Embrace the Word for Monday, January 12, 2026
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Psalm 7 is a plea for justice. The superscription provides a historical context: “A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite.” We are not completely sure what a Shiggaion is, but most likely it is a musical term that is thought to identify the Psalm as a song expressing strong emotion. The Psalm itself does match that description as David is greatly distressed over his situation. The historical factor of the Psalm is what Cush, a Benjaminite, has been saying about him. From the details of the Psalm itself, as we will see in a moment, Cush, as well as others perhaps, have falsely accused David of wrongdoing. Now, we do not have an actual historical narrative, say from Samuel or Chronicles, which tells us anything about this Cush or what he was saying. But during the time that David was on the run from Absalom’s attempted coup, there was a similar, or possibly same situation, in which a man named Shimei, who was from the house of Saul, and therefore a Benjaminite like Cush, hurled curses and accusations against David. Shimei’s accusal concerned David’s wrongdoing against Saul and his immediate family (see 2 Samuel 16:5-8). Therefore, my assumption is that we are still considering the historical situation that David began describing in Psalm 3. David’s kingship is under attack both literally due to his son’s rebellion against him, but also due to the accusations that were being leveled against him. David’s very life and now reputation are under attack.
Psalm 7 orients us to our need for the Lord when we are falsely accused. David’s first action in response to the false accusations against him is to seek the Lord: “O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge” (7:1a). Finding refuge in the Lord has been a theme begun in the introductory Psalms (2:12) and previously stated in this historical context of rebellious opposition to David and it’s accompanied distress (5:11). Turning to the Lord as his refuge, in the face of troubles, has become something of a manner of life for David. This is a gracious thing, for the natural human condition does not have the bent of turning to the Lord as a native default setting. But David belongs to the Lord and the realities set forth in Psalm 1 and 2 have worked themselves into David’s heart to the point that his default setting was being readjusted. In fact, David is emphatically stating his understanding of his need through the three fold address: “Lord,” “God,” “You!”
David expresses what he needs: “save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces” (7:1b-2a). David also understands that he has no where else viable to turn to for help: “with none to deliver” (7:2b). There is no help in sight! David is horrified as he is on the run from those who are after him, for he likens them to a lion, who if they catch him, will tear him apart into pieces. David acutely and profoundly realizes that he has no safe place, that is, apart from the Lord.
David addresses the false accusations that were being made against him with an adamant innocence: “O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust” (7:3-5). If David had done what the false accusations claim, then David is the first to say that he should face swift and severe justice. But David had done nothing wrong in this matter: “judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me” (7:8). David is not claiming an across the board perfection, merely that he is clear on this matter. David is not simply appealing to his own conscience, but to the Lord Himself who would know if he is guilty or not: “you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!” (7:9b). A clear conscience can be a wonderful thing, but what ultimately matters is the Lord’s verdict. David appeals to the Lord to step in and settle the case and render a verdict. David’s request for the Lord to judge him, probably implies the notion of vindicate me, something along the lines of saying, “show me to be in the right on this matter.”
David’s hope and confidence was in the fact that false accusations anger God: “Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment” (7:6). In seeking the Lord for justice, David was finding his hope in God’s anger. In light of the fury of his enemies, David yearns to see God’s anger arise on his behalf. Both David’s Lord and David’s enemies are angry, but the two angers are very different. Sinful anger is unstable, unjust, and unpredictable, while God’s holy anger is settled, necessary, and an outflow of His holy love. This last statement may seem off to our natural senses, but a careful consideration from the Scripture teaches us God’s love and the reality of His judgment are not incompatible. In fact they are necessary corollaries to each other. God’s love for justice, coupled with His love for His people is expressed by His anger against those who spurn His righteousness and bring harm to His people. Such anger is displayed in judgment upon His enemies for the sake of bringing stability and safety to His people: “Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous” (7:9). To deny that the Lord is angry is to dispose of hope from the Lord’s people.
David is confident concerning the Lord’s love for him: “My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart” (7:10); even as he is confident in the Lord’s righteous anger toward the wicked: “God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day” (7:11). Note that the Lord’s anger is not merely a delayed response awaiting the final judgment, but an intense regard against the wicked everyday. That’s not to say that the intensity won’t intensify, but that it is not completely deferred.
David has clarity from the Lord as he declares: “If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts” (7:12-13). The Lord takes on the imagery of a Warrior who is ready to take battle action. The Lord is ready; His sword is sharpened and His bow is bent. David’s confidence is built upon His introductory statements pertaining to the wicked (1:6), who rebel (2:9); but David also holds out the Lord’s offer to repent (2:12). But if the wicked rebels dismiss the call to repent, the Lord will attack.
While the Lord’s sword and bow are ready, the process in which the Lord’s anger is displayed toward the wicked is sobering: “Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends” (7:14-16). This process is embedded in the principle that we will reap what we sow in this life. Those who sow evil will reap evil upon themselves. The Lord’s judgment is not being held for the last day; it is a present, daily threat for those who do not obey him. Sin and wickedness is harmful; it certainly dishonors God and harms others; but David is explaining that the person who is hurt by sin is the one who sins. Every disordered love formed out of our sin, as well as every distorted way of living, forged by our sin, is its own self-punishment. God’s judgment is experienced through the fruit of our own wrongdoing. Rebelling against God’s order and obligations, opting instead for an alternative order and obligations, contains its own outcome of demise. The Lord has built this principle into the world He has made.
David concludes with praise: “I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High” (7:17). This expression of praise, which will be seen many times over throughout the Psalms, is a praise voiced by faith. Nothing had immediately changed around David. Cush was still stirring up hatred against David by the false accusations he spread. But David’s perspective inside of him had changed. David’s troubles drove him to the Lord—that is their common design. The grace of the Spirit of Christ had set David’s heart on the Lord and His Word. Seeing, with clarity, what the Lord would do, lessened his lament and ignited him in praise. This is what the Lord does in the hearts of all who look to Him.
As we reflect on Psalm 7, we can gain much wisdom and direction concerning our first reaction when falsely accused: cry out to the Lord. There may be more that we can and should do, but never less. There might be a place for defending ourselves, but there must always be a place to appeal to the Lord. In Christ we find a sympathetic intercessor (see Hebrews 4:14-16), who was also falsely accused (see Matthew 12:24), even falsely testified against (see Matthew 26:60). In fact, no one understands the full intensity of every false accusation leveled against Him, like our Perfect Savior does. But Jesus, “continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (see 1 Peter 2:23). Our Lord models for us the absolutely essential requirement of calling upon our Father to judge and never seeking to take matters into our own hands: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (see Romans 12:19). When we control our anger, relinquishing vengeance in the face of false accusations, we leave a wide berth for God’s wrath to operate.
That’s all for Embrace the Word for Monday, January 12, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Wednesday, January 14, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 8.