Psalm-7
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Tanakh versions:
Throughout this site I may use any of the following three versions of the TaNaKh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF).
Colour coded
details of the - TaNaKh:
1. Torah =
History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all
other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon,
Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and
Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and
Chronicles I & II.
Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of Thy Law!
Tehillim - Psalm 119:18..
(JPS-1917 version
of the Tanakh).
Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have
been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים -
Elohim, having been corrected like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following truth from our beloved
Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which
I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM
IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem,
which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2.
However, sadly both the later priests as well as our rabbis of long ago have shamefully disobeyed this command of אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם קָדוֹשׁוֹ - ‘Baruch Shem Kadosho’ – ‘Blessed be His Holy Name!’
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Foreword:
Tehillim - Psalm 7 is indeed a “hard one”, a complex and emotionally charged ‘Shiggaion of David’. The term Shiggaion likely refers to a poem of intense emotion or a rhythmic, wandering melody.
According to the superscription, this Psalm was sung concerning “Cush the Benjamite”. While the identity of Cush is debated, it is suggested that it refers to King Saul (identifying him by the “beauty” of his stature or his different character) or one of his kinsmen who slandered David. It is a Psalm of “divine litigation”, where David appeals to the Heavenly Court to prove his innocence.
Introduction to Psalm 7:
This is the prayer of a man whose character has been assassinated before his life is threatened. David finds himself accused of a crime he did not commit, likely betrayal or treachery. He does not merely ask for safety; he asks for Justice. The Psalm moves from a plea for protection to a daring “oath of innocence”, ending with a vision of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim as a Judge who readies His bow against the unrepentant.
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Us per
usual, let us now read Tehillim - Psalms Chapter 7: (JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh).
1. Shiggaion
of David, which he sang unto יְהוָה
- the LORD, concerning Cush a Benjamite.
2. O יְהוָה
- LORD my אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim, in Thee have I taken refuge; save me from all them that pursue
me, and deliver me;
3. Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces,
while there is none to deliver.
4. O יְהוָה
- LORD my אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
5. If I have requited him that did evil unto me, or
spoiled mine adversary unto emptiness;
6. Let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it, and
tread my life down to the earth; yea, let him lay my glory in the dust. Selah
7. Arise, O יְהוָה - LORD, in Thine anger, lift up Thyself in
indignation against mine adversaries; yea, awake for me at the judgment which
Thou hast commanded.
8. And let the congregation of the peoples compass
Thee about, and over them return Thou on high.
9. O יְהוָה
- LORD, who ministerest judgment to the
peoples, judge me, O יְהוָה
- LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity
that is in me.
10. Oh that a full measure of evil might come upon
the wicked, and that Thou wouldest establish the righteous; for the
righteous אֱלֹהִים trieth the heart
and reins.
11. My shield is with אֱלֹהִים, who saveth the
upright in heart.
12. God is a righteous judge, yea, a אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim that hath indignation every day:
13. If a man turn not, He will whet His sword, He
hath bent His bow, and made it ready;
14. He hath also prepared for him the weapons of
death, yea, His arrows which He made sharp.
15. Behold, he travaileth
with iniquity; yea, he conceiveth mischief, and bringeth forth falsehood.
16. He hath digged a pit,
and hollowed it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
17. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and
his violence shall come down upon his own pate.
18. I will give thanks unto יְהוָה - the LORD
according to His righteousness; and will sing praise to the name of יְהוָה
- the LORD Most High.
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Let us now look into the ‘verse by verse’ with Commentary:
The Refuge and the Roaring Lion (Verses 1-3).
Verse 1: “O יְהוָה - LORD my אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, in Thee have I taken refuge; save me from all them that pursue me, and deliver me”.
Verse 2: “Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver”.
Explanation: David recognizes that without Divine intervention, he is helpless against the “lion”, a common metaphor for a powerful, predatory ruler or accuser.
