Psalm 7 to Sing

Modified from A.D.1650 Scot Presbyterian Psalter by me. The "swrb" link below includes the original 1650 Scot Psalter so you can compare it with my version, use it, decide whether to buy a printed copy...(You'll have to scroll down a bit to find the Psalter itself.)

Note: after the statement "God is a righteous judge," verse 11 of Psalm 7, I take the descriptions of anger to apply to the evil man, the enemy, and not to God; some versions think the description of the evildoer doesn't start until verse 14. One reason I think this way is that David is talking to, or clearly about, God, at the beginning of the psalm; God is "you" and the enemy is "he." So in the middle of the Psalm "he" can be the enemy--"he" at a distance, versus God with whom David is more closely involved: God is my shield, he saves the upright in heart, he is a righteous judge! And he--the bad guy--is angry every day, etc. Another reason is that the description of anger from 11-b to 13 fits smoothly into the description of the anger of the wicked from verse 14 on. However, I will supply an alternative version of the relevant stanzas for those who think 11-b through 13 describes God rather than the wicked. (Since the wicked are men created in God's image, and some wickedness exaggerates good things or fails to balance them, and since God does sometimes use bad men to punish other men, I suppose the wrath of the wicked is not completely different from the wrath of God.)

Common meter. One tune that works is "Evan," 23A in The Book of Psalms for Singing or #77 tune 1 in the old "Trinity Hymnal."

Note on the headings of the Psalms: James B. Jordan says Robert Dick Wilson of blessed memory says the headings (e.g. "Psalm of David") are original; so I include them.

The erring one, by David, that he sang to Jehovah concerning the words of Cush a Benjamite.

Jehovah my God, in you I've
My confidence reposed;
Save me from my pursuers all
Deliver me from foes

Lest that the enemy my soul
Should like a lion tear
In pieces rending it and there
Is no deliverer.

Jehovah my God, if it be
That I committed this--
If it be so that in my hands
Iniquity there is--

If I did evil unto him
That wish-ed well to me
And yanked the man that without cause
Was my adversary

Then let the foe pursue and take
My soul, and my life thrust
Down to the earth and let him lay
My honor in the dust.

Selah.

Rise O Jehovah in your wrath
Lift up at my foes an-
ger, and wake up for me; judgment
You have commanded, Lord.

And round you group a company
Of peoples, grouped 'round thee.
Thou therefore for their sakes turn back
Unto your place on high.

Jehovah doth the peoples judge
My judge, Jehovah, be
As per my righteousness and my
Integrity in me.

The wicked's evil, let it end;
Establish steadfastly
The righteous, and the righteous God
The hearts and reins doth try.

My shield on God; he savior is verse 10
Of those upright in heart;
God is a righteous judge! My foe verse 11
From anger does not part.

If he does not turn and repent verse 12
Then sharpens he his sword
His bow he has already bent
Yes, he prepares his bow.

He also for himself prepared
The instruments of death;
His burning arrows he to use
As hot pursuers makes.

Hey look! He with iniquity
Travails as in birth;
Perverseness he conceiv-ed has
And falsehood has brought forth.

A pit he has prepared; he digs
Another man to take
And himself falls into the ditch
Which he himself doth make.

His own perverseness on his head
Returns as to its home
His violent dealing also doth
On his own crown come down.

According to His righteousness
Jehovah I do thank
And I sing praise to the name of
Jehovah, God most high.

Alternative version for verses 10-12 (marked above):

My shield on God; he Savior is
Of those upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge, and he
Is angry at all times.

If he does not return again
Then sharpens he his sword
His bow he has already bent;
Yes, he prepares his bow.