Is it a prayer?
A poem?
A good man’s inner thoughts, just put on paper?
David (the man after God’s Own Heart) has been “falsely” accused of disrespecting (yea, even more than that) King Saul of Israel.
The lies have been hurled at Psalm 7’s hero by a reprobate named (or nicknamed) “Cush the Benjamite.” By the way, the Tribe from which Saul descended was also that of Benjamin. So this fellow Cush is somehow a relative (near or distant) of the King.
So David (in innocence) writes, says …
“O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me. Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.”
Then he continues …
“O LORD my God, IF I HAVE DONE THIS; if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:) let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.”
This is pretty stringent, really.
David, like Paul much later in Scripture, is being pretty “rough” on himself.
This is self-imprecation, judging oneself, if I’ve ever read it!
And today’s verse, Psalm 7:5, specifies the “curses.”
“Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust.”
The verb “persecute” translates “radaph” again. It was also used back in verse 1 of the Chapter. It means “to pursue, to chase, to be behind, to follow after,” all with harm in mind. Stalking a person in order to kill him, for example.
And David, if guilty of “hurting” the King of Israel (even though wicked Saul was currently occupying the throne) has just given God “permission” to remove any “restraints” on the enemy! “Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it.” The verb “take” is “nasag,” essentially “to capture.”
To “tread down” (the next clause), means “to trample.” In other words, “Let him stomp me into the ground!” That’s an ancient word picture for “conquering” an individual. “Your feet on his neck,” that kind of idea. “Let him tread down my life upon the earth.”
Then a third petition immediately follows. “Let him … lay mine honour in the dust.” A man’s “honor” in those days long ago meant nearly everything to him! His “good name,” his “reputation,” nowadays, his “testimony.” What his friends believe him to be! His “character,” his “goodness.” The noun “honor” is “kabod,” suggesting “importance, heaviness, gravity, seriousness.”
BUT … and this becomes even more prominent tomorrow … DAVID IS NOT GUILTY OF SUCH DANGEROUS CHARGES!
And David will “turn” this prayer around, reversing it completely! From praying against himself … to praying against this lying man named Cush! In fact, to praying against all the incorrigibly wicked! (The word is from Latin, “not able to be corrected!” That stubborn, that hardened!)
David, self deprecating, humble, willing to be “whipped” if guilty of insurrection!
This reminds me of a verse the Apostle Paul wrote in the New Testament. “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” 1st Corinthians 11:31
Wow!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell