Psalm 7

Author of the psalm

This psalm, according to the title, was composed by David; and there is nothing in it that is contrary to this supposition. Indeed, there were many circumstances in the life of David which would suggest the thoughts in this psalm; and the sentiments expressed are such as are frequently found in his other compositions.

Occasion on which the psalm was composed

The psalm is said in the title to have been composed as “a song to the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.” There is no reason to call this into question, but there have been very various opinions as to who this Cush was. It is manifest from the psalm that it was composed in view of some “words” of reviling, or reproach, or slander; something that was done to wound the feelings, or to injure the reputation, or destroy the peace of David.

Some have supposed that the name Cush the Benjamite is probably a name of disguise; and by it he may covertly mean Saul himself, the son of Kish, who was of the tribe of Benjamin. The subject of the Psalm will better answer to Saul’s unjust persecution and David’s innocence, than to any other subject in the history of David. It may refer to someone who reproached David on some occasion that is now unknown. David was often reproached and calumniated in his life, and it would seem that, on some occasion now to us unknown, when he was violently reproached in this manner, he gave vent to his feelings in this impassioned ode. No other record was made of the transaction, and the occasion on which it occurred is not known.

Contents of the psalm

Theme: God's vindication of His servant and judgments of those against him.

The psalm embraces the following points:

1. A prayer of the psalmist for deliverance from his enemies, and especially from this particular foe that threatened his destruction, Psa_7:1-2. This is the general subject of the psalm.

2. He offers this prayer on the ground that he is innocent of the charges that are brought against him; relying thus on the fact that his was a righteous cause, and appealing to God on this ground, and declaring his willingness to suffer all that his enemy attempted to bring upon him if he was guilty, Psa_7:3-5.

3. He prays to God that He would vindicate him, for the edification of His people, Psa_7:6-8. In this David was a type of Christ, who was thus injured, but will certainly be righted at last.

4. He prays against the wickedness of his enemies, Psa_7:9;

5. He expresses strong confidence in God, trusting in the divine discrimination between innocence and guilt, assured that God would intervene on behalf of the righteous, and against the wicked, Psa_7:10-13.

6. He speaks confidently about the conduct of and the ultimate destruction of the ungodly Psa_7:14-16.

7. The psalmist says that, as for himself, he would praise the Lord according to his righteousness; that is, would adore and praise him as a righteous God, he exults in the mercy and loving kindness of his Maker Psa_7:17.

The title to the psalm

The psalm is entitled “Shiggaion of David.” The word “Shiggaion” occurs only in this place in the singular number, and in Hab_3:1 in the plural. “A prayer of Habakkuk upon Shigionoth.” It properly means a “song, psalm, hymn”. The word shiggayon comes from shagah, to wander, a wandering song; i.e., a Psalm composed by David in his wanderings, for example when he was obliged to hide himself from the fury of Saul.

Psa 7:1  Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:

O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust - The psalm opens with an expression of strong confidence in God. The psalmist addresses Yahweh as his God, and says that in Him he trusts or confides. The word rendered trust - châsâh - means “to flee;” to flee to a place; to take shelter; and is applied to taking shelter under the shadow or protection of one. The idea here is, that in his troubles he fled to God as a refuge, and felt safe under his protection. The word for "put trust" here is very illuminative and graphic, meaning properly the act of fleeing to a refuge. The very essence of the act of faith is better expressed by that metaphor than by much subtle exposition. Compare to

Jdg 9:15 And the bramble-bush said to the trees, If you truly anoint me king over you, come put your trust in my shadow. And if not, let fire come out of the bramble and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.

Isa 30:2 those who set out to go down to Egypt and have not asked at My mouth; to take refuge in the strength of Pharaoh and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!

Psa 57:1 To the Chief Musician. Do not destroy. A secret treasure of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave. Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me; for my soul trusts in You; yea, in the shadow of Your wings I will make my hiding-place, until these great troubles pass by.

Psa 61:4 I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the hiding place of Your wings. Selah.

O Lord my God - Yehovah Elohai, words expressive of the strongest confidence the soul can have in the Supreme Being.