Verse 3: “O LORD my אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;”
The Oath of Innocence (Verses 4-6).
Verse 4: “If I have requited evil unto him that was at peace with me; yea, I have delivered him that without cause was mine adversary;”
Explanation: David presents a conditional curse. He is so certain of his integrity (specifically that he did not harm Saul when Saul was at peace or vulnerable) that he invites judgment upon himself if the accusations are true.
Verse 5: “Let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; yea, let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust. Selah”.
Explanation: This is a bold “trial by ordeal” David essentially says: “If I am guilty of these slanders, let my enemies succeed”.
Verse 6: “Arise, O יְהוָה - LORD, in Thine anger, lift up Thyself in adversity against mine enemies; and awake for me the judgment which Thou hast commanded”.
The Call for a Heavenly Court (Verses 7-10).
Verse 7: “And let the congregation of the peoples compass Thee about; and over them return Thou on high”.
Explanation: David envisions a cosmic courtroom. He asks אֱלֹהִים - Elohim to “return to His seat” on high to preside over the nations.
Verse 8: “יְהוָה - the LORD ministereth judgment to the peoples; judge me, O יְהוָה - LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me”.
Explanation: David is not claiming sinless perfection in life, but total innocence regarding the specific charges brought by Cush.
Verse 9: “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish Thou the righteous; for the righteous אֱלֹהִים trieth the hearts and reins”.
Explanation: אֱלֹהִים is the ‘Bochen Libot u’Klayot’ (Examiner of hearts and kidneys/reins). Unlike human judges, He sees the secret motives.
Verse 10: “My shield is with אֱלֹהִים, who saveth the upright in heart”.
The Divine Archer (Verses 11-14).
Verse 11: “אֱלֹהִים - Elohim is a righteous judge, yea, a אֱלֹהִים that hath indignation every day”.
Verse 12: “If a man turn not, He will whet His sword; He hath bent His bow, and made it ready”.
Explanation: David describes אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s “active” justice. The weapons are prepared, but there is an “if”, if the man does not “shuv” (return/repent).
Verse 13: “He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death, He appointeth His arrows against the persecutors”.
Verse 14: “Behold, he travaileth with iniquity; yea, he hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood”.
The Law of Retribution (Verses 15-17).
Verse 15: “He hath digged a pit, and hollowed it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made”.
Explanation: This is the principle of ‘Midah K'neged Midah’. The very trap the slanderer set for David becomes his own undoing.
Verse 16: “His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violence shall come down upon his own plate”.
Verse 17: "I will give thanks unto the LORD according to His righteousness; and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High."
Explanation: The Psalm ends not with the destruction of the enemy, but with the vindication of God's Name (Elyon).
The Final Thanksgiving (Verse 18).
Verse 18: “I will give thanks unto יְהוָה - the LORD according to His righteousness; and will sing praise to the Name of יְהוָה - the LORD Most High”.
Explanation: The Psalm ends with a vow of praise. David does not praise אֱלֹהִים for his own strength, but for אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s ‘Tzedek’ (righteousness). He uses the Name אֵל עֶלְיוֹן יְהוָה (the LORD Most High) to signify that אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s authority surpasses all earthly kings and slanders!
The Conclusion Message:
Psalm 7 is the ultimate recourse for the slandered soul. It teaches us that when human courts fail and reputations are tarnished by “falsehood”, there is a higher Court that examines the “hearts and reins”. David shows us that the best defense against slander is a life of integrity; if our hands are clean of the “iniquity” we are accused of, we can stand boldly before the ‘Shofet Tzedek’ (Righteous Judge). Ultimately, the Psalm promises that evil is self-destructive, it falls into the very pit it digs, while the righteous are shielded by the Most High, Amen.
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This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said
the following via several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD
of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem; walk
in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances,
and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and
you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה
- the LORD your Eloheichem”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
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He is the
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May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts. be with
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שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom
Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens,
PhD.
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