Psalm 7

Prayer for Justice

A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.

1   LORD my God, I seek refuge in you; o

save me from all my pursuers and rescue me p

2   or they L will tear me like a lion,

ripping me apart with no one to rescue me. q

3   LORD my God, if I have done this,

if there is injustice on my hands, r

4   if I have done harm to one at peace with me s

or have plundered M my adversary without cause, t

5   may an enemy pursue and overtake me;

may he trample me to the ground u

and leave my honor in the dust. v    Selah

6   Rise up, LORD, in your anger;

lift yourself up against the fury of my adversaries; w

awake for me; N,x

you have ordained a judgment. y

7   Let the assembly of peoples gather around you; z

take your seat on high over it. a

8   The LORD judges the peoples; b

vindicate me, LORD,

according to my righteousness and my integrity. c

9   Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, d

but establish the righteous. e

The one who examines the thoughts and emotions O

is a righteous God. f

10   My shield is with God, g

who saves the upright in heart. h

11   God is a righteous judge

and a God who shows his wrath every day. i

12   If anyone does not repent,

he will sharpen his sword; j

he has strung his bow and made it ready. k

13   He has prepared his deadly weapons;

he tips his arrows with fire. l

14   See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil,

conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit. m

15   He dug a pit and hollowed it out

but fell into the hole he had made. n

16   His trouble comes back on his own head;

his own violence comes down on top of his head. o

17   I will thank the LORD for his righteousness;

I will sing about the name of the LORD Most High. p