성경 주석서

The Psalmist is assailed by ruthless enemies who are bent upon taking his life, charging him with heinous crimes. He solemnly protests entire innocence, and appeals to God as the supreme Judge to vindicate his cause.

The title gives a clue to the circumstances under which the Psalm was written. It is called “Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush a Benjamite.” Shiggaion (see Introd. p. xx) probably denotes a poem of passionate ecstatic character, written under the influence of strong emotion, and reflecting its origin in its form.

Cush is not mentioned elsewhere. It is plain however that he was one of those fellow tribesmen and close adherents of Saul, who insinuated that David was intriguing against the king’s life (1 Samuel 22:8) and by their baseless calumnies further inflamed his already irritated mind. Of such slanderers David complains in 1 Samuel 24:9; 1 Samuel 26:19. Cush is simply a proper name not otherwise known to us. There is no reason for taking it to mean a Cushite or Ethiopian (super verba Aethiopis, Jerome); or as a by-name for Saul himself as a black-hearted man (though the identification of Cush with Saul is as old as the Targum); still less for identifying Cush with Shimei.

The fact that Cush is not elsewhere mentioned shews that the title is of great antiquity. It comes, if not from David himself, at least from an editor who possessed fuller information about David’s history, either in still living tradition, or in writings such as those mentioned in 1 Chronicles 29:29.

The Psalm belongs then to that period of David’s life, when he was hunted from place to place by Saul; and it strikingly reflects the characteristic feelings of that time as they are portrayed in the Book of Samuel. 1 Samuel 21-26, especially 24 and 26, should be read in illustration of it. Compare particularly the reference to slanders in the title with 1 Samuel 24:9; 1 Samuel 26:19 : the virulence of persecution described in Psalm 7:1-2 with 1 Samuel 20:1; 1 Samuel 20:31; 1 Samuel 23:15, &c.: the protestations of innocence in Psalm 7:3-4 with 1 Samuel 20:1; 1 Samuel 24:10-11; 1 Samuel 24:17; 1 Samuel 26:18; 1 Samuel 26:23-24 : the appeal to God as Judge in Psalm 7:6; Psalm 7:8 with 1 Samuel 24:12; 1 Samuel 24:15.

The energy and vigour of the Psalm correspond to the circumstances. Pressing danger, the rankling sense of injustice, a strong faith in the judicial righteousness of God, are its inspiring motives.

Ancient Jewish tradition prescribes it for use on the feast of Purim.

The Psalm falls into two principal divisions, the first mainly personal, the second general:

i. David’s prayer for God’s intervention on his behalf, Psalm 7:1-10.

After an appeal setting forth the urgency of his need (Psalm 7:1-2) and a solemn protestation of his innocence of the crimes laid to his charge (Psalm 7:3-5), David prays God to appear as Judge, and publicly do him justice (Psa 676–8). A prayer for the triumph of righteousness, and a confident expression of trust in God, (Psalm 7:9-10) close the first part, and form the transition to the second part.

ii. The judicial activity of God, Psalm 7:11-17.

God unceasingly executes vengeance on the wicked (Psalm 7:11-13); and wickedness works its own punishment (Psalm 7:14-16). Concluding ascription of praise to Jehovah for this manifestation of His righteousness (Psalm 7:17).

1. in thee do I put my trust] In thee have I taken refuge. See note on Psalm 2:12, and comp. the opening words of Psalms 11, 16, 31, 57, 71; and Psalm 141:8. David has put himself under Jehovah’s protection, and appeals to Him on the ground of this covenant relationship between them. In thee is emphatic.

all them that persecute me] R.V., all them that pursue me. Saul and his followers. Cp. 1 Samuel 23:28; 1 Samuel 24:14; 1 Samuel 25:29; 1 Samuel 26:18.

1, 2. The Psalmist’s cry for help, based on Jehovah’s relation to him.

2. His enemies are many, but one is conspicuous above all for merciless ferocity. Cush, or perhaps Saul himself, is meant (1 Samuel 20:1). For the simile cp. Psalm 10:9, Psalm 17:12, Psalm 22:13; Psalm 22:21.

my soul] My life: me regarded as a living individual.

3. if I have done this] ‘This’ refers to the crimes of which he was falsely accused by Cush, and is further explained in the two following lines.

if there be iniquity in my hands] Wrong as the opposite of right: what is crooked and distorted: a different word from that used in Psalm 7:14 and in Psalm 5:5. Compare the closely similar language of David’s protest in 1 Samuel 24:11, “Know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand:” and 1 Samuel 26:18, “What have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?”

3–5. The appeal for help is supported by a solemn protestation of innocence. If he is guilty of the crimes laid to his charge, may he be surrendered to the utmost fury of his enemies.

