Psalm 7:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.

NIV: My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.

NASB: My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart.

CSB: My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.

NLT: God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right.

KJV: My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

NKJV: My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart.

A warrior uses his shield to defend himself from attack. In the same way, David believes God defends him against his enemies. The phrase "with God" implies that David is entrusting his defense entirely to the Lord. There may be a physical aspect to this prayer of protection (1 Samuel 24:1–2), but it may also be about slander and lies (Psalm 7:1; 3–5). David is confident that God is the ultimate, righteous Judge (Psalm 7:6–9). David knows he is innocent of those crimes, so he has reason to believe the Lord will vindicate him.

God's deliverance is not always as soon as we would prefer (Habakkuk 1:2–4), but it is always complete. He delivered the Israelites at the Red Sea from the approaching Egyptian cavalry (Exodus 14). The Lord parted the waters so the Israelites could cross safely, but closed them when the Egyptians entered, drowning their army. In the time of Daniel, God delivered Daniel's three friends from a furnace that was heated seven times beyond its normal temperature, and the three men emerged unharmed without even the smell of smoke on them (Daniel 3:19–27). The Lord also delivered Daniel from a den of hungry lions (Daniel 6:19–23).

The Lord defends His people today, as well. Nothing happens without our Lord's permission. As difficult as those experiences may be, they are meant for our good and His glory (John 16:33; Romans 8:18–39).

Psalm 7:6–11 follows the section in which David asked the Lord to vindicate him. This seems to have been a response to slander. Here, he asks God, the righteous Judge, to bring consequences to his wicked enemies. David expresses faith that God sees and is angered by sin and that the Lord serves as David's Protector.

David takes refuge in God and asks to be rescued from those seeking his life. He boldly defends himself from accusations of fraud or plunder. Rather than seek his own revenge, David calls on the Lord to execute judgment. The wicked man plots evil, is full of mischief, and gives birth to lies. However, trouble will come back to strike such a person. His sin and violence will lead to a sinful, violent end. David concludes this psalm by giving thanks and praise to the Lord.

This psalm was written by David. He prays to the Lord, the righteous Judge of the universe, to judge his wicked enemies. David may have written this psalm when he was being pursued by Saul's forces (1 Samuel 24:1–2). Themes expressed by David in 1 Samuel chapter 24 resemble those found in Psalm 7. The accusations he responds to may have come from Cush, mentioned in the psalm's title.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.