Deep Dive

Psalms 7:6

A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →

Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; rise up against the fury of my enemies. Awake, my God, and ordain judgment.

Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Keil-Delitzsch Old Testament Commentaryv. 6

(Heb.: 7:7-9) In the consciousness of his own innocence he calls upon Jahve to sit in judgment and to do justice to His own. His vision widens and extends from the enemies immediately around to the whole world in its hostility towards Jahve and His anointed one. In the very same way special judgments and the judgment of the world are portrayed side by side, as it were on one canvas, in the prophets. The truth of this combination lies in the fact of the final judgment being only the finale of that judgment which is in constant execution in the world itself. The language here takes the highest and most majestic flight conceivable. By קוּמה (Milra, ass in Psa 3:8), which is one of David's words of prayer that he has taken from the lips of Moses (Psa 9:20; Psa 10:12), he calls upon Jahve to interpose. The parallel is הנּשׂא lift Thyself up, show thyself in Thy majesty, Psa 94:2, Isa 33:10. The anger, in which He is to arise, is the principle of His judicial righteousness. With this His anger He is to gird Himself (Psa 76:11) against the ragings of the oppressors of God's anointed one, i.e., taking vengeance on their many and manifold manifestations of hostility. עברות is a shorter form of the construct (instead of עברות Job 40:11, cf. Psa 21:1-13 :31) of עברה which describes the anger as running over, breaking forth from within and passing over into words and deeds (cf. Arab. fšš, used of water: it overflows the dam, of wrath: it breaks forth). It is contrary to the usage of the language to make משׁפּט the object to עוּרה in opposition to the accents, and it is unnatural to regard it as the accus. of direction = למּשׂפט (Psa 35:23), as Hitzig does. The accents rightly unite עוּרה אלי: awake (stir thyself) for me i.e., to help me (אלי like לקלאתי, Psa 59:5). The view, that…

Open source ↗
Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 6

It appears by the title that this psalm was penned with a particular reference to the malicious imputations that David was unjustly laid under by some of his enemies. Being thus wronged, I. He applies to God for favour (Psa 7:1, Psa 7:2). II. He appeals to God concerning his innocency as to those things whereof he was accused (Psa 7:3-5). III. He prays to God to plead his cause and judge for him against his persecutors (Psa 7:6-9). IV. He expresses his confidence in God that he would do so, and would return the mischief upon the head of those that designed it against him (Psa 7:10-16). V. He promises to give God the glory of his deliverance (Psa 7:17). In this David was a type of Christ, who was himself, and still is in his members, thus injured, but will certainly be righted at last. Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.

Open source ↗
Tyndale Open Study Notesv. 6

7:6-9 With this appeal to God for justice in the world, the psalmist also submits to God’s examination. 7:6 God’s judgment brings justice, despite the chaos created by adversaries (see 7:11).

Open source ↗

Your reflection