Psalm 7 – A Prayer to the God of Justice

Revision 2

A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord about Cush, the Benjamite.

7 Lord my God, I take refuge in you.

Deliver me, save me from all who pursue me;

2 or like lions they will tear me to pieces,

and rend me, past hope of rescue.

3 Lord, my God, if my life has been such

if my hands have been stained with guilt,

4 if friends I paid back with evil,

if I plundered my foes without cause,

5 may the enemy chase and find me,

trample my life to the ground,

my honour leave in the dirt! Selah

6 Arise, Lord, in anger,

against my foes rise in fury.

Awake for my help:

let justice be done.

7 Gather the nations about you,

and sit on your lofty throne,

8 as the Lord, the judge of the peoples.

Judge me, Lord, in my innocence

and according to my integrity.

9 Put an end to the wrong of the wicked,

protect the righteous.

Searcher of hearts and minds,

righteous God.

10 God is my shield:

he saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a just judge,

constant in righteous anger.

12 He will sharpen his sword without fail,

his bow is bent and ready,

13 his deadly weapons are ready,

his arrows he makes of flame.

14 The enemy who conceives evil;

pregnant with mischief,

giving birth to lies,

15 a pit they have made and dug;

but into the hole that they made they will fall.

16 On their own heads their mischief comes back;

on their own skulls their violence comes down.

17 I will give thanks to the Lord for his justice,

and sing to the name of the Lord Most High.