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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 7

Psalm 7 is read especially through the theme of wisdom, within Book I (Psalms 1–41). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

WisdomJusticePraise
Old Testament

Psalm 7

1A meditation by David, which he sang to the LORD, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite. LORD, my God, I take refuge in you. Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,

2lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, ripping it in pieces, while there is no one to deliver.

3LORD, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands,

4if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, I have plundered him who without cause was my adversary),

5let 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.

6Arise, LORD, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgment.

7Let the congregation of the peoples surround you. Rule over them on high.

8The LORD administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, LORD, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me.

9Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God.

10My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.

11God is a righteous judge, yes, a God who has indignation every day.

12If a man doesn’t repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has bent and strung his bow.

13He has also prepared for himself the instruments of death. He makes ready his flaming arrows.

14Behold, he travails with iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought out falsehood.

15He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made.

16The trouble he causes shall return to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.

17I will give thanks to the LORD according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 7

Psalm 7 is read especially through the theme of wisdom, within Book I (Psalms 1–41). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book I (Psalms 1–41). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Wisdom, Justice, Praise. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 7

Psalm 7 contains 17 verses and about 322 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “A meditation by David, which he sang to the LORD, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite. LORD, my God, I take refuge in you. Save me from all those who pursue me…” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 17 closes: “I will give thanks to the LORD according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include righteous, will, pursue, deliver, soul, iniquity. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 7

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 7:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes wisdom, with related themes of Wisdom, Justice, Praise. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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