Psalm 7:1–17
Facing false accusations, a violent hounding by enemies, the righteous trust in God, the righteous Judge and their protector and deliverer, to vindicate them and to take appropriate action against those enemies.
The psalm commences with a plea in 7:1–2. The songwriter’s foes “pursue” him (7:1) like a “lion” capable of “rending” and “dismembering” (7:2). But, what is worse, there is no help in sight, at least not from any human source!
In 7:3–5, the psalmist is adamant that he has done nothing to deserve this hounding by his foes. If he is guilty of injustice (7:3), of rendering evil to “the one at peace with me” (i.e., a friend, 7:4), or even of bestowing aid to an evil adversary of that friend (i.e., even vicarious evildoing), he is willing to be “pursued” by the enemy, “overtaken,” “trampled” to death, and to allow his honor to be sullied (7:5). Such affirmations of innocence are not claims to sinlessness; the righteous individual, represented here by the psalmist, has lived faithfully unto God and with members of the community of God’s people (7:8).
The appeal to the divine Judge for a local matter concerning one individual seems to be overkill, but the child of God has the privilege of calling upon the heavenly Father for anything. Besides, even local matters are ultimately a breakdown in the world’s moral order, that only the Creator can fix. And what matter, however small or minute, does not impact the glory of God?
The psalmist’s plea to the divine Judge in 7:6–8 refers to deity’s “anger” against evildoing—the suppliant’s hope; and his adversaries’ “rage”—the suppliant’s threat. But he is confident that God will “arise,” “lift up” and “rouse” himself on behalf of his people, rendering judgment (7:6).
At the center of the psalm (7:9) are the contrasting fates of the wicked (who “come to an end”) and the righteous (who will be “established”). There is no pulling wool over the eyes of a “righteous God,” the divine Judge, “a tester of the hearts and innards.” As if to emphasize the forensic nature of the psalm, we see words from the root “to judge”: “judgment” (mishpat) in 7:6; “vindicate” (shpht) in 7:8; and “judge” (shophet) in 7:11. For the psalmist and his cohort of the righteous, this judge, the “Most High God” is a protective “shield” that “delivers the upright in heart” (7:10). And the divine judge is described as acting in his capacity as divine warrior for the benefit of his people. The war is on (7:11–13)! Interestingly enough, God is not shown to have acted yet. He is just getting prepared: there is a possibility left open that the wicked may repent and God may relent (7:12a).
And if they do not, and if the opponent “labors harm,” “conceives trouble,” and “delivers falsehood” (7:14, a remarkable series of obstetrical analogies!), he will fall into the pit that he has dug out for others (7:15), his trouble landing upon his own pate (7:16). How God accomplished all this (or will accomplish all this) is unclear, but the result is expected: as the wicked sowed, so they will reap.
Did any of the wicked in this particular case repent? We don’t know. Thus, appropriately enough, the psalm’s “story” is open-ended for the future appropriation by readers. In any case, the psalm concludes with a note of thanks and music-making to God—the righteous Judge who sees, who knows, who cares, who acts on behalf of his people!
For more details, see my commentary on Psalms.
Abe Kuruvilla is the Carl E. Bates Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY), and a dermatologist in private practice. His passion is to explore, explain, and exemplify preaching. 