Bible Commentary: Psalm 7

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Psalm 7

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The superscription of Psalm 7 in the New King James Version calls it a "meditation" of David. The Hebrew for meditation is higgaion, as in Psalm 9:16, but the word at the beginning of Psalm 7, as the KJV superscription shows, is actually shiggaion, which occurs only here in the Bible. Its plural form, however, is used in the psalm of Habakkuk 3. Repeating from the Beyond Today Bible Commentary on that passage, "The word shiggayon comes from shagah, ‘to wander,' a wandering song" (Adam Clarke's Commentary,note on Psalm 7; see note on Habakkuk 3:1). "It may derive from a verbal root meaning 'to reel' or 'to err,' and if so points to some irregular rhythmic mode" (New Bible Commentary, note on Habakkuk 3:1).

David names Cush the Benjamite the superscription of Psalm 7. This man, mentioned nowhere else in Scripture, has apparently spoken on behalf of a group of persecutors who accused David of wrongdoing and were bent on his destruction. Whether they actually believed him guilty of wrong or were just making this up to justify action against him is not clear. Some today speculate that the distinct reference to Cush being a Benjamite may indicate his being a supporter or agent of King Saul. In any case, Cush and his comrades must have been dangerous opponents because David cries out that, if God does not deliver him, his persecutors would "tear me like a lion, and rip me in pieces" (verses 1-2).

In his appeal to God, David takes an oath of innocence in which he invites God to give him into the hands of the enemies who seek to take his life if he is guilty of any of the charges they bring against him (verses 3-5). David is so confident of his innocence that he asks God to judge his righteousness, his integrity (verse 8), his heart and mind (verse 9). "In the Hebrew, hearts and minds is literally 'hearts and kidneys'—an ancient way of describing the innermost person" (Nelson Study Bible, note on verses 9-10). We should note that in praying to God the words "Judge me according to my righteousness," David does not mean for God to judge every aspect of his life by this standard. (As with any of us, God would in such an inventory find sins worthy of condemnation. Indeed, other prayers of David show him praying for forgiveness where he has fallen short.) Rather, David in his prayer here is asking for God's judgment in the matter at hand—to judge him according to his deeds and even inward motivations with respect to the accusations that have been made against him. In these, he knows that the righteous and just God will see his complete innocence and fully absolve him.

Against the wicked, however, David describes God as a just Judge and an angry Warrior who will "sharpen His sword," prepare "deadly weapons" and make ready "flaming arrows" to satisfy justice (verses 11-13). Yet David recognizes that the wicked create their own problems for themselves, reaping what they sow (compare Galatians 6:7-8). They conceive trouble, which then returns on their own heads (verses 14, 16). "The wicked become 'mothers' to trouble. They will give birth to their own destruction" (note on verses 14-16). They fall into the pits they themselves have dug to trap their prey (verse 15). David therefore knows that those who have plotted his destruction have set up the circumstances for their own demise. Perhaps it was in the midst of his prayer that God inspired David with this reminder—moving him to sing God's praises (see verse 17).