What does Psalm 7:14 mean?
The Hebrew of this verse is somewhat tricky to translate, leading to different opinions on how it should be rendered in English. The general message is the same, regardless of those choices. Those who are evil have injustice lurking in their lives. They invent trouble and bring about deception and more evil. The metaphor between sin and pregnancy is repeated in other Scriptures (Job 15:35; Isaiah 59:13).The ESV presents a clever—if biting—metaphor creating a direct line of evil through conception, pregnancy, and birth. This does not follow the literal order of the Hebrew words, but it does match their sense. Looking for trouble—seeking selfish, ungodly things—leads naturally to injustice, which leads to even more lies and evil. This closely resembles comments made by James. He noted the progression of sin from desire to conception to birth to maturity. He writes: "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (James 1:14–15). Sinning begins with evil thoughts and results in wicked deeds.
Other translations, such as the NASB, refer to the same ideas but in a less linear way. This is more strictly accurate to the order of the words in Hebrew.
David is referring to his enemies who slandered him and plotted to destroy him. This may have been Cush, the Benjaminite (Psalm 7:1), though Scripture does not say so directly.