O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust - The psalmist expresses his interest in God as his covenant God, and his trust and confidence in Him; and with these he sets out as the stay of his soul, and his bulwark against the fears of his enemies; and he does not say that he had trusted in God, or would for the future trust in him; but that he did trust in him, and continued to do so. And God is to be trusted in at all times; in times of affliction, temptation, and desertion; and these the psalmist premises to his petition, which follows, as an encouragement to him to hope for success, since God was his God, and none that ever trusted in Him were confounded;

Save me from all them that persecute me - That is, protect my life; rescue me from their power. The word “persecute” here refers to those who sought his life, who endeavored to deprive him of his rights. The language would apply to many occasions in the life of David - to the persecutions which he endured by Saul, by Absalom, etc. In this case the language was suggested by the opposition of Cush the Benjamite; and it was this that David had particularly in view. It is probable, however, that, whoever Cush was, he was not alone, but that others were associated with him in his opposition to David; and it was natural also that, in circumstances like these, David should remember his other persecutors, and pray that he might be delivered from them all. The prayer, therefore, has a general form, and the desire expressed is that which we all naturally have, that we may be delivered from all that troubles us.

And deliver me - Rescue me. It would seem from this expression, and from the following verse, that there was more to be apprehended in the case than mere reproachful words, and that his life was actually in danger.

Deliver me - From the counsels which they have devised, and from the snares and gins they have laid in my path.

save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me - persecution is no new thing to the people of God; David had his persecutors, and many of them; the Church, in Jeremiah's time, had hers; the saints, in the times of the apostles, and in all ages since, have had theirs. Every one that will live godly in Christ Jesus must expect persecution in one shape or another; and there is none can save and deliver from it but God, and He can and will in His own time, 2Co_1:10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver; in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us, David was sensible of this, and therefore applies to Him, and Him only; and not to his own strength, to his friends, or to neighboring princes and powers.

Shiggaion of David - This is the only psalm with the title "Shiggaion." The word occurs only here and in Hab_3:1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. where it stands in the plural, and with the preposition "upon." The meaning is unknown. The root is a verb, "to wander," and the explanation is common that the word describes the disconnected character of the psalm, which is full of swiftly succeeding emotions rather than of sequent thoughts. But there is no such exceptional discontinuity as to explain the title. It may refer to the character of the musical accompaniment rather than to that of the words. Some suppose it to refer to the time of David’s wanderings. "Passionate psalm with strong emotion" might be meaning according to one scholar.

Cush the Benjamite - One commentator believes that Cush was among the followers of Saul who spread lies about David.

Psa 7:2  Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

Tear my soul like a lion - Tear or rend my “life” - that is, “me” - like a lion. The word rendered “soul” here - nephesh - refers, as it properly does elsewhere, to the “life,” and not to the soul, as we use the term, denoting the thinking, immortal part. The simple idea is, that David was apprehensive of his “life,” and, in order to indicate his great peril, he uses language derived from the fierceness of the lion. Such imagery would be well understood in a country where lions abounded, and nothing could more strikingly denote the danger in which David was, or the fierceness of the wrath of the enemy that he dreaded.

Tear my soul like a lion - The persecutors are conceived of as wild animals, as lions which rend their prey and crunch its bones. Thus blood-thirsty are they for his life. After the painful unrest of this first strophe, the second begins the tone of defiant self-consciousness.

Lest he tear my soul like a lion - These words seem to answer well to Saul, lending credence to the view that the title of this psalm refers to Saul. As the lion is king in the forest; so was Saul king over the land. As the lion, in his fierceness, seizes at once, and tears his prey in pieces; so David expected to be seized and suddenly destroyed by Saul. He had already, in his rage, thrown his javelin at him, intending to have pierced him to the wall with it. As from the power of the lion no beast in the forest could deliver anything; so David knew that Saul’s power was irresistible, and that none of his friends or well-wishers could save or deliver him out of such hands.

