Undeserved Trouble
Prayers from the Psalmist
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. Psalm 7
A shiggaion. The word means nothing to us. It is speculated that it is a musical term about what kind of musical piece this is. We use words like concerto, minuet, or choral works such as oratorio, lieder, hymn, or solo. Even those words have little meaning to those who do not have a musical background. David sang the song about Cush, so maybe it’s a ballad.
Cush was a “fawning flatterer” to King Saul. He told lies about David and Saul believed him. As a result, Saul constantly pursued David and attempted to destroy him. David never raised a hand against Saul, because he considered Saul as anointed from God’s own hand. Yet the false accusations meant David was wrongly accused.
David desires God to search him and determine if he has judged himself falsely. It is so easy to see the fault in others and bypass our own wrong. David knows that his own motives and actions have to be right in God’s eyes. We find throughout Psalms; David continually asks God to search him and know his heart.
David is secure in his knowledge that God will judge righteously. He judges both sinners and the righteous justly.
David explains the trouble that will befall those who are “pregnant with evil and conceive trouble.” He feels secure in knowing that God has it handled. God’s righteousness will prevail and David can sing of his righteousness and praise the name (the reputation) of the Lord Most High.
You, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts.
What will God find when he probes our minds and hearts? Can we pray with David, “Search me, O God and know my heart?” Can we trust God to deal with those who cause us trouble even when we are wrongly accused?
Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
cleanse me from ev’ry sin and set me free.5