When Enemies Assault Us
O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. O Lord my God, If I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:) 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. 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. So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high. The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate. I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high. Psalm 7:1-17 (KJV)
Some Bibles use the word shiggaion in describing this psalm. It speaks of songs of meditation. Meditate and think upon the words of this psalm.
David wrote this psalm concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite from the tribe of King Saul. We do not know the incident in David’s life that inspired this, but it is known to God. God had David write this song for all who will ever be wronged or the victim of evil spoken against them. It is a prayer and a praise for deliverance from enemies.
When facing adversaries, you can pray and speak this psalm over your situation. Then watch God take care of things. You’ll go from prayer to praise. When people attack us whether with words or in their actions, our first response should be to talk to God rather than retaliate against them.
O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: Psalm 7:1 (KJV)
Talk to God and request His deliverance.
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 Psalm 7:6 (KJV)
Ask Him to arise and judge against the enemy. As we request righteous judgment, God will vindicate us and give us justice.
The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. Psalm 7:8 (KJV)
God Himself will judge. Let Him take care of things; He’ll do a much better job than we can.
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. Psalm 7:9-11 (KJV)
The wicked and their wickedness will be ended. God knows everyone’s heart and motives. God defends us and judges all people, both righteous and unrighteous. God will correct the righteous for their betterment, but He is angry with the wicked, and they will reap what they have sown.
He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate. Psalm 7:15-16 (KJV)
The law of sowing and reaping is in action here. Judgment is simply people reaping that which they have sown. The evil that they meant for others comes back on them. The wickedness of the wicked will return on their own heads.
I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high. Psalm 7:17 (KJV)
David praises God because the Lord made things right for him.God vindicated all that David suffered from his enemies and recompensed, or paid him back, for it. He recieved much more than what his enemies did to him.
In this psalm, David begins in prayer and ends in praise. We must pray to the Lord when attacked, and praise Him for dealing with our attackers. He is the Lord Most High. He is above it all and rules over all, so know that the Lord will deliver you and make things right.
