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2015 February 8



The First Two Ditches of Hell from Dante's Divina Commedia (1480s)
Sandro Botticelli (c. 1445 - 1510)
Italian Renaissance Style; Florentine School
Staatliche Museen, Berlin, Germany
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art


     Explanation: In Psalm 7 David pleads with God for deliverance from "the words of Cush the Benjamite." Scripture does not tell us who this was, but it may have been one of a group of false witnesses (1 Samuel 24:9) whose accusations against David were a significant influence upon Saul, being partly responsible for turning him against David. The fate of wicked men who dig pits for others is to fall into their own pits. Their ultimate fate is Hell, symbolized in the painting above by ditches in which they are tormented.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: 1 Samuel 24. Samuel 26. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: General. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). Psalm 7 - #1. Psalm 7 - #2. ]

     Psalm 7 is an impassioned poem with an irregular meter, called a Shiggaion in the Hebrew, otherwise known as a dithyramb in more modern terms. The irregularity of the meter makes it difficult to divide into stanzas. Accordingly, the stanzas below are arranged by related ideas.
     According to the superscription, David composed this Psalm in response to the words of Cush the Benjamite, who may have been one of those who accused David of conspiracy against Saul (1 Samuel 24:9). As a Benjamite, Cush would have been from the same tribe as Saul; and his lies would quite plausibly have come from a party spirit. David, because he trusted in the LORD, asked the LORD to save him from this man and his associates. David's danger was so great that he was afraid that his enemies would tear his soul in pieces (1-2). So he appealed to the LORD on the basis of his innocence. To demonstrate the cleanness of his conscience, David asked to be delivered into the hands of his enemies if he was a man of iniquity who had rewarded evil to him who was at peace with him. Indeed, he said, that instead of betraying his neighbor, he had actually delivered him. This may refer to the two incidents in 1 Samuel (1 Samuel 24:1-22; 1 Samuel 26:1-25) where David spared Saul when he could have killed him (3-5). Then, speaking as an innocent man, he asked the LORD to arise in anger against the rage of his enemies and awaken to judgment. When he does so, says David, the congregation will gather around the LORD. He therefore asks the LORD to return for their sakes (6-7). When the LORD returns, says David, he will judge the people; so David asks the LORD to judge him as well, in accord with his righteousness and integrity. Conversely, he asks that the LORD's judgment will bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end and establish the just in accord with his ability to deeply search the heart and the inward parts (8-9). Further, says David, his defense is of God who saves the upright. God judges (vindicates) the righteous, but he is angry with the wicked every day (10-11). If the wicked do not repent, the LORD is ready for them with instruments of death -- a sharpened sword, a bent bow, and arrows dedicated to his foes (12-13). The wicked travail with iniquity, conceive mischief, and bring forth falsehood. They dig a ditch and fall into it. Their mischief and violence falls upon their own head (14-16). So, with these thoughts in mind, David closes with thanks to the LORD for his righteousness and praises his name (17).


THE PSALTER:

BOOK ONE OF FIVE:

Psalms 1-41.


Psalm 7

1 Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. *


O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust:
save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion,
rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.

3 O LORD my God, if I have done this;
if there be iniquity in my hands;
4 If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me;
(yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)
5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it;
yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth,
and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

6 Arise, O LORD, in thine anger,
lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies:
and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded.
7 So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about:
for their sakes therefore return thou on high.

8 The LORD shall judge the people:
judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
and according to mine integrity that is in me.
9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end;
but establish the just:
for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

10 My defence is of God,
which saveth the upright in heart.
11 God judgeth the righteous,
and God is angry with the wicked every day.

12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword;
he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death;
he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity,
and hath conceived mischief,
and brought forth falsehood.
15 He made a pit,
and digged it,
and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
16 His mischief shall return upon his own head,
and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness:
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

1 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, [Transposed From Psalm 8:1 *


* NOTE: On Opening and Closing Comments in the Psalms.
[Some commentators take the Psalm in Habakkuk 3 to be a standard model for the Psalms.
Habakkuk's Psalm begins with the name of the composer (Habakkuk) and a musical notation ("upon Shigionoth").
It closes with a dedication or a "send to" notice ("To the chief singer on my stringed instruments").
I have arranged similar material, where it is found in the Psalter, in accord with the model in Habakkuk.]





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