Psalms · King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Psalm 7 King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Psalm titles are printed as the start of verse 1.
1 Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
1 A meditation by David, which he sang to Yahweh, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite. Yahweh, my God, I take refuge in you. Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,
2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending [it] in pieces, while [there is] none to deliver.
2 lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, ripping it in pieces, while there is no one to deliver.
3 O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
3 Yahweh, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands,
4 If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)
4 if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, I have plundered him who without cause was my adversary),
5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take [it;] yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.
5 let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; yes, let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust. Selah.
6 Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me [to] the judgment [that] thou hast commanded.
6 Arise, Yahweh, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgment.
7 So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high.
7 Let the congregation of the peoples surround you. Rule over them on high.
8 The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity [that is] in me.
8 Yahweh administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me.
9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God.
10 My defence [is] of God, which saveth the upright in heart.
10 My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry [with the wicked] every day.
11 God is a righteous judge, yes, a God who has indignation every day.
12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
12 If a man doesn’t repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has bent and strung his bow.
13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
13 He has also prepared for himself the instruments of death. He makes ready his flaming arrows.
14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
14 Behold, he travails with iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought out falsehood.
15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch [which] he made.
15 He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made.
16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
16 The trouble he causes shall return to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.
17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
17 I will give thanks to Yahweh according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Cush
A Benjamite named in the title of Psalm 7, which David sang to the LORD concerning his words.
Cited in the guide: Psalm 7:1
Cross references (17)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 31:15; Habakkuk 3:1; 1 Peter 4:19; Psalm 18:2; Psalm 35:1–3
- 2 Psalm 50:22; 2 Timothy 4:17; Isaiah 38:13; 1 Peter 5:8; Deuteronomy 33:20
- 3 1 Samuel 24:11; 1 Samuel 26:18–19; Psalm 59:3; Job 11:14; Joshua 22:22
- 4 1 Samuel 24:17–19; Psalm 55:20; Jeremiah 18:20–21; Psalm 109:5; 1 Samuel 24:7
- 5 Malachi 4:3; Psalm 44:5; Psalm 49:12; Jeremiah 17:13; Psalm 3:2
- 6 Psalm 35:23; Psalm 44:23; Isaiah 33:10; Psalm 3:7; Psalm 138:7
- 7 Revelation 19:2; Revelation 18:20; Revelation 16:5–7; Psalm 138:6; Psalm 113:5–6
- 8 Psalm 96:13; Romans 14:10–12; 2 Corinthians 1:12; Psalm 43:1; Psalm 98:9
- 9 Jeremiah 17:10; Jeremiah 11:20; Jeremiah 20:12; 1 Chronicles 28:9; 1 Samuel 16:7
- 10 Psalm 125:4; Psalm 84:11; Genesis 15:1; Proverbs 28:18; Proverbs 2:21
- 11 Nahum 1:2; Nahum 1:6; Psalm 7:8; Psalm 94:15; Psalm 140:12–13
- 12 Acts 3:19; Matthew 3:10; Isaiah 55:6–7; Deuteronomy 32:41; Psalm 85:4
- 13 2 Thessalonians 1:6; Habakkuk 3:13; Revelation 6:10; Revelation 16:6; Psalm 64:7
- 14 Job 15:35; James 1:15; Isaiah 33:11; Job 15:20; Isaiah 59:4–5
- 15 Job 4:8; Psalm 141:10; Proverbs 26:27; Ecclesiastes 10:8–9; Psalm 35:7–8
- 16 Esther 9:25; Psalm 37:12–13; 1 Kings 2:32; 1 Samuel 28:19; 1 Samuel 24:12–13
- 17 Psalm 9:2; Psalm 98:2; Psalm 71:15–16; Psalm 111:3; Psalm 92:8
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Now the story which gave occasion to this prophecy may be easily recognised in the second book of Kings. For there Chusi, the friend of king David, went over to the side of Abessalon, his son, who was carrying on war against his father, for the purpose of discovering and reporting the designs which he was taking against his father, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
But that it belongs to God only to know men's secrets, hear what saith the prophet, "Thou most entirely alone knowest the hearts;" and again, "God trieth the hearts and reins; " and Jeremiah too saith, "The heart is deep above all things, and it is man, and who shall know him?" and, "Man shall look on the face, but …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… for a faithful man it is hard to find: not that thou shouldest shew thy conscience to me, for thou art not to be judged of man's judgment; but that thou shew the sincerity of thy faith to God, who trieth the reins and hearts, and knoweth the thoughts of men.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)