David prays against the malice of his enemies, professing his innocence, 1-9. By faith he sees his defense and the destruction of his enemies, 10-17.
1 [Shiggaion of David: which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush the Benjaminite.]
O LORD my God, I put my trust in you./
Save me from all those who persecute me, and deliver me,
2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion,/
rending it in pieces, while there is no one to deliver.
3 O LORD my God, if I have done this,/
if there is iniquity in my hands,
4 If I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me/
(I have even delivered him who without cause is my enemy),
5 Let the enemy persecute my soul and take it./
Let him even tread down my life upon the earth/
and lay my honor in the dust./
[Selah.]
6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger,/
lift up yourself because of the rage of my enemies,/
and awake for me to the judgment that you have commanded.
7 And the congregation of the people shall encompass you./
For their sakes therefore return on high.
8 The LORD shall judge the people./
Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness/
and according to my integrity that is in me.
9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end,/
but establish the just,/
for the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.
10 My defense is from God,/
who saves the upright in heart.
11 God judges the righteous,/
and God is angry with the wicked every day.
12 If he does not turn, he will whet his sword./
He has bent his bow and made it ready.
13 He has also prepared for him the instruments of death./
He ordains his arrows against the persecutors.
14 Behold, he travails with iniquity,/
has conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit, dug it,/
and has fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 His mischief shall return upon his own head,/
and his violent dealing shall come down upon the crown of his own head.
17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness/
and sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Psalms, Chapter 7[➚]
John Calvin's Chapter Summary:
David, loaded with unjust calumny, calls upon God to be his advocate and defender, and commits his innocence to the Divine protection. In the first place, he protests that his conscience did notaccuse him of the wickedness laid to his charge. Secondly, he shows how greatly it concerns the glory of God that he should execute judgment against the ungodly. Thirdly, to inspire his mind with confidence, he seriously reflects upon the goodness and righteousness of God, and sets before him the divine promises. Lastly, as if he had obtained the desire of his heart, he derides the folly and the vain attempts of his enemies; or rather, depending upon the aid of God, he assures himself that all their endeavours against him shall turn to their own destruction.
[v.4] - "I have even delivered..." - From John Calvin's Commentary: "In the second clause of the fourth verse, he proceeds farther, and states, that he had been a friend, not only to the good, but also to the bad, and had not only restrained himself from all revenge, but had even succoured his enemies, by whom he had been deeply and cruelly injured... But when a man not only keeps himself from revenging the injuries which he has received, but endeavours to overcome evil by doing good, he manifests one of the graces of a renewed and sanctified nature, and in this way proves himself to be one of the children of God; for such meekness proceeds only from the Spirit of adoption."
[v.9] - "the righteous God tries the hearts" - Reference, 1st Chronicles 28:9, 29:17; Proverbs 17:3; Jeremiah 11:20, 17:10; Romans 8:27; 1st Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 2:23.