Lest he tear my soul like a lion - That is, one of his persecutors, the chief of them; it may be Saul, whom the psalmist compares to a lion for his majesty and greatness; see Pro 19:12  The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion; but his favor is like dew on the grass. So the Apostle Paul calls the Roman governor, before whom he was, and from whose hands he was delivered, a lion, for his power and fierceness, 2Ti 4:17  But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that through me the preaching might be fulfilled, and that all the nations might hear. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And so our adversary the devil, the chief of all persecutors, and who instigates others against the saints, is by Peter said to go about like a roaring lion, 1Pe 5:8  Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour;

Rending it in pieces - Rending me in pieces. Or rather, perhaps, breaking or crushing the bones, for the word used - pâraq  - means “to break, to crush,” and would apply to the act of the lion crushing or breaking the bones of his victim as he devoured it.

While there is none to deliver - Denoting the complete destruction which he feared would come upon him. The figure is that of a solitary man seized by a powerful lion, with no one at hand to rescue him. So David felt that if God did not interfere, he would fall into the hands of this fierce and wrathful enemy.

Psa 7:3  O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

O Lord my God - A solemn appeal to God as to the sincerity and truth of what he was about to say.

If I have done this - This thing charged upon me, for it is evident that “Cush,” whoever he was, had accused him of some wrong thing - some wicked action. What that was can only be learned from what follows, and even this is not very specific. In his application to God he meets these charges with indignation; and clears himself of them by a strong appeal to his Judge; and an imprecation that, if he had meditated or designed any such thing, he might meet with nothing but curse and calamity either from God or man.

if there be iniquity in my hands - not that he was without sin, he had it in his heart; nor that he lived without the actual commission of sin: but his sense is, that there was no iniquity of the kind he was accused of. Otherwise, we often hear him complaining of the depravity of his nature, and acknowledging his sins and transgressions, Psa 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Psa 7:4  If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me - If I have done evil; or if I have requited him that was friendly by some unjust and evil conduct. If I have come upon him wantonly and unprovoked, and have done him wrong. This could be the substance of the accusation; it is possible that the accuser (Cush) referred to himself.

Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy - So far is this from being true, that the very reverse is true. So far from taking advantage of another that was at peace with me, and depriving him of his just rights by fraud or force, it is a fact that I have rescued from impending danger a man that was at war with me, and that was an avowed enemy. It would seem probable that in this he refers to this very Cush, and means to say that there had been some occasion in which he, who was long hostile to him, was wholly in his power, and when he had not only declined to take advantage of him, but had actually interposed to rescue him from danger. An instance of this kind actually occurred in the life of David, in his treatment of Saul 1Sa_24:10-11 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed. Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.; and it is “possible” that David referred to that case, and meant to say that that was an indication of his character, and of his manner of treating others. Those who suppose that the whole psalm refers to Saul of course regard this as the specific case referred to. There may have been other instances of the same kind in the life of David, and there is no improbability in supposing that on some occasion he had treated this very man, “Cush,” in this way.

I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy – David did not reward his enemy as the enemy rewarded him, that is he did not do evil for evil. In that, He is a type of Christ. 1Pe 2:23  who when He was reviled did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but gave Himself up to Him who judges righteously. and in it he ought to be imitated by every believer, Rom 12:17  Repay no one evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Psa 7:5  Let 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.

Let the enemy persecute my soul - Persecute my life. He was willing, if he had been guilty of the thing charged upon him, that the enemy here referred to should “pursue” or persecute him until he should destroy his life. Compare with this the expression of Paul in Act 25:11 For if I am an offender or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is nothing of which these accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar. The meaning here is simply that if he were a guilty man, in the manner charged on him, he would be willing to be treated accordingly.

Yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth - The allusion here is to the manner in which the vanquished were often treated in battle, when they were rode over by horses, or trampled by men into the dust. The idea of David is, that if he was guilty he would be willing that his enemy should triumph over him, should subdue him, should treat him with the utmost indignity and scorn.

And lay mine honor in the dust - All the tokens or marks of my honor or distinction in life. That is, I am willing to be utterly degraded and humbled, if I have been guilty of this conduct toward him who is my enemy. The idea in all this is, that David did not wish to screen himself from the treatment which he deserved if he had done wrong. His own principles were such that he would have felt that the treatment here referred to would have been right and proper as a recompense for such base conduct; and he would not have had a word to say against it. His desire for the interposition of God, therefore, arose solely from the fact of his feeling that, in these respects, he was entirely innocent, and that the conduct of his enemy was unjust and cruel.

