Psalms 7
1 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].
O LORD my God, in you do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
2 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].
Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
3 Yahweh my God, if I have done anything that is wrong,
O LORD my God, If I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
4 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,
If I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me; (yes, I have delivered him that without cause is my enemy: )
5 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.
Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yes, let him tread down my life on the earth, and lay my honor in the dust. (Selah)
6 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!
Arise, O LORD, in your anger, lift up yourself because of the rage of my enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that you have commanded.
7 Gather around you the people of [all] nations, and rule them from where you are in heaven [MTY].
So shall the congregation of the people compass you about: for their sakes therefore return you on high.
8 Yahweh, judge the people of [all] nations! And, Yahweh, show that I have done nothing that is wrong.
The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity that is in me.
9 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!
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God tries the hearts and reins.
10 God, you protect me like a shield [protects soldiers] [MET]; you protect all those who are righteous in their inner being.
My defense is of God, which saves the upright in heart.
11 You judge [everyone] correctly, and every day you punish [wicked people].
God judges the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 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].
If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he has bent his bow, and made it ready.
13 You are preparing your weapons that kill those whom they strike; the arrows that you will shoot have flaming tips.
He has also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordains his arrows against the persecutors.
14 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].
Behold, he travails with iniquity, and has conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
15 But when they dig a deep pit [to trap others], they themselves will fall into it.
He made a pit, and dig it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 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.
His mischief shall return on his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down on his own pate.
17 I praise Yahweh because he [always acts] righteously/justly; I sing to praise Yahweh, the one who is much greater than any other god.
I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
