Psalm 7

Psa 7:1

SUPERSCRIPTION: "A SHIGGAION OF DAVID, WHICH HE SANG TO THE LORD CONCERNING CUSH, A BENJAMITE": The plural, "Shigionoth", occurs in Hab 3:1. "To cry aloud, or to roar" (as a lion: cp v 2 here), either because of pain or danger. "Cush" sig "black". Who was "Cush the Benjamite"? Perhaps Saul (of Benjamin: 1Sa 9:1,2), because of the blackness of his moods or his (later) character (1Sa 20:1; 23:23; 26:18,19). Cp name of Saul's father, Kish (1Sa 9:1).

OUTLINE: Vv 1-10 are a personal appeal to God in time of trouble, and vv 11-17 are a general statement about the judgments of God.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: A special persecutor in mind ("he"/"him" of vv 2,4,5). Prob Saul, who suffered the same fate at the hand of the Philistines (vv 12,13) which he had planned for David (vv 15,16; 1Sa 18:17-25). "Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him." David, meanwhile, was saved by the Philistines (1Sa 27:1-3).

I TAKE REFUGE IN YOU: "Find shelter" (NEB), as in the caves of Adullam or the strongholds of Engedi.

PURSUE: "Persecute" (AV), sw 1Sa 24:14.

Psa 7:2

The ref to a lion recalls David's earlier, shepherd experiences: 1Sa 17:34-37.

NO ONE TO RESCUE ME: That is, without human help: Isa 59:16; 63:5.

Psa 7:3

Vv 3-5: David declares his innocence in regard to Saul. Notice the coincidental use of "hands" here and in 1Sa 24:9-11. See also 1Sa 26:8,9,17-20.

Re Christ: the protest of innocence here and in v 8, as in Jo 8:46: "What man can convict me of any sin?" (cp also Joh 10:32; 1Pe 2:23). Yet Christ finds himself surrounded by enemies, and so he calls on the Father to arise and judge his enemies.

"Blessed are you when people persecute you" (Mat 5:11).

Psa 7:4

MY FOE: Saul, when it was in David's power to kill him: 1Sa 24:7; 26:9.

Psa 7:5

LET HIM TRAMPLE MY LIFE TO THE GROUND: The manner in which the vanquished were often treated in battle, when they were ridden over by horses and chariots, and crushed into the dust.

SLEEP IN THE DUST: Death and burial of Christ.

See Lesson, Selah.

Psa 7:6

A plea to God to awake and to arise. No longer must He merely sit and watch; He must now stand and intervene on behalf of His servant. This appeal to God to break His silence and act openly is found in the other "winepress" psalms also (Psa 80:1; 83:1).

The vindication that Christ sought was found at last in his resurrection (Rom 1:4; Joh 12:31,32; Act 17:31 -- cp with Psa 7:8).

Psa 7:8

Parallel to 1Sa 24:12,15 (spoken by David to Saul): "The Lord therefore judge between me and you."

Only Christ could say, with absolute assurance: "Judge me according to my righteousness."

Psa 7:9

THE VIOLENCE OF THE WICKED: The counterpart of the "proverb of the ancients" in 1Sa 24:13: "Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked."

MINDS AND HEARTS: Lit "hearts and reins" (AV) = respectively, the minds (seat of intellect: Gen 6:5; 8:21; Psa 51:10; Jer 3:17; etc.) and the inward parts (seat of emotions: Jer 17:10; 20:12). Both these are in ct to the outward appearance (1Sa 16:7).

Psa 7:10

SHIELD: "Buckler" (AV mg). "Zinnah", a large shield (cp Psa 35:2).

Psa 7:11

A GOD WHO EXPRESSES HIS WRATH EVERY DAY: ..."if a man does not repent" (NIV mg, v 12). V 11b and v 12a belong together.

Psa 7:12

Vv 12,13: The bow and the sword were both used to slay Saul (1Sa 31:3,4)! The arrows of the aliens were in fact God's arrows, "made ready" by Him against David's enemy Saul.

STRING: "Make ready" (AV) is lit "set upright" or "fix". Cp Deu 32:41,42.

Psa 7:13

HE MAKES READY HIS FLAMING ARROWS: The AV adds "against his persecutors". Or, "He directs His arrows against fiery ones" -- cp Paul's ironic twist in Eph 6:16: "the fiery darts of the wicked".

Psa 7:14

The language of child-bearing in connection with lust and sin is echoed by James (Jam 1:13-15). So wicked men bring forth "children" after their own "likeness" (Gal 5:19-21; Rom 1:29-31; 1Co 6:9,10), and are thus known by their "fruits" (Mat 7:16,20). The melancholy litany of birth, procreation, and death in Gen 5 ("and then he died") is the result of Adam's "likeness" being distorted, in his descendants, into the likeness of the serpent.

Psa 7:15

Vv 15,16: The mental picture is of a malevolent and secretive adversary working furiously to excavate a deep hole for the righteous servant of the Lord to fall into. Instead, what happens is that the enormous mound of earth which he has thrown up slides back on top of him. Thus he digs his own grave, and buries himself! In addition, of course, to Saul, cp also Haman, hanged on the very gallows he had prepared for Mordecai (Est 7:10; some evidence that Psa 7 was traditionally sung at Purim). Also, see Num 32:23; Psa 9:15; Pro 26:27.

Christ's masterful ability to turn the subtle questions of the Pharisees and Sadducees back upon their own heads. And Judas, who plotted the arrest of his Master, found in the end his own suicide (Mat 27:3-10; Act 1:15-20).

Psa 7:16

ON HIS OWN HEAD: The rich fool Nabal, whose wickedness was returned upon his own head (1Sa 25:39), but not by David's hand, during the wilderness sojourn. "Curses are like young chickens, they always come home to roost" (CHS).

Psa 7:17

SUBSCRIPTION: "FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. ACCORDING TO GITTITH": "The winepress" (as in Psa 7; 80; 83; Jdg 6:11; Neh 13:15). The "winepress" psalms were to be sung in the autumn, in connection with the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev 23:39-43). The treading of grapes was a figure of harvest joy (Isa 16:10) and a symbol of divine judgment (Isa 63:3-6).