Corpus Psalterium · Vol. I
Psalm VII (7)
Cantillated — Lament Vindication
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 7 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
A meditation by David, which he sang to Yahweh, concerning the words of Cush, the Benjamite.
שִׁגָּי֗וֹן לְדָ֫וִ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֥ר לַיהוָ֑ה עַל־דִּבְרֵי־כ֝֗וּשׁ בֶּן־יְמִינִֽי׃
Yahweh, my God, I take refuge in you. Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me,
יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי בְּךָ֣ חָסִ֑יתִי הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי מִכָּל־רֹ֝דְפַ֗י וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
lest they tear apart my soul like a lion, ripping it in pieces, while there is no one to deliver.
פֶּן־יִטְרֹ֣ף כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י פֹּ֝רֵ֗ק וְאֵ֣ין מַצִּֽיל׃
Yahweh, my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hands,
יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי אִם־עָשִׂ֣יתִי זֹ֑את אִֽם־יֶשׁ־עָ֥וֶל בְּכַפָּֽי׃
if I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, I have plundered him who without cause was my adversary),
אִם־גָּ֭מַלְתִּי שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥י רָ֑ע וָאֲחַלְּצָ֖ה צוֹרְרִ֣י רֵיקָֽם׃
let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; yes, let him tread my life down to the earth, and lay my glory in the dust. Selah.
יִֽרַדֹּ֥ף אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀ נַפְשִׁ֡י וְיַשֵּׂ֗ג וְיִרְמֹ֣ס לָאָ֣רֶץ חַיָּ֑י וּכְבוֹדִ֓י ׀ לֶעָפָ֖ר יַשְׁכֵּ֣ן סֶֽלָה׃
Arise, Yahweh, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgment.
ק֘וּמָ֤ה יְהוָ֨ה ׀ בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ הִ֭נָּשֵׂא בְּעַבְר֣וֹת צוֹרְרָ֑י וְע֥וּרָה אֵ֝לַ֗י מִשְׁפָּ֥ט צִוִּֽיתָ׃
Let the congregation of the peoples surround you. Rule over them on high.
וַעֲדַ֣ת לְ֭אֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶ֑ךָּ וְ֝עָלֶ֗יהָ לַמָּר֥וֹם שֽׁוּבָה׃
Yahweh administers judgment to the peoples. Judge me, Yahweh, according to my righteousness, and to my integrity that is in me.
יְהוָה֮ יָדִ֪ין עַ֫מִּ֥ים שָׁפְטֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֑ה כְּצִדְקִ֖י וּכְתֻמִּ֣י עָלָֽי׃
Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; their minds and hearts are searched by the righteous God.
יִגְמָר־נָ֬א רַ֨ע ׀ רְשָׁעִים֮ וּתְכוֹנֵ֪ן צַ֫דִּ֥יק וּבֹחֵ֣ן לִ֭בּ֗וֹת וּכְלָי֗וֹת אֱלֹהִ֥ים צַדִּֽיק׃
My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
מָֽגִנִּ֥י עַל־אֱלֹהִ֑ים מ֝וֹשִׁ֗יעַ יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃
God is a righteous judge, yes, a God who has indignation every day.
אֱ֭לֹהִים שׁוֹפֵ֣ט צַדִּ֑יק וְ֝אֵ֗ל זֹעֵ֥ם בְּכָל־יֽוֹם׃
If a man doesn’t repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has bent and strung his bow.
אִם־לֹ֣א יָ֭שׁוּב חַרְבּ֣וֹ יִלְט֑וֹשׁ קַשְׁתּ֥וֹ דָ֝רַ֗ךְ וַֽיְכוֹנְנֶֽהָ׃
He has also prepared for himself the instruments of death. He makes ready his flaming arrows.
וְ֭לוֹ הֵכִ֣ין כְּלֵי־מָ֑וֶת חִ֝צָּ֗יו לְֽדֹלְקִ֥ים יִפְעָֽל׃
Behold, he travails with iniquity. Yes, he has conceived mischief, and brought out falsehood.
הִנֵּ֥ה יְחַבֶּל־אָ֑וֶן וְהָרָ֥ה עָ֝מָ֗ל וְיָ֣לַד שָֽׁקֶר׃
He has dug a hole, and has fallen into the pit which he made.
בּ֣וֹר כָּ֭רָֽה וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ וַ֝יִּפֹּ֗ל בְּשַׁ֣חַת יִפְעָֽל׃
The trouble he causes shall return to his own head. His violence shall come down on the crown of his own head.
יָשׁ֣וּב עֲמָל֣וֹ בְרֹאשׁ֑וֹ וְעַ֥ל קָ֝דְקֳד֗וֹ חֲמָס֥וֹ יֵרֵֽד׃
I will give thanks to Yahweh according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of Yahweh Most High.
אוֹדֶ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה כְּצִדְק֑וֹ וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה שֵֽׁם־יְהוָ֥ה עֶלְיֽוֹן׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
O Lord my God
in You I take refuge
Save me
from all who pursue me
Rescue me
or they will tear me
like a lion
Ripping me apart
with no one to deliver
O Lord my God
If I have done this
If there is injustice
in my hands
If I have repaid
my friend with evil
or plundered my enemy
without cause
Then let my enemy pursue me
Let him overtake me
Let him trample my life
to the ground
And lay my glory
in the dust
Arise, O Lord
in Your anger
Lift Yourself up
against the fury
of my enemies
Awake for me
You have appointed
judgment
Let the assembly of the peoples
gather around You
Take Your seat
on high
The Lord judges the nations
Judge me, O Lord
according to my righteousness
according to my integrity
Let the evil of the wicked
come to an end
Establish the righteous
You who test the heart
and the mind
O righteous God
My shield is with God
He saves the upright
in heart
God is a righteous judge
A God who feels indignation
every day
If a man does not turn
God sharpens His sword
He bends His bow
and makes it ready
He prepares
weapons of death
He makes His arrows
blazing
Behold, the wicked conceives evil
He is pregnant with trouble
He gives birth to lies
He digs a pit
He falls into the hole
he has made
His trouble returns
on his own head
His violence falls
on himself
Arise, O Lord
judge the earth
Arise, O Lord
set it right
I will give thanks
to the Lord
according to His righteousness
I will sing praise
to the name
of the Lord Most High
O Lord Most High
O Lord Most High
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.