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.
A psalm (shiggaion) of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush, from the tribe of Benjamin. Lord my God, you are my protection. Save me from those who persecute me; please rescue me!
2 Otherwise, they will rip me apart like a lion, tearing me in pieces with no one else able to bring me to safety.
Otherwise they will tear me apart like a lion, ripping me to pieces with no one to save me.
3 Yahweh my God, if I have done this, and there is guilt on my hands—
If I have done what I'm accused of, if my hands are guilty,
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 paid back a friend with evil, if I have robbed my enemy for no reason,
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)
Then let my enemies chase me down; let them trample me in the dust and drag my reputation through the dirt. (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.
Stand up, Lord, in your anger, rise up against the fury of my enemies; wake up, Lord, and bring me justice!
7 The countries are assembled all around you; take once more your rightful place over them.
Bring together the nations before you; rule them from your throne on high.
8 Yahweh, judge the nations; vindicate me, Yahweh, because I am righteous and innocent, Most High.
The Lord judges all people. Defend me, Lord, because I do what is right, because of my integrity.
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.
Please bring an end to the evil done by the wicked; vindicate those who do good, for you are the God of right who examines hearts and minds.
10 My shield comes from God, the one who saves the upright in heart.
The Most High God is my defense, the one who saves those who live right.
11 God is a righteous judge, a God who is indignant each day.
God is a fair judge who is always hostile to evil.
12 If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword and will prepare his bow for battle.
If people do not change their minds, he will sharpen his sword. He has bent and strung his bow.
13 He prepares to use weapons against him; he makes his arrows flaming shafts.
He has prepared weapons of death, he has his flaming arrows ready.
14 Think about the one who is pregnant with wickedness, who conceives destructive plans, who gives birth to harmful lies.
See how the wicked conceive evil! They are pregnant with trouble. They give birth to dishonesty.
15 He digs a pit and hollows it out and then falls into the hole he has made.
They dig a deep hole to catch people, but then fall into it themselves.
16 His own destructive plans return to his own head, for his violence comes down on his own head.
The trouble they cause rebounds to hit them on the head; their violence against others comes down on their own skulls.
17 I will give thanks to Yahweh for his justice; I will sing praise to Yahweh Most High.
I will thank the Lord because he does what is right; I will sing praises to the name of the Lord Most High.
