The Lord Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.
An
Ode of David, [perhaps in a wild, irregular, enthusiastic strain,] which he sang to the L
ord
concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite.
1 O Lordmy God, in You I take refuge;
Save me and rescue me from all those who pursue me,
2 So that my enemy will not tear me like a lion,
Dragging me away while there is no one to rescue [me].
3 O Lordmy God, if I have done this,
If there is injustice in my hands,
4 If I have done evil to him who was at peace with me,
Or without cause robbed him who was my enemy,
5 Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me;
And let him trample my life to the ground
And lay my honor in the dust. Selah.
6 Arise, O Lord, in Your anger;
Lift up Yourself against the rage of my enemies;
Rise up for me; You have commanded judgmentandvindication.
7 Let the assembly of the nations be gathered around You,
And return on high over them.
8 The Lordjudges the peoples;
Judge me, O Lord,andgrant me justice according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me.
9 Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous [those in right standing with You];
For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.
10 My shieldandmy defense depend on God,
Who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
And a God who is indignant every day.
12 If a man does not repent, God will sharpen His sword;
He has strungandbent His [mighty] bow and made it ready.
13 He has also prepared [other] deadly weapons for Himself;
He makes His arrows fiery shafts [aimed at the unrepentant].
14 Behold, the [wicked and irreverent] man is pregnant with sin,
And he conceives mischief and gives birth to lies.
15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has fallen into the [very] pit which he made [as a trap].
16 His mischief will return on his own head,
And his violence will come down on the top of his head [like loose dirt].
17 I will give thanks to the Lordaccording to His righteousnessandjustice,
And I will sing praise to the name of the LordMost High.