Selah - A musical pause, not affecting the sense, but introduced here, perhaps, because the sense of the psalm now demanded a change in the style of the music.

let him tread down my life upon the earth - with the utmost indignation and contempt, without showing any mercy; as the lion treads down his prey, and tears it to pieces, Mic 5:8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goes through, both tramples and tears in pieces. And there is none to snatch back. or as the potter treads his clay under foot, Isa 41:25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come from the sunrise; he will call on My name. And he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter tramples clay.

Psa 7:6  Arise, 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.

Arise, O Lord, in thine anger - That is, to punish him who thus unjustly persecutes me.

Arise, O Lord, in thine anger - This is spoken of Him after the manner of men, who seems sometimes as though He had laid Himself down, and was unconcerned about and took no notice of human affairs, of the insults of the wicked and the oppressions of the righteous; wherefore the psalmist beseeches Him to "arise"; see Psa 12:5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

Arise, O Lord – Similar to the words of Moses when Israel moved in the desert with the ark leading the way. Num 10:35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.

Lift up thyself - As if he had been lying in repose and inaction. The idea is derived from a warrior who is called on to go forth and meet an enemy.

Because of the rage of mine enemies - Not only of this particular enemy, but of those who were associated with him, and perhaps of all his foes. David felt, on this occasion, that he was surrounded by enemies; and he calls on God to interfere and save him.

And awake for me - Or, in my behalf. The word “awake” is a still stronger expression than those which he had before used. It implies that one had been asleep, and insensible to what had occurred, and he addresses God “as if” He had thus been insensible to the dangers which surrounded him.

And awake for me - He sometimes in His providence seems to lie dormant and inactive, as if He disregarded what is done in this world; and therefore His people address Him as if He was asleep, and call upon Him to arise to their help and assistance; see Psa 44:23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!

To the judgment that thou hast commanded - To execute the judgment which thou hast appointed or ordered. That is, God had, in His law, commanded that justice should be done, and had proclaimed himself a God of justice - requiring that right should be done on the earth, and declaring Himself in all cases the friend of right. David now appeals to Him, and calls on Him to manifest Himself in that character. He had commanded justice to be done in all cases. He had required that the wicked should be punished. He had ordered magistrates to execute justice. In accordance with these great principles, David now calls on God to manifest “Himself” as the friend of justice, and to show, in this case, the same principles, and the same regard to justice which He required in others.

To the judgment that thou hast commanded - Only God's holy anger could vindicate David.  Romans 12:17-21 Repay no one evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as far as is in you, being in peace with all men. not avenging yourselves, beloved, but giving place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord." Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him. If he thirsts, give him drink. For in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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

So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about - That is, as the result of thy gracious interposition in defending the righteous, and in bringing just judgment on the wicked. The meaning is, that such an act would inspire confidence in him as a just and holy God, and that, as the result, His people would gather round Him to express their gratitude, and to render Him praise.

the congregation of the people - means that a great congregation - a great multitude.

Return thou on high - The most probable meaning of this is “ascend thy throne of justice, or thy judgment-seat;” spoken here either as a king ascending his elevated throne (compare Isa_6:1), or as ascending to heaven, the place where he dispensed justice. The “language” is as if he had come down from his throne - as if he had not been engaged in dispensing justice; and David now calls on him to reascend the throne, and to execute righteous judgment among men. The effect of this, he says, would be to secure the confidence of his people, and to increase the number of those who would worship him. Of course, this is not to be understood literally, but in a manner appropriate to the divine majesty. It is language, in this respect, similar to that which is elsewhere used, when the psalmist calls on God “to awake, to arise, to lift up himself.” The whole idea in this passage is that God seemed to delay in the execution of his judgment, and the psalmist entreats him to hasten it.

Psa 7:8  The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

The Lord shall judge the people - Expressing his confident belief that God would interpose, and that His judgment would not much longer be delayed. The proposition is a general one - that God would see that justice would be done to all people; and on this ground the psalmist pleads that He would now interpose and defend him from his enemies.

