Psalms 7

Psalm 7¹

A musical composition² by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning³ a Benjaminite named Cush.⁴

7:1 O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter.⁵

Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!

7:2 Otherwise they will rip⁶ me⁷ to shreds like a lion;

they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me.⁸

7:3 O Lord my God, if I have done what they say,⁹

or am guilty of unjust actions,¹⁰

7:4 or have wronged my ally,¹¹

or helped his lawless enemy,¹²

7:5 may an enemy relentlessly chase¹³ me¹⁴ and catch me;¹⁵

may he trample me to death¹⁶

and leave me lying dishonored in the dust.¹⁷ (Selah)

7:6 Stand up angrily,¹⁸ Lord!

Rise up with raging fury against my enemies!¹⁹

Wake up for my sake and execute the judgment you have decreed for them!²⁰

7:7 The countries are assembled all around you;²¹

take once more your rightful place over them!²²

7:8 The Lord judges the nations.²³

Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent,²⁴

because I am blameless,²⁵ O Exalted One!²⁶

7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked²⁷ come to an end!²⁸

But make the innocent²⁹ secure,³⁰

O righteous God,

you who examine³¹ inner thoughts and motives!³²

7:10 The Exalted God is my shield,³³

the one who delivers the morally upright.³⁴

7:11 God is a just judge;

he is angry throughout the day.³⁵

7:12 If a person³⁶ does not repent, God sharpens his sword³⁷

and prepares to shoot his bow.³⁸

7:13 He prepares to use deadly weapons against him;³⁹

he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows.⁴⁰

7:14 See the one who is pregnant with wickedness,

who conceives destructive plans,

and gives birth to harmful lies – ⁴¹

7:15 he digs a pit⁴²

and then falls into the hole he has made.⁴³

7:16 He becomes the victim of his own destructive plans⁴⁴

and the violence he intended for others falls on his own head.⁴⁵

7:17 I will thank the Lord for⁴⁶ his justice;

I will sing praises to the sovereign Lord!⁴⁷

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