Psalms 7

Psalms 7:1

Psalm 7: The Cry of the OppressedThe Hebrew title identifies this as a Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite. F. W. Grant writes that the word shiggaion implies a wandering ode or a loud, enthusiastic hymn, in which the writer is carried away with his enthusiasm. Cush, the subject of the ode, was from the same tribe as Saul and was probably one of his lieutenants. In any case he was a malicious foe of David. The NKJV translates shiggaion as a meditation. 7:1, 2 In a passionate appeal David prays for deliverance from his pursuers. Otherwise he will be like a helpless lamb, attacked by a lion and dragged off, limp and lifeless. 7:3-5 Cush was obviously accusing David of a long list of crimes, probably including attempts on Saul’s life and raids on the king’s supply bases. But David protests his innocence. He was not guilty of the charges. His hands had not plundered. He had not taken vengeance on the king, even when he had had the opportunity to do so. If he had actually done these things, then he was willing to face the musicto be hunted, captured, struck down and killed. 7:6-8 But since it wasn’t so, he boldly calls on the LORD to arise in His anger, punish the enemies and vindicate the innocent. He pictures God calling a great trial to order. A huge throng of people are gathered in the courtroom. Jehovah sits on the bench and judges the peoples. All David asks is that he be judged according to his own righteousness and integrity. This may sound like the height of conceit, but we must remember that David is not claiming absolute righteousness in every area of his lifeonly in regard to those accusations that were being hurled against him. 7:9-11 Verse 9 voices the age-long cry of God’s oppressed people. Every devout heart pants for the day when the reign of evil will be ended and the just will inherit the earth. That day will come when Christ returns to set up His kingdom. In the meantime, the righteous God who knows man’s thoughts and motives is the shield or protector of the upright and the righteous judge who is angry with the wicked every day. 7:12, 13 God has a well-stocked armory. Unless the wicked repents, He will sharpen His sword and tighten His bow to shoot arrows barbed with fire. All God’s weapons are deadly ones! 7:14-16 In the end, David is confident that his enemy will reap what he has sowed. His sin will follow the familiar course of conception, pregnancy, birth, and death. The enemy first conceives a plot to destroy the psalmist. Soon he is bulging with wicked ideas. Then he brings to birth his treacherous scheme. But it backfires on himself. He falls into his own trap, and all the trouble and violence he had mapped out for the psalmist recoils on his own crown (head) by an inexplicable irony of circumstances. 7:17 This even-handed justice prompts David to lift his heart to the LORD in thanksgiving and to sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.