PSALM 7

LORD my God, I take refuge in you;

save and deliver me from all who pursue me,

or they will tear me apart like a lion

and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

LORD my God, if I have done this

and there is guilt on my hands –

if I have repaid my ally with evil

or without cause have robbed my foe –

then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;

let him trample my life to the ground

and make me sleep in the dust.

Arise, LORD, in your anger;

rise up against the rage of my enemies.

Awake, my God; decree justice.

Let the assembled peoples gather around you,

while you sit enthroned over them on high.

Let the LORD judge the peoples.

Vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness,

according to my integrity, O Most High.

Bring to an end the violence of the wicked

and make the righteous secure –

you, the righteous God

who probes minds and hearts.

My shield is God Most High,

who saves the upright in heart.

God is a righteous judge,

a God who displays his wrath every day.

If he does not relent,

he will sharpen his sword;

he will bend and string his bow.

He has prepared his deadly weapons;

he makes ready his flaming arrows.

Those who are pregnant with evil

conceive trouble and give birth to disillusionment.

Those who dig a hole and scoop it out

fall into the pit they have made.

The trouble they cause recoils on them;

their violence comes down on their own heads.

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness;

I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High.