Psalm 7:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.

NIV: Let the LORD judge the peoples. Vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.

NASB: The Lord judges the peoples; Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.

CSB: The Lord judges the peoples; vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity.

NLT: The Lord judges the nations. Declare me righteous, O Lord, for I am innocent, O Most High!

KJV: The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

NKJV: The Lord shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, And according to my integrity within me.

David acknowledges God's role as the ultimate judge of all people; he appeals to the Lord to judge him. This is not a request to be taken lightly (Matthew 7:1–2). In this case, David knows the terrible accusations of his enemies are entirely false (Psalm 7:1–5). Rather than take revenge himself, he is calling on God to bring consequences to those who have attacked him (Psalm 7:6–7).

David did not claim to be perfect or sinless (Psalm 32:1–5; 51:1). Rather, he placed his life before the Lord as evidence of his uprightness and honesty. He was sensitive to sin and endeavored to avoid it by obeying God's Word. David writes in Psalm 19:9–14: "the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."

In response to David's righteous and honest lifestyle, the Lord said, "I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will" (Acts 13:22).

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.