Psalm 7 - Appeal to the Righteous Judge

LINK: Psalm 7 
(Compare the New American Standard and The Message versions.)

BACKGROUND 

This poem is a Shiggaion. The meaning is uncertain, but it comes from the root shagah which means "to swerve, meander, reel, or roll."  Consequently, some translators have interpreted this as meaning "a wild, passionate song" (New American Standard Bible margin).

David wrote this psalm in response to Cush, the Benjamite, who was probably one of the men who blindly followed King Saul. David affirmed his innocence before God in response to the slanderous accusation that he was trying to kill Saul and take over as king. We know by his actions in 1 Samuel 24 that he was innocent!  David appealed to God as His righteous Judge!

REFLECTION 

I am such a truth-teller that false accusations really unnerve me. I want to set others straight in the truth of the matter. Last night, I met with a woman who told me that she had taken a course of action based on what she heard me encourage her to do. I was shocked because I would never, in my wildest dreams, encourage her in that direction. So, it was somewhat frustrating to have her insist that I had said that exact thing. In addition, she said that another person had said a similar thing, and this confirmed what I had already said.  I knew this was not what was communicated because that other person had told me that morning what she had said to this woman about the subject. I know this is not a case of false accusation, but it is a person choosing to believe a lie and "hearing what they want to hear."   No amount of convincing would convince her of the truth of what both of us had actually said. So, like David, we went to God asking Him to sort it all out!

This was not like David's situation (and situations I have had in the past), but this woman did believe something false; and like David in Psalm 7, I needed to give it to God to let Him be the Judge and clarify things for her!

APPLICATION 

Are you exhausted from the "fires of falsehood" around you?  Give this to God. Allow Him to be the Judge and rest in Him.

PRAYER 

Pray through Psalm 7. 

See this handout: How to Pray the Psalms