Psalm 7/Summary

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Summary

Line divisions

2a יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי בְּךָ֣ חָסִ֑יתִי
2b הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי מִכָּל־רֹ֜דְפַ֗י וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
3a פֶּן־יִטְרֹ֣ף כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י
3b פֹּ֜רֵ֗ק וְאֵ֣ין מַצִּֽיל׃
4a יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי אִם־עָשִׂ֣יתִי זֹ֑את
4b אִֽם־יֶשׁ־עָ֥וֶל בְּכַפָּֽי׃
5a אִם־גָּ֭מַלְתִּי שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥י רָ֑ע
5b וָאֲחַלְּצָ֖ה צוֹרְרִ֣י רֵיקָֽם׃
6a יִֽרַדֹּ֥ף אוֹיֵ֙ב׀ נַפְשִׁ֡י
6b וְיַשֵּׂ֗ג וְיִרְמֹ֣ס לָאָ֣רֶץ חַיָּ֑י
6c וּכְבוֹדִ֓י׀ לֶעָפָ֖ר יַשְׁכֵּ֣ן סֶֽלָה׃
7a ק֨וּמָ֤ה יְהוָ֙ה׀ בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ
7b הִ֭נָּשֵׂא בְּעַבְר֣וֹת צוֹרְרָ֑י
7c וְע֥וּרָה אֵ֜לַ֗י מִשְׁפָּ֥ט צִוִּֽיתָ׃
8a וַעֲדַ֣ת לְ֭אֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶ֑ךָּ
8b וְ֜עָלֶ֗יהָ לַמָּר֥וֹם שֽׁוּבָה׃
9a יְהוָה֘ יָדִ֪ין עַ֫מִּ֥ים
9b שָׁפְטֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֑ה
9c כְּצִדְקִ֖י וּכְתֻמִּ֣י עָלָֽי׃
10a יִגְמָר־נָ֬א רַ֙ע׀ רְשָׁעִים֘
10b וּתְכוֹנֵ֪ן צַ֫דִּ֥יק
10c וּבֹחֵ֣ן לִ֭בּ֗וֹת וּכְלָי֗וֹת
10d אֱלֹהִ֥ים צַדִּֽיק׃
11aמָֽגִנִּ֥י עַל־אֱלֹהִ֑ים
11bמ֜וֹשִׁ֗יעַ יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב׃
12aאֱ֭לֹהִים שׁוֹפֵ֣ט צַדִּ֑יק
12bוְ֜אֵ֗ל זֹעֵ֥ם בְּכָל־יֽוֹם׃
13a אִם־לֹ֣א יָ֭שׁוּב חַרְבּ֣וֹ יִלְט֑וֹשׁ
13b קַשְׁתּ֥וֹ דָ֜רַ֗ךְ וַֽיְכוֹנְנֶֽהָ׃
14a וְ֭לוֹ הֵכִ֣ין כְּלֵי־מָ֑וֶת
14b חִ֜צָּ֗יו לְֽדֹלְקִ֥ים יִפְעָֽל׃
15a הִנֵּ֥ה יְחַבֶּל־אָ֑וֶן
15b וְהָרָ֥ה עָ֜מָ֗ל וְיָ֣לַד שָֽׁקֶר׃
16a בּ֣וֹר כָּ֭רָֽה וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ
16b וַ֜יִּפֹּ֗ל בְּשַׁ֣חַת יִפְעָֽל׃
17a יָשׁ֣וּב עֲמָל֣וֹ בְרֹאשׁ֑וֹ
17b וְעַ֥ל קָ֜דְקֳד֗וֹ חֲמָס֥וֹ יֵרֵֽד׃
18a אוֹדֶ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה כְּצִדְק֑וֹ
18b וַ֜אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה שֵֽׁם־יְהוָ֥ה עֶלְיֽוֹן׃
  • v.7c

Do these two clauses (וְע֥וּרָה אֵ֜לַ֗י / מִשְׁפָּ֥ט צִוִּֽיתָ׃) make up one line or two lines? Both the Aleppo Codex and the Leningrad Codex have a space between these clauses, suggesting a line division. Alternatively, the Greek codices, Siniaticus and Vaticanus, present these clauses as one line, which corresponds to the translation: מִשְׁפָּ֥ט is translated as an adjunct in the dative case and ‎צִוִּֽיתָ as a relative clause (ἐξεγέρθητι... ἐν προστάγματι ᾧ ἐνετείλω).

  • v.9bc

Should this line be divided after יְהוָ֑ה or after כְּצִדְקִ֖י? The accentuation (athnah) suggests the former; attention to parallelism (כצדקי // כתמי; possible ellipsis of verb in v.9c: שׁפטני // [שׁוב] עלי) suggests the latter. Siniaticus and Vaticanus break after κατὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην μου (כְּצִדְקִי). But the fact that צדק appears in the b-line of the two following bicola (10b, 10d) may support grouping it with the b-line in this bicolon as well.,

Section divisions

There are three main parts to the psalm, each of which consists of two sections:

Superscription (v.1)
Part 1 (vv.2-6)
Section 1 (vv.2-3)
Section 2 (vv.4-6)
Part 2 (vv.7-10)
Section 3 (vv.7-8)
Section 4 (vv.9-10)
Part 3 (vv.11-17)
Section 5 (vv.11-14)
Section 6 (vv.15-17)
Concluding 7th Section (v.18)
  • For the reasoning behind these divisions, see below on and .
  • See how this three-part division corresponds to the psalm's Imagery.
  • For the grouping of v.9a with vv.9b-10 rather than with vv.7-8, see above on .

The number 7 is significant in the structure of the psalm (cf. Psalm 6). There are 7 sections, 7 occurrences of Yahweh's name, and the middle line of the psalm (v.10a) has 7 syllables.

Craigie's two-fold division of the psalm (Section 1: vv.2-11; Section 2: vv.12-18) is not supported by the evidence (see below on cohesion and ).[1],

Communicative function

Rolf Jacobson, who argues for the same basic three-fold division, classifies the three stanzas in terms of their communicative function:[2]

St. 1 Appeal for rescue and vow of innocence (vv. 2-6)
St. 2 Appeal for vindication and justice (vv. 7-10)
St. 3 Confession of trust in God’s righteousness (vv. 11-17)
Closing vow to praise (not a full stanza) (v. 18)

Goldingay notes the same basic sequence of rhetorical movements. "[The Psalm] comprises an opening plea (vv. 2–3), a declaration of innocence (vv. 4–6), a more urgent and extensive plea for action (vv. 7–10), an act of praise at who Yhwh is (vv. 11–17), and a promise of thanksgiving when deliverance has come (v. 18)."[3]

Similarly, Bratcher and Reyburn outline the psalm as follows. "The psalmist begins by asking God to save him from his enemies, who threaten him with death (vv.2-3); this is followed by a strong protestation of his innocence (vv.4-6). He calls upon God to judge him and pronounce him innocent (vv.7-10), after which he declares that God is ready to punish evildoers (vv.10-13). Following a description of how the wicked bring disaster on themselves (vv.15-17), the psalmist closes with a prayer of thanks, certain that God will answer him (v.18)."[4]

The rhetorical movements may be mapped onto to each part and section as follows:

Superscription (v.1)
Part 1: Invocation & Vow of Innocence (vv.2-6)
Invocation (vv.2-3): Profession of Trust (v.2a) --> Petition (v.2b-3b)
Vow of Innocence (vv.4-6): If... (vv.4-5) --> Imprecation (v.6)
Part 2: Petition (vv.7-10)
General Petition (vv.7-8)
Declaration (v.9a)
Specific Petition (vv.9b-10)
Part 3: Profession of Trust (vv.11-17)
in Yahweh's Judgment in Preparation (vv.11-14)
in Yahweh's Judgement in Action (vv.15-17)
Praise/Thanks (v.18)

Note the uniqueness of v.9a, which stands at the center of the psalm.,

Range of emotions

The Psalmist's prayer begins with fear (vv.2-3) and ends with joyful expectation (v.18). Trust in Yahweh is the fulcrum by which this change is wrought. The basic movement may be (over)simplified as follows:

Fear --> Anger --> Trust --> Anticipation --> Joy.

A more detailed analysis may be mapped onto the psalm's outline:

Part 1 (vv.2-6)
Section 1 (vv.2-3) – Fear + Trust
Section 2 (vv.4-6) – Fear + Disgust + Anger
Part 2 (vv.7-10)
Section 3 (vv.7-8) – Anger + Anticipation
Section 4 (vv.9-10) – Anticipation + Trust
Part 3 (vv.11-17)
Section 5 (vv.11-14) – Trust + Anticipation
Section 6 (vv.15-17) – Trust + Anticipation
Concluding 7th Section (v.18) – Joy + Trust + Anticipation,

Cohesion

PART 1 (vv.2-6)

Section 1 (vv.2-3)

  • : Invocation
  • Phonology: repetition of צִּילֵ (vv. 2b, 3b) and שִׁי (vv. 2b, 3a); alliteration: רֹ֜דְפַ֗י / יִטְרֹ֣ף (vv.2b-3a)
  • : נצל (vv.2b, 3b)

Section 2 (vv.4-6)

  • : Vow of Innocence
  • Phonology: repetition of אִם (vv. 4ab, 5a); see also on .

PART 2 (vv.7-10)

Section 3 (vv.7-8)

  • Inclusio: ק֨וּמָ֤ה (v.7a) – שֽׁוּבָה (v.8b)
  • Phonology: repetition of II-ו verbs with הָ ending: ק֨וּמָ֤ה (v.7a), וְע֥וּרָה (v.7c), שֽׁוּבָה (v.8b); repetition of וע at beginning of lines (vv.7c, 8a, 8b)
  • Paragogic ה (vv.7-8)
  • Waw connecting vv.7-8
  • Prosody: 47 syllables

Section 4 (vv.9-10)

  • Prosody: 47 syllables (cf. section 3)

PART 3 (vv.11-17)

Section 5 (vv.11-14)

  • Words for weaponry: מָֽגִנִּ֥י (v.11a), חַרְבּ֣וֹ (v.13a), קַשְׁתּ֥וֹ (v.13b), כְּלֵי־מָ֑וֶת (v.14a), חִ֝צָּ֗יו (v.14b)

Section 6 (vv.15-17)

  • Phonology: alliteration (guttural + labial + liquid): חַבֶּל (v.15a), עָ֜מָ֗ל (v.15b), יִפְעָֽל (v.16b) עֲמָל֣ (v.17a); (labial + liquid w/o guttural): בּ֣וֹר (v.16a), חְפְּרֵ֑ (v.16a), וַ֜יִּפֹּ֗ל (v.16b), בְרֹא (v.17a)
  • No explicit Reference to God
  • : עמל (vv.15b, 17a)
  • Words for vice: אָוֶן (v.15a), עָמָל (vv.15b, 17a), שֶׁקֶר (v.15b), חָמָס (v.17b)

CONCLUSION
Section 7 (v.18)

Discontinuity & boundaries

The strongest divisions in the poem are those that divide the three major parts:

PART 1 (vv.2-6) --> PART 2 (vv.7-10)

PART 2 (vv.7-10) --> PART 3 (vv.11-17)

  • Verbless clauses (vv.11-12)
  • Terse lines (vv.11-12)
  • Shift in Verb PGN: 2ms --> 3ms. "The third stanza is notable for its linguistic shift from the second person prayer of stanza 2 to third person confession."[5]
  • Shift in : petition --> profession
  • Shift in type of cola: Tricola (vv.7, 9) + Tetracola (v.10) --> Bicola (vv.11-17)
  • Shift in scene/imagery: up high --> down low
  • Shift in imagery: judgment in the courtroom --> judgment on the battlefield
  • Clustered repetition of אלהים (vv.10d-12)

The strong break between Part 2 and Part 3 is smoothed over by a chiasm that connects these two parts (anadiplosis): a וּבֹחֵ֣ן לִ֭בּ֗וֹת וּכְלָי֗וֹת b אֱלֹהִ֥ים צַדִּֽיק // b' מָֽגִנִּ֥י עַל־אֱלֹהִ֑ים a' מ֝וֹשִׁ֗יעַ יִשְׁרֵי־לֵֽב (cf. Psalm 3:3-4, where a chiasm has a similar function).


Weaker boundaries also exist between the sections within each part:

PART 1 (vv.2-6)

Section 1 (vv.2-3) --> Section 2 (vv.4-6)

  • Shift in : invocation --> vow of innocence
  • Repetition of יהוה אלהי (vv.2a, 4a; anaphora)
  • 10-syllable lines (vv.2a, 4a; anaphora)
  • Phonological recursion (anaphora): יהוה אלהי...חסיתי (v.2a) // יהוה אלהי... עשׂיתי (v. 4a)

PART 2 (vv.7-10)

Section 3 (vv.7-8) --> Section 4 (vv.9-10)

  • Divine name (v.9a)
  • Word order: MKD/DEF cola (v.8ab) to indicate closure
  • Tricolon (v.9)
  • Note that the boundary between these sections is smoothed over by a chiastic connection (see ).

PART 3 (vv.11-17)

Section 5 (vv.11-14) --> Section 6 (vv.15-17)

Prominence

v.9a is the thematic peak of the psalm.

יהוה ידין עמים

This line is marked in a number of ways:

Main message

Yahweh is the just judge of the world.,

Large-scale structures

The three main parts of the psalm reflect an ABA' pattern (see especially ):

Superscription (v.1)
A (vv.2-6)
B (vv.7-10)
A' (vv.11-17)
Concluding Praise (v.18)

In the first part (A, vv.2-6), the Psalmist is unjustly targeted by his enemies. In the third part (A', vv.11-17), his enemies are justly targeted by Yahweh. This reversal results from the middle part (B, vv.7-10), where Yahweh ascends for judgment.

The middle part (B, vv.7-10) consists of two sections (vv.7-8; vv.9-10), each with 47 syllables. The centerpiece of this center section is v.9a: יהוה ידין עמים, with its emphatic word order (S V O), terse rhythmic cadence (2.2.2), and 3rd person reference (sandwiched between 2nd person references). It stands as a triumphant declaration between the psalmist's general appeal for Yahweh to ascend for judgment (vv.7-8) and the more specific appeal that Yahweh bring justice to his own personal situation (vv.9b-10).,

Translation

Poetic Translation by Ryan Sikes

2Yahweh, my God, I’ve sheltered in you.
Save me! Give rescue from those in pursuit.
3Lest like a lion they prey on my life.
Pouncing and tearing with no help in sight.
4Yahweh, my God, if I have done this.
If there is in my hands injustice.
5If I have treated my friend with disdain.
And rescued my foe meanwhile for no gain.
6Then let an enemy pursue me and take
My life to the ground and crush
And bury my honor deep down in the dust.
7Get up, Yahweh, in your wrath!
Rise up to the rage of my foes!
Wake up for me with judgment decreed!
8Assemble the peoples around your throne
Return over them to the highest peak.
9Yahweh judges the world.
Yahweh, give justice to me!
Judge by my righteous integrity.
10Oh, that all evil would come to an end,
And you would establish the righteous!
The one who tests hearts and minds is
A God who is righteous.
11My battle shield is on God’s arm
Who saves the upright in heart from harm.
12God–he is a judge who’s upright.
A god who scolds each day and night.
13Surely, again, he will sharpen his sword
He’s stepped on his bow; prepared it for war.
14He’s readied his deadly weapons to slay
And fashions his arrows to fiery flames.
15Look! The wicked are pregnant with doom!
Harm is conceived; guile exits the womb!
16He hollowed a cistern and dug it down deep
And fell in the pit he had hidden for me.
17His harm will come back upon his own crown.
On his own head, his violence comes down.
18I will praise Yahweh, for he is upright!
I will sing of the name of Yahweh Most High!,

Outline or visual representation

(This began as Wendland's Expository outline[6], but may be adapted.)

I. A supplication. (1-9)

A. Save me. (1-2,6-9)
1. I have taken refuge in you.
2. Save me and deliver me from those who pursue me.
3. Lest, like a lion, he tear my soul, drag me away, and there is none to deliver.
B. Search me. (3-4)
1. If I have done this.
2. If I have acted unjustly.
3. If I have rewarded my friend with evil.
4. If I have plundered my adversary without cause.
C. Stop me, if I am guilty of these things. (5)
1. Let the enemy pursue and overtake my soul.
2. Let him trample my life to the ground.
3. Let him lay my honor in the dust.

II. A strategy in the face of slander. (6-11)

A. The Lord will arise and act against the rage of the enemy.
B. He will judge the enemy: He is a righteous, indignant judge.
C. He will reign over all the congregation.
D. He will vindicate the righteous man of integrity.
E. Evil will end and righteousness will be established.
F. A righteous God will try both hearts and minds.
G. God will be a shield to the righteous.
H. He will save the upright.

III. A sad cycle. (12-16)

If a wicked man does not repent:
A. God will prepare spiritual artillery to use against him:
1. A sword (the Word).
2. A bow.
3. Deadly weapons.
4. Fiery shafts (arrows that will never miss the mark).
B. The cycle of sin:
1. Like a birth: The evil man will travail in wickedness, conceiving mischief, and birthing falsehood.
2. Like bait: He will dig a pit, but fall into it himself.
3. Like a boomerang: His evil and violence will turn on him (cave in on him, since he is in a pit!)

IV. Because of this, the psalmist. (17)

A. Thanks God for what He does.
B. Praises Him for Who He is.
  1. ↑ Peter Craige, Psalms 1-50, Word Biblical Commentary 19 (Waco, TX: Word Books, 1983), 100.
  2. ↑ Nancy L. deClaisse-Walford, Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth LaNeel Tanner, The Book of Psalms, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2014).
  3. ↑ John Goldingay, Psalms: 1-41, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006), 144.
  4. ↑ Robert Bratcher and William Reyburn, A Handbook on Psalms, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1991), 65.
  5. ↑ Nancy L. deClaisse-Walford, Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth LaNeel Tanner, The Book of Psalms, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2014).
  6. ↑ Ernst Wendland, Expository Outlines of the Psalms, https://www.academia.edu/37220700/Expository_Outlines_of_the_PSALMS
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