Psalms 7

¹A Psalm of David, which he sang to the Lord because of the words of Cush, the son of Jemini.

²O Lord, my God, in you I have hoped. Save me from all those who persecute me, and free me:

³lest at any time, like a lion, he might seize my soul, while there is no one to redeem me, nor any who can save.

⁴O Lord, my God, if there is iniquity in my hands, if I have done this:

⁵if I have repaid those who rendered evils to me, may I deservedly fall away empty before my enemies:

⁶let the enemy pursue my soul, and take hold of it, and trample my life into the earth, and drag down my glory into the dust. Pause

⁷Rise up, Lord, in your anger. And be exalted to the borders of my enemies. And rise up, O Lord my God, according to the precept that you commanded,

⁸and a congregation of people will surround you. And, because of this, return on high.

⁹The Lord judges the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice and according to my innocence within me.

¹⁰The wickedness of sinners will be consumed, and you will direct the just: the examiner of hearts and temperaments is God.

¹¹Just is my help from the Lord, who saves the upright of heart.

¹²God is a just judge, strong and patient. How could he be angry throughout every day?

¹³Unless you will be converted, he will brandish his sword. He has extended his bow and made it ready.

¹⁴And with it, he has prepared instruments of death. He has produced his arrows for those on fire.

¹⁵Behold him who has given birth to injustice: he has conceived sorrow and has begotten iniquity.

¹⁶He has opened a pit and enlarged it. And he has fallen into the hole that he made.

¹⁷His sorrow will be turned upon his own head, and his iniquity will descend upon his highest point.

¹⁸I will confess to the Lord according to his justice, and I will sing a psalm to the name of the Lord Most High.

¹O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:

²Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

³O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

⁴If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

⁵Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

⁶Arise, O Lord, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded.

⁷So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high.

⁸The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

⁹Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

¹⁰My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

¹¹God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

¹²If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.

¹³He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

¹⁴Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.

¹⁵He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.

¹⁶His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

¹⁷I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.