Psalm 7 comments: in thee do I put my trust

 

Psalm 7:1 ¶  «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: 2  Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. 3  O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be 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:) 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. 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. 7  So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou 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. 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.

 

I couldn’t find Cush the Benjamite referenced anywhere else. However, from the tone of this passage it may be that Cush criticized or cursed David accusing him of sin and iniquity. Considering the circumstances around the Uriah the Hittite murder and appropriation of Bathsheba we can find this appeal hard to accept. David was certainly worthy of criticism for his sins. But, this appears to be a very dangerous event for David who is concerned about his soul being torn like a lion would.

 

In the Old Testament, before Christ’s resurrection the soul and the body are often spoken of as sharing the same fate. As an example see Ezekiel

 

Ezekiel 18:4  Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die…20  The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

 

See what Christ said;

 

Matthew 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

This is not to suggest soul sleep or the containment of the soul in the grave.

 

But when Christ rose from the dead those who believed had the flesh and soul cleaved asunder so that the soul does not suffer with the flesh.

 

Colossians 2:11  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

David is concerned about being persecuted and pleads for deliverance before it is too late.

 

With regard to prophecy I don’t see that as about Christ because of the question of sin in verses 3 and 4 but I do see it as a prophecy for those suffering souls in the Tribulation to come as laid out in Revelation. Their pleas and their suffering would be monumental.

 

For us, right now, we can see this as a reference to Satan and spiritual evil forces that work against us as well as a reference to those who hate us for being followers of Christ. I have learned the hard way that there are people who will reject you without knowing you simply because they learn you are a Christian in belief.

 

Psalm 7:10 ¶  My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. 11  God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. 12  If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. 13  He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. 14  Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15  He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. 16  His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate. 17  I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

 

In verse 10 David acknowledges that his defense if of God and makes the statement that God saves the upright in heart. As we have studied previously for Bible Study the vast majority of the time saved or salvation is used in the Bible it refers to temporal, physical safety and deliverance from danger not eternal life. David believes what Job’s friends believed, that nothing bad should happen to a good person. He believes this in spite of some of his troubles with Saul.

 

Verse 11 is a true statement about God’s wrath on those who work against His purposes of reconciling as much of mankind as will to Himself. David has seen the wicked fall and he knows from Scripture God’s wrath with the wicked. Consider the entire text of the Law and understand that it is God, not we, who determine what righteousness and what wickedness are. David has experienced this close-up.

 

Verses 12 and 13 talk about what will happen to the wicked plotter of 14 through 16 in David’s mind, in his spirit.

 

Verse 17 is a clear statement that one reason David can praise God is because God is righteous and Jehovah is the highest authority there is. David understands God’s sovereignty. David is confident in God’s righteousness and in His power and authority.

 

From a prophetic standpoint it is clear that among other interpretations you can apply this to the enemies of Christ throughout history who will be judged by Christ and their own persecution will come back on their own heads. As an example see where their evil gets Satan, the Beast, and his False Prophet;

 

Revelation 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

 

For us personally in our day to day lives this is a prayer not unlike David’s context. We pray for protection from those who would persecute and harm us. We might not pray that their evil falls back upon their own pate, or head, but that God’s understanding and wisdom would come to them and they might be saved. We might even face someone in the church who is the malefactor. We pray for protection and for wisdom in how to respond to situations. We can also apply this prayer to Satan’s and the unseen spiritual world’s actions against us as was revealed in the book of Job. We pray to God for mercy and that their arrows are turned back on those evil but unseen forces.