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.
Adonai, my God, I take refuge in you. Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver 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.
lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, ripping it in pieces, while there is no one to deliver.
3 Yahweh my God, if I have done this, and there is guilt on my hands—
Adonai, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands,
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 rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, if I have delivered him who without cause was my adversary),
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 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) ·contemplation with musical interlude·.
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.
Arise, Adonai, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have enjoined judgment.
7 The countries are assembled all around you; take once more your rightful place over them.
Let the congregation of the peoples surround you. Rule over them on high.
8 Yahweh, judge the nations; vindicate me, Yahweh, because I am righteous and innocent, Most High.
Adonai administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, Adonai, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me.
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.
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the upright; their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God.
10 My shield comes from God, the one who saves the upright in heart.
My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge, a God who is indignant each day.
God is a righteous judge, yes, a God who has indignation every day.
12 If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword and will prepare his bow for battle.
If a man does not relent, 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 also prepared for himself the instruments of death. He makes ready his flaming arrows.
14 Think about the one who is pregnant with wickedness, who conceives destructive plans, who gives birth to harmful lies.
Behold, he travails with vain striving of iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought out falsehood.
15 He digs a pit and hollows it out and then falls into the hole he has made.
He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made.
16 His own destructive plans return to his own head, for his violence comes down on his own head.
The trouble he causes shall teshuvah ·completely return· to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.
17 I will give thanks to Yahweh for his justice; I will sing praise to Yahweh Most High.
I will yadah ·extend hands in thankful praise· to Adonai according to his righteousness, and will make zahmar ·musical praise· to the name of Adonai Most High.