Judge me, O Lord - That is, in my present circumstances. Interpose to do justice to my cause, and to vindicate me from these false accusations.

And according to mine integrity that is in me - Hebrew, “my perfection.” That is, his perfection in “this” case; his entire freedom from the charges brought against him; his absolute innocence in respect to the points under consideration. A man may be conscious of “perfect” innocence in respect to a particular matter, and yet have a deep sense of his “general” unworthiness, and of the fact that he is a sinner against God.

The Lord shall judge the people - He will execute justice and maintain truth among them. They shall not be as sheep without a shepherd.

Psa 7:9  Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end - Of all the wicked; wickedness not in this particular case only, but wickedness of all forms, and in all lands. The prayer here is a natural one; when a man becomes impressed with a sense of the evil of sin in one form, he wishes that the world may be delivered from it in all forms and altogether.

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end - Which will not be till the measure of it is fully up, and that will not be till the wicked are no more; for, as long as they are in the world they will be committing wickedness, and like the troubled sea continually cast up the mire and dirt of sin; and they will remain to the end of the world.

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end - He is now concerned about the cessation of evil: His prayer is not directed against the individuals as such but against the wickedness that is in them. This Psalm is the key to all Psalms which contain prayers against one's enemies.

But establish the just - The righteous. This stands in contrast with his desire in regard to the wicked. He prays that the righteous may be confirmed in their integrity, and that their plans may succeed. This prayer is as universal as the former, and is, in fact, a prayer that the world may come under the dominion of the principles of truth and holiness.

but establish the just - or righteous one; meaning himself, and every other who is made righteous, not by his own righteousness, but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to him;

For the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins - That is, the hearts and minds of all people. From some cause, the Hebrews seem to have regarded the “reins” as the seat of the affections and passions, though perhaps only in the sense that they thus spoke of the “inward” parts, and meant to denote the deepest purposes of the soul - as if utterly concealed from the eye. These deep thoughts and feelings, so unknown to other people, are all known intimately to God, and thus the character of every man is clearly understood by Him, and He can judge every man aright. The phrase used here - of trying the hearts and reins - is one that is often employed to describe the Omniscience of God. Compare Jer_11:20; Jer_17:10; Jer_20:12; Psa_26:2; Psa_139:13; Rev 2:23. The particular idea here is, that as God searches the hearts of all people, and understands the secret purposes of the soul, He is able to judge rightly, and to determine correctly in regard to their character, or to administer His government on the principles of exact justice. Such is the ground of the prayer in this case, that God, who knew the character of all people, would confirm those who are truly righteous, and would bring the wickedness of the ungodly to an end.

For the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins - That is, the hearts and minds of all people. He understands the character of all people; He is intimately acquainted with all their thoughts, and purposes, and feelings. To search or try “the heart and the reins” is an expression frequently used in the Bible to denote that God is intimately acquainted with all the thoughts and feelings of people; that is, that He thoroughly understands the character of all people. The word “heart” in the Scriptures is often used to denote the seat of the “thoughts;” and the word “reins” seems to be used to denote the most secret feelings, purposes, and devices of the soul - as if lodged deep in our nature, or covered in the most hidden and concealed portions of the man. See for example Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Psa 7:10  My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

My defense is of God - The meaning here is, that God was his protector, and that in his troubles he confided in Him. The original word here, as in Psa_3:3; Psa_5:12; is “shield.”

My defense is of God - Or "my shield is in" or "of God"; God was his shield, his protector and defender; see Psa_3:3; or "my shield is with God"; that is, Christ, who was the shield his faith made use of against every spiritual enemy, was with God; he was with him as the Word and Son of God from all eternity, and as the living Redeemer of His .

Which saveth the upright in heart - whom He that searches the heart sees to be upright; or to be sincere, truthful, just. The writer says that it is a characteristic of God that He saves or protects all such; and, conscious of his innocence of the charges against himself, he here appeals to Him on that ground, and confides in His protection because he sees that in this respect he was blameless.

which saveth the upright in heart - who have the truth of grace in them, wisdom in the hidden part; who are sincere in their affections, purposes, and designs, in their faith, hope, and love; and act from real principles of truth and love, in the integrity of their souls; for these light and gladness are sown, to them grace and glory are given, and no good thing is withheld from them; they are saved by God from sin, Satan, the world, death, and hell, and every enemy, with a spiritual and everlasting salvation.