4. If I have rewarded evil &c.] If I have been guilty of unprovoked outrage, such, it is perhaps implied, as that of which Saul is guilty toward me (1 Samuel 24:17). This is probably right; but another possible rendering deserves mention: If I have requited him that rewarded me evil; i.e. taken revenge into my own hands. Cp. David’s solemn disclaimer of such conduct in 1 Samuel 24:12.

Yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy] R.V., him that without cause was mine adversary, as in Psalm 7:6. See on Psalm 6:7. The clause is a parenthesis, asserting that his conduct had been the very opposite of that which was attributed to him. Far from committing unprovoked outrages, he had saved the life of his enemy, and that though the enemy’s hostility to him was causeless. The words refer to the occasions in the cave and in the camp, when David prevented his followers from taking Saul’s life (1 Samuel 24:4 ff; 1 Samuel 26:8 ff.). The construction is bold, but it is thoroughly in keeping with the style of the Psalm, with its passionate protestations of innocence; and there is no need to adopt an unsupported meaning of the word for ‘deliver,’ and render, not as a parenthesis but in direct continuation of the preceding clause, and have spoiled him that without cause was mine adversary, with a supposed reference to 1 Samuel 24:4-5, or Psalm 26:11 : or to alter the text by transposing two letters, so as to mean: and oppressed mine adversary without cause.

5. Render:

Let an enemy pursue my soul and overtake it;

Yea, trample my life to the ground,

And make my glory to dwell in the dust.

With the first line comp. Exodus 15:9, echoed again in Psalm 18:37. The last line might mean only, ‘degrade my dignity, treat me with insult and ignominy;’ but the parallelism of ‘my soul,’ ‘my life,’ ‘my glory,’ is decisive in favour of interpreting ‘my glory’ to mean ‘my soul, as in Psalm 16:9; Psalm 30:12; Psalm 57:8. The ‘soul’ is so designated either as the noblest part of man, or as the image of the divine glory. ‘The dust’ will then be ‘the dust of death.’ Cp. Psalm 22:15; and the exact parallel ‘dwellers in the dust,’ Isaiah 26:19. David then invokes death by an enemy’s hand if he is guilty, and death, as the language implies, with every circumstance of violence and disgrace.

6. Arise … lift up thyself … awake] Cp. Psalm 3:7, Psalm 9:19, Psalm 10:12, Psalm 44:23, Psalm 94:2, and many similar invocations; couched in human language, as though God could be an otiose spectator, or even like a sentinel negligently slumbering on his watch, though the Psalmists well knew that Israel’s watchman neither slumbered nor slept (Psalm 121:3-4).

in thine anger] Cp. Psalm 6:1. Holiness and Justice can only be manifested as anger in their judicial relation to sin and wrong.

because of the rage of mine enemies] Or, against the ragings of mine adversaries.

and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded] The R.V., and awake for me; thou hast commanded judgement, represents the abruptness of the original. The exact turn of the thought is obscure. Perhaps, with a sudden intuition of faith, David realises that his prayer for God’s interposition is answered, and, so to speak, the commission issued for holding the assize which he proceeds to describe in Psalm 7:7-8. Or the words may give the ground of his prayer: ‘arise, inasmuch as judgement is Thy ordinance and function’ (Genesis 18:25).

6–8. Conscious of his integrity, David appeals to Jehovah, as the Judge of the world, to hold an assize, and vindicate his innocence.

7. Render:

And let the assembly of peoples come round about thee:

And over it return thou on high.

The judgement scene. The Psalmist prays that ‘the peoples’ may be summoned to stand round the tribunal. It is a general summons. No distinction is made between Israel and other nations. Jehovah is exercising His judicial functions in their fullest extent as the Judge of all the earth.

The second line is difficult. There is much authority in favour of the interpretation, ‘Return to heaven, when the judgement is finished, soaring away above the vast throng and vanishing to Thy abode on high, thus proving that Thou art the supreme Judge of all.’

This explanation no doubt presents a grand poetic picture; but it is clearly untenable, for no mention has yet been made of the judgement, and Psalm 7:8 goes on to speak of it as in progress. It is best (if the Massoretic text is retained) to explain: ‘once more occupy the throne of judgement above the assembly, resume the judicial functions which seem for a time to have been abandoned.’ But it is doubtful if the word ‘return’ fairly yields this sense, and it is probable that we should change the vowel points, and read sit instead of return. ‘Over it take Thy seat on high’ upon the throne of judgement, gives precisely the sense needed by the context. Comp. the parallels in the closely related Psalms 9, vv4, 7.