Psalms 7
1 A musical composition of David, which he sang to Yahweh concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. Yahweh my God, I take refuge in you! Save me from all who chase me, and rescue 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 Otherwise, they will rip me apart like a lion, tearing me in pieces with no one else able to bring me to safety.
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 Yahweh my God, if I have done this, and there is guilt on my hands—
O Lord my God, if I have done this; if my hands have done any wrong;
4 if I have done evil to him who was at peace with me, or senselessly harmed my enemy without cause, then hear my words.
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 Then let my enemy pursue my life and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and lay my honor 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, Yahweh, in your anger; stand up against the rage of my enemies; wake up for my sake and carry out the righteous decrees that you have commanded for them.
Come up, Lord, in your wrath; be lifted up against my haters; be awake, my God, give orders for the judging.
7 The countries are assembled all around you; take once more your rightful place over them.
The meeting of the nations will be round you; take your seat, then, over them, on high.
8 Yahweh, judge the nations; vindicate me, Yahweh, because I am righteous and innocent, Most High.
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 May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous people, righteous God, you who examine 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 comes from God, the one 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, a God who is indignant each day.
God is the judge of the upright, and is angry with the evil-doers every day.
12 If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword and will prepare his bow for battle.
If a man is not turned from his evil, he will make his sword sharp; his bow is bent and ready.
13 He prepares to use weapons against him; he makes his arrows flaming shafts.
He has made ready for him the instruments of death; he makes his arrows flames of fire.
14 Think about the one who is pregnant with wickedness, who conceives destructive plans, who gives birth to harmful lies.
That man is a worker of evil; the seed of wrongdoing has given birth to deceit.
15 He digs a pit and hollows it out and then falls into the hole he has made.
He has made a hole deep in the earth, and is falling into the hole which he has made
16 His own destructive plans return to his own head, for his violence comes down on 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 Yahweh for his justice; I will sing praise to Yahweh 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.
