It’s a relatively “mild” prayer, yet still aimed against the wicked!
And Psalm 7:9 is a vital element in the Bible’s attitude toward acceptable (even godly) imprecation.
Let me show you. “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.”
Both the noun “wickedness” and the adjective (called a “substantive” since it “stands” for a “group of people”) “wicked” are translated from the same root word. And in Hebrew “ra” or “rasha” means “guilty, malignant, evil” (especially in the sense of actively seeking sinful things), and even meaning “harmful” (seeking to do hurt to an individual)!
These are the “activists” when it comes to sin!
Sheer rebels!
Paul might have even said “reprobates!”
The verb “come to an end” is “gamar,” only found 5 times in the whole Bible! It means “to fail.” But it can mean “to come to its final state of completion.” Then, “to cease” being. For something to have “run its course!”
Almost as if (when given time) sin will (eventually) prove itself worthless!
Show itself to be terminally useless!
David is asking God to finally annihilate ungodliness!
But, conversely … “establish the just,” the prayer continuing.
The verb “establish” is “kun” (used 219 times in Scripture, the Old Testament), meaning “fix, confirm, make stable.” And the verb is formed to show “vigorous effort and strong emotion” in its doing! This is called a Polel verb, much like the Piel stem, which is described by one Lexicon as … “usually expressing an intensive or clearly intentional action.”
God is here being asked to “roll up His Sleeves” and really WORK at establishing the godly man. Here is Isaiah’s way of saying it. “The Lord hath MADE BARE HIS HOLY ARM in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” Isaiah 52:10
Again, the whole verse we’re noticing today, Psalm 7:9. “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.”
Only GOD can “end” wickedness and “establish” justice. And this fact is explicated in the verse’s final clause … “for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.”
The verb “trieth” is “bachan” (again fairly rare, only 29 times in the Bible). It means “to examine, prove, scrutinize.” It is a participle, suggesting on-going action, habitual and continuous activity! God apparently never ceases “trying” mankind’s hearts!
One’s “reigns” are, technically, his or her “kidneys!” It’s root word means “one’s tool, utensil, vessel!” It means (in practicality) “that which is deep down inside a person.”
David just (in sincere, believing prayer) put everything in God’s Hands!
He just asked God for conditions opposite to those of Isaiah 59:14. “And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.”
Wow!
Psalm 7:9, a prayer that some day will be fully answered!
“Thy Kingdom come!”
— Dr. Mike Bagwell