Psalm 7

A Prayer for Fairness

1 Lord my God, I trust in you for protection. Save me and rescue me from those who are chasing me.

2 Otherwise, like a lion they will tear me apart. They will rip me to pieces, and no one can save me.

3 Lord my God, what have I done? Have my hands done something wrong?

4 Have I done wrong to my friend or stolen without reason from my enemy?

5 If I have, let my enemy chase me and capture me. Let him trample me into the dust and bury me in the ground. Selah

6 Lord, rise up in your anger; stand up against my enemies’ anger. Get up and demand fairness.

7 Gather the nations around you and rule them from above.

8 Lord, judge the people. Lord, defend me because I am right, because I have done no wrong, God Most High.

9 God, you do what is right. You know our thoughts and feelings.
Stop those wicked actions done by evil people, and help those who do what is right.

10 God protects me like a shield; he saves those whose hearts are right.

11 God judges by what is right, and God is always ready to punish the wicked.

12 If they do not change their lives, God will sharpen his sword; he will string his bow and take aim.

13 He has prepared his deadly weapons; he has made his flaming arrows.

14 There are people who think up evil and plan trouble and tell lies.

15 They dig a hole to trap others, but they will fall into it themselves.

16 They will get themselves into trouble; the violence they cause will hurt only themselves.
17 I praise the Lord because he does what is right. I sing praises to the Lord Most High.

Psalm 7

A musical composition by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning3 a Benjaminite named Cush.4

1 O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter.
Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!

2 Otherwise they will rip me to shreds like a lion;
they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me.

3 O Lord my God, if I have done what they say,
or am guilty of unjust actions,

4 or have wronged my ally,
or helped his lawless enemy,

5 may an enemy relentlessly chase me and catch me;
may he trample me to death
and leave me lying dishonored in the dust. (Selah)

6 Stand up angrily,Lord!
Rise up with raging fury against my enemies!
Wake up for my sake and execute the judgment you have decreed for them!

7 The countries are assembled all around you;
take once more your rightful place over them!

8 The Lord judges the nations.
Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent,
because I am blameless, O Exalted One!

9 May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end!
But make the innocent secure,
O righteous God,
you who examine inner thoughts and motives!

10 The Exalted God is my shield,
the one who delivers the morally upright.

11 God is a just judge;
he is angry throughout the day.

12 If a person does not repent, God sharpens his sword
and prepares to shoot his bow.

13 He prepares to use deadly weapons against him;
he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows.

14 See the one who is pregnant with wickedness,
who conceives destructive plans,
and gives birth to harmful lies –

15 he digs a pit
and then falls into the hole he has made.

16 He becomes the victim of his own destructive plans
and the violence he intended for others falls on his own head.

17 I will thank the Lord for his justice;
I will sing praises to the sovereign Lord!