Psalm 7: God’s Faithfulness

Psalm 7
A shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

(1) LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me,
(2) or they will tear me apart like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

(3) LORD my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands-
(4) if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe-
(5) then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.

(6) Arise, LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice.
(7) Let the assembled peoples gather around you, while you sit enthroned over them on high.
(8) Let the LORD judge the peoples. Vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.
(9) Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure- you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts.

(10) My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.
(11) God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day.
(12) If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.
(13) He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his flaming arrows.

(14) Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
(15) Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.
(16) The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads.

(17) I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High.

Throughout this study, I am reminded that the Old Testament is ALL about God’s faithfulness . . .

Faithful (adjective): remaining loyal and steadfast; true to the facts or the original (Oxford Dictionary).

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
Deuteronomy 7:9

The Lord was faithful to Moses who wrote these words, and to David; they believed it. And the Lord is faithful to you and to me.

The meaning of “shiggaion” is lost in antiquity. The word is in two places in the Bible though- here and at the beginning of Habakkuk 3 (in its plural form). No one knows really what it means; maybe some kind of meditation, maybe a musical term we no longer use. But whatever the meaning, Bible scholars think this psalm is something different.

Also, Cush the Benjamite. Whatever happened with this Cush fella upset David so much that he sang this song to the Lord. History records that the tribe of Benjamin supported Saul as king even when the Lord placed David as head of His people. Saul himself was a Benjamite. Some of the Benjamites took Absalom’s side (David’s rebellious son) in that whole terrible debacle. David knew they didn’t like him from the very beginning, and he had reason to fear them.

Read 2 Samuel 16:5-8 about a certain stone and curse throwing Benjamite.

Whatever David was feeling, whether a physical attack or slander, this psalm records his fear and worry.

But the beautiful thing about David’s psalms are that when he calls to God for help, he also states his confidence in the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness.

My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.
Psalm 7:10

Sometimes we forget this. Sometimes we doubt this. How often do we bring a list to God and spill our worries and fears and insecurities at His feet and then wait impatiently?

David does his share of complaining in this psalm. He begs God to save him, pleads his case of innocence, calls upon God to judge his enemies, to string His bow and make ready His arrows of fire. David goes on to share his belief that God will do these things; that whoever digs a pit for him (David) will fall into it himself.

We can read David’s songs like a prayer journal. Even the great warrior king David struggled with his faith, with many worries and insecurities, and with sin. He wrote his thoughts down and we can treasure these because God loved David. David was not perfect. He was a sinner. But he kept on trying and he kept on believing in God’s faithfulness. His journals are filled poems and songs to God that show us these things.

God is a loving Father. He wants to hear the things on our hearts. He’s okay with the complaining and the fears and insecurities. He does want to help.

But after David spews his worries, his tone changes. It’s almost like he’s done complaining, he takes a deep breath, maybe feels a little better from letting all out. Then he says, “but you know what God, whatever happens, whatever you decide to do, I will praise you and I will thank you.”

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness. I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High.
Psalm 7:17

Whatever you are going through today, my friends, God wants to hear about it. He wants to hear about your worries, the things that keep you up at night. He wants to hear about the things that make you mad and the way that life is unfair. He wants to hear it. As David is our example. Believe it.

But then . . . He wants you to praise Him and thank Him for His goodness and His faithfulness. He wants you to take a breath and remember who He is, what He has done, and what He promises to do.

David made psalms; we also will make psalms and sing them as well as we can to the honor of our Lord, and to spite and mock the devil.

Martin Luther, German priest, 1483-1546

There’s no resolution to this psalm. Does David get what he wanted? Did Cush leave him alone? Did God miraculously make it all better?

It doesn’t say. What David says instead is this, “God is faithful. God is my shield. God is my refuge.”

Speak your worries for today, your regrets of yesterday, and your fears for tomorrow. Know that your Father hears you, understands what you are going through, and loves you.

Then sing of His faithfulness yesterday, today, and tomorrow . . . to a thousand generations.

If you can, listen to Lauren Daigle’s beautiful song of this very thing.

Remember by Lauren Daigle

Father in heaven, hear our song, hear our praise. You are good and you are faithful. You were faithful to David. You have been faithful to those who love you and call upon your name throughout time. Sometimes it is hard to remember that you are even faithful to me. Father, let this song of praise and thanks be in our hearts today. Give us strength to sing it to others especially today when worry of the unknown threatens to overpower us. We remember that you have always been faithful. Amen.

Heidi xoxo