Psalm 7 Study Notes

Ps 7 title The word Shiggaion occurs only this one time in the psalm titles, and its meaning is unknown. Some have proposed that it comes from an Assyrian word (shegu) meaning “lament”; others have related it to a Hebrew root meaning “go astray” or “wander.” The identity of Cush, a Benjaminite is also uncertain. Scholars have often related the name to one of David’s enemies from the tribe of Benjamin: Saul (1Sm 18-31), Shimei (2Sm 16:5-13), or Sheba (2Sm 20).

7:1-2 The use of the word pursuers to describe enemies indicates that the psalmist was a hunted man. He compared them collectively to a lion, ripping . . . apart its prey. This is a commonly used animal description of enemies in the psalms. Lions lurk in hiding places in order to attack their prey (10:9; 17:12); their mouths and teeth are fierce (58:6), as is their roaring (22:13). In the NT, the same image of a roaring lion is used of Satan, the Christian’s ultimate enemy (1Pt 5:8).

7:3-5 These verses contain a declaration of innocence in the form of an oath (cp. Jb 31:16-22). The if statements are rhetorical, assuming that the psalmist was innocent of those conditions (“if I have . . . and I have not”). The consequences are stated in a typical vow formula using the word may. This does not presuppose absolute innocence but is used to convey the notion of suffering without justifiable cause. There is no apparent sin or disobedience against God that would justify these results. It is another way of declaring that the psalmist had not knowingly acted unjustly toward anyone, intentionally harmed someone at peace with him, or stolen from anyone, including his enemy. Therefore, he should not be treated this way.

7:6-8 Calling down God’s judgment on one’s enemies is known as imprecation (see note at 109:1-31). The call for the Lord to rise up was used as a battle cry for Israel when preparing to engage her enemies (Nm 10:35). The judgment that is called for is one that has already been ordained (lit “commanded”) by God. Yahweh is the Judge of all the earth (Gn 18:25) and has promised to judge the whole world (1Sm 2:10; 1Ch 16:33), so this request is in keeping with God’s character and promise. Some identify the assembly of peoples as the divine assembly of angels (82:1); however, “peoples” is most often used of nations and likely represents a gathering of the nations with Yahweh acting as the Judge. This section ends with a request for vindication based on the righteousness and integrity of the person praying (25:21; 26:1). As in the case of 7:3-5, this is not a statement of innocence from all sin but only from conscious sins that would justify this persecution.

7:9-11 Protection, pictured as a shield, is guaranteed by God’s righteousness. The thoughts and emotions are literally “hearts and kidneys,” imagery used to describe the inner parts of man that are not seen. In this case, they refer to inner thoughts and motives. Another text using a similar concept is Ps 139:13 where the idea is that God knows every part of a person; nothing is hidden from him.

7:12-13 The imagery changes from God as a Judge to God as a Warrior. Such an image of God was part of Israel’s history since he was the one who fought for his people (Dt 32:41-42). God was primed and ready to attack (i.e., judge) anyone who remained unrepentant.

7:14-16 The terms pregnant and birth picture the wicked as creating, incubating, and unleashing their evil on the world as if their evils were their children (see Jb 15:35; Is 59:4, and Jms 1:15 for similar imagery). The plots of the wicked backfire (Ps 9:15; 35:8; 57:6; 141:10). This poetic justice is also described in Pr 26:27 and in the apocryphal book Sirach 27:25: “The one throwing a stone upward throws it on his own head.”

7:17 Most High (Hb ‘elyon) as a title for God first occurs in Gn 14:18-22, but it is also used throughout the OT to emphasize God’s sovereignty over all humanity (Dt 32:8; Ps 47:2; Dn 4:17).