Psa 7:11  God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

God judgeth the righteous - That is, He pronounces a just judgment on their behalf; He vindicates their character. It is true, in a general sense, that God judges all according to their character; but the particular idea here is, that God will do justice to the righteous; He will interpose to vindicate them, and He will treat them as they ought to be treated when assailed by their enemies, and when reproached and calumniated.

God judgeth the righteous - Not all that are thought to be righteous, or think themselves to be so, are such; nor is any man naturally righteous, or of himself, nor by virtue of his obedience to the law of works; but such only are righteous who are made so by the obedience of Christ.

And God is angry with the wicked - The phrase “with the wicked” is supplied by the kjv translators, but not improperly, since the writer evidently intends to speak of these in contrast with the righteous.

Every day - Continually; constantly; always. This is designed to qualify the previous expression. It is not excitement. It is not temporary passion, such as we see in men. It is not sudden emotion, soon to be succeeded by a different feeling when the passion passes off. It is the steady and uniform attribute of His unchanging nature to be always opposed to the wicked - to all forms of sin; and in Him, in this respect, there will be no change. The wicked will find Him no more favorable to their character and course of life tomorrow than He is today.

Psa 7:12  If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.

If he turn not - If the wicked person does not repent. in the previous verse the psalmist had said that God is angry with the wicked every day; he here states what must be the consequence to the wicked if they persevere in the course which they are pursuing; that is, if they do not repent. God, he says, cannot be indifferent to the course which they pursue, but He is preparing for them the instruments of punishment, and He will certainly bring destruction upon them. It is implied here that if they would repent and turn they would avoid this, and would be saved: a doctrine which is everywhere stated in the Scriptures.

He will whet his sword - God will sharpen his sword preparatory to inflicting punishment. God is sometimes represented as accoutered with military weapons; see Isa_59:17; and among the rest with the sword of judgment, which He may be said to whet, when He prepares sharp and sore judgments for his enemies, Isa_27:1;

He hath bent his bow - The bow, like the sword, was used in battle as a means of destroying an enemy. It is used here of God, who is represented as going forth to destroy or punish His foes. The language is derived from the customs of war. Compare Exo_15:3; Isa_63:1-4. The Hebrew here is,” his bow he has trodden,” alluding to the ancient mode of bending the large and heavy bows used in war, by treading on them in order to bend them.

And made it ready - Made it ready to shoot the arrow. That is, He is ready to execute punishment on the wicked; or, all the preparations are made for it.

Psa 7:13  He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

He hath also prepared for him - The instruments of punishment are already prepared, and God can use them when He pleases. The idea is, that arrangements are made for the destruction of the wicked, and that the destruction must come upon them.

The instruments of death - The means of putting them to death; that is, of punishing them. The particular means referred to here are arrows, as being what God has prepared for the wicked. “Death” here is designed simply to denote punishment, as death would be inflicted by arrows.

He ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors - Or rather, as the Hebrew is, “He makes his arrows for burning,” The Hebrew word - dâlaq - means to burn, to flame; and hence, also, to burn with love, with anxiety, or with zeal or wrath - as persecutors do. But here the word seems to allude to the ancient custom of shooting ignited darts or arrows into besieged towns or camps, for the purpose of setting them on fire, as well as for the purpose of inflicting greater personal injury. The sense is, that God had prepared the means of certain destruction for the wicked. Other versions translate it with that in mind.

Psa 7:13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts. (ESV)

Psa 7:13 He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts. (NKJV)

Psa 7:13 And on it he has fitted the instruments of death; he has completed his arrows for the raging ones. (Septuagint)

Psa 7:13 Yea, He has fitted him for instruments of death; He has made His arrows hotly pursue. (MKJV)

Psa 7:14  Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.

Behold, he travaileth with iniquity - The wicked man does. The allusion here is to the pains and throes of child-birth; and the idea is, that the wicked man labors or struggles, even with great pain, to accomplish his purposes of iniquity. All his efforts, purposes, plans, are for the promotion of evil.

And hath conceived mischief - That is, he hath formed a scheme of mischief. The allusion here is common when speaking of forming a plan of evil.

And brought forth falsehood - The birth is falsehood; that is, self-deception, or disappointment. It does not mean that falsehood was his aim or purpose, or that he had merely accomplished a lie; but the idea is, that after all his efforts and pains, after having formed his scheme, and labored hard (as if in the pangs of child-birth) to bring it forth, it was abortive. He would be disappointed, and would fail at last. This idea is expressed more distinctly in the following verse, and the design of the whole is to say that any plan or purpose of wickedness must be in the end a failure, since God is a righteous Judge, and will vindicate His own cause.

And brought forth falsehood -  or "vanity", or a vain thing, as the same word is rendered in Job_15:35; no fruit at all, but wind, or stubble, Isa_26:17; that which deceives does not answer the expectation, but the contrary to it; the sense is, that wicked men having devised mischievous things against the saints, they are big with expectations of success, and strive to bring their purposes to bear, but are miserably disappointed, for it all ends in vanity and vexation of spirit to themselves.

Psa 7:15  He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.

He made a pit - The allusion here is undoubtedly to a method of hunting wild beasts which was common in ancient times. It consists in digging a pit-fall, and covering it over with brush and grass so as to deceive the animals, and then enclosing them and driving them into it.

He made a pit - He determined the destruction of David. He laid his plans with much artifice; he executed them with zeal and diligence; and when he had, as he supposed, the grave of David ready, he fell into it himself! The metaphor is taken from pits dug in the earth, and slightly covered over with reeds &c. so as not to be discerned from the solid ground; but the animal steps on them, the surface breaks, and he falls into the pit and is taken.

And digged it - And hollowed it out so as to be large enough to contain his prey, and so deep that he could not escape if he fell into it. The idea is, that the enemy here referred to had laid a secret and artful plan to destroy others. He meant that they should not be aware of his plan until the mischief came suddenly upon them. He was preparing to ruin them, and supposed that he was certain of his prey.

And is fallen into the ditch which he made - Into the pit-fall which he had constructed for others; as if a man who had made a pit-fall for wild beasts had himself fallen into it, and could not extricate himself. That is, he had been snared in his own devices; his cunning had recoiled on himself, and instead of bringing ruin on others he had only managed to bring it on himself. A remarkable instance of the kind may be found in Esther (Est. 5–7), in the case of Haman, who was hanged upon the gallows he had built for Mordecai.

Psa 7:16  His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

His mischief - The mischief which he had designed for others.

Shall return upon his own head - That which he conceived and devised in his mind, and attempted to bring upon others, shall fall upon himself, as a just judgment from heaven upon him; This is but stating in another form the sentiment which had been expressed in the two previous verses. The language used here has something of a proverbial cast, and perhaps was common in the time of the writer to express this idea.

And his violent dealing - Which he shows to others. The word rendered violent dealing means violence, injustice, oppression, wrong.

Shall all come down upon his own pate - The word here rendered “pate” means properly vertex, top, or crown - as of the head. The idea is that it would come upon himself. He would be treated as he had designed to treat others. The sentiment here expressed is found also in Psa_9:15; Psa_35:8; Psa_37:15.

Psa 7:17  I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness - That is, particularly as manifested in the treatment of the righteous and the wicked, protecting the one, and bringing deserved punishment upon the other. The purpose of the psalm is to show this. In the course of the psalm the author had declared his full conviction that this was the character of God, and now, in view of this, he says that he will render to Him the praise and glory which such a character deserves. He will acknowledge Him by public acts of praise as such a God; and will at all times ascribe these attributes to Him.

I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness - I shall celebrate both His justice and His mercy. I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. The name of God is often put for his perfections. So here, shem Yehovah Elyon; “The perfections of Jehovah, who is above all.”

I will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high - whose name is Jehovah, and is the most High over all the earth; and who had now, according to the psalmist's request, Psa_7:6; arose and lifted up Himself, and returned on high, and had shown Himself to be above all David's enemies, and had sat on the throne judging right.