Our Common Prayerbook: Psalm 7-3

John Goldingay, in his book on the Psalms (Psalms, Vol. 1: Psalms 1-41 (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms)

), calls Psalm 7:10-16 a statement of faith. I have the text after the jump, but his point will guide our comments today.

Four opening statements, all quite personal and I’ve highlighted those elements: God is my shield, God is my deliverer, then he become a little more objective: God exercises authority and God expresses indignation (vv. 10-11).

You want examples? Vv. 12-13: God’s weapons are the whetted sword, the taut bow and flaming arrows.

And how do God’s enemies respond? Is it with repentance and fear of YHWH? No. Instead, they plot: pregnant with wickedness, conceiving destruction, and giving birth to lies. (Goldingay does not agree with this pregnant, conception and birth progression.)

They dig holes they fall into; their trouble returns to them.

But David will confess God’s faithfulness and, therefore, the rewarder of those who are faithful.

7:10 The Exalted God is my shield,

the one who delivers the morally upright.

7:11 God is a just judge;

he is angry throughout the day.

7:12 If a person does not repent, God sharpens his sword

and prepares to shoot his bow.

7:13 He prepares to use deadly weapons against him;

he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows.

7:14 See the one who is pregnant with wickedness,

who conceives destructive plans,