Psalm 7:12 is a BOLD verse.

It goes “against the grain,” the message this verse delivers.

It’s Subject is God, God Almighty.

It’s object, those receiving God’s Wrath, are the wicked.

The pronouns, however, are somewhat ambiguous.

Read it (our verse for today) with me, if you will. “If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.” Psalm 7:12

Someone has a sword!

And a bow, presumably with an arrow loaded, it being “bent!”

Who is this … so angry?

Well, let me give you the verse, with the pronouns (3 of them) explained, linked to their antecedents. “If he (the