faith in you; take me out of the hands of him who is cruel to me, and make me free;
2 lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, ripping it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
So that he may not come rushing on my soul like a lion, wounding it, while there is no one to be my saviour.
3 LORD, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands,
O Lord my God, if I have done this; if my hands have done any wrong;
4 if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me, or oppressed my enemy without cause,
If I have given back evil to him who did evil to me, or have taken anything from him who was against me without cause;
5 let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; yes, let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust. (Selah)
Let my hater go after my soul and take it; let my life be crushed to the earth, and my honour into the dust. (Selah)
6 Arise, LORD, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake, my God; you have appointed judgment.
Come up, Lord, in your wrath; be lifted up against my haters; be awake, my God, give orders for the judging.
7 And let the congregation of the peoples surround you, and rule over them on high.
The meeting of the nations will be round you; take your seat, then, over them, on high.
8 The LORD administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, LORD, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me.
The Lord will be judge of the peoples; give a decision for me, O Lord, because of my righteousness, and let my virtue have its reward.
9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous. The righteous God tests hearts and minds.
O let the evil of the evil-doer come to an end, but give strength to the upright: for men's minds and hearts are tested by the God of righteousness.
10 My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
God, who is the saviour of the upright in heart, is my breastplate.
11 God is a righteous judge, yes, a God who has indignation every day.
God is the judge of the upright, and is angry with the evil-doers every day.
12 If a man doesn't relent, he will sharpen his sword; he has bent and strung his bow.
If a man is not turned from his evil, he will make his sword sharp; his bow is bent and ready.
13 He has also prepared for himself deadly weapons. He makes ready his flaming arrows.
He has made ready for him the instruments of death; he makes his arrows flames of fire.
14 Look, he travails with iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
That man is a worker of evil; the seed of wrongdoing has given birth to deceit.
15 He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made.
He has made a hole deep in the earth, and is falling into the hole which he has made
16 The trouble he causes shall return to his own head, and his violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.
His wrongdoing will come back to him, and his violent behaviour will come down on his head.
17 I will give thanks to the LORD according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
I will give praise to the Lord for his righteousness; I will make a song to the name of the Lord Most High.
