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].
Ode of David: which he sang unto Yahweh, on account of the words of Cush the Benjamite. O Yahweh my God, in thee, have I sought refuge, —Save me from all my pursuers, 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 one tear, as a lion, my soul, —and there be no deliverer to rescue.
3 Yahweh my God, if I have done anything that is wrong,
O Yahweh my God, If I have done this, If there hath been perversity 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 requited my friend with wrong, —or have oppressed mine adversary without need,
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 an enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it, that he may tread down, to the earth, my life, —and, mine honour—in the dust, he may cause to dwell. (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!
Rise! Yahweh! in thine anger, Lift thyself up, because of the haughty outbursts of mine adversaries, Stir up for me the justice thou hast commanded:
7 Gather around you the people of [all] nations, and rule them from where you are in heaven [MTY].
When, the assembly of peoples, gather round thee, then, above it—on high, do thou return!
8 Yahweh, judge the people of [all] nations! And, Yahweh, show that I have done nothing that is wrong.
Yahweh, will judge the peoples, —Do me justice, O Yahweh, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity upon 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!
Let the wrong of the lawless, I pray thee, come to an end, and establish thou him that is righteous, —for, a trier of hearts and reins, is God the righteous one.
10 God, you protect me like a shield [protects soldiers] [MET]; you protect all those who are righteous in their inner being.
My shield, is held by God, who is ready to save the upright in heart:
11 You judge [everyone] correctly, and every day you punish [wicked people].
A God to vindicate the righteous, —And yet a God to be indignant throughout 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, his sword, will he whet, —his bow, hath he bent, and made ready:
13 You are preparing your weapons that kill those whom they strike; the arrows that you will shoot have flaming tips.
But, for himself, hath he made ready the weapons so deadly, His arrows, he, so fiery, would make:
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].
Lo! he gendereth trouble, and conceiveth mischief, but giveth birth to a disappointment:
15 But when they dig a deep pit [to trap others], they themselves will fall into it.
A pit, he cut out, and digged it, and then fell into the ditch he had 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, turneth back, on his own head, —and, on his own crown, his violence, descendeth.
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 Yahweh according to his righteousness, —and will praise in song the Name of Yahweh Most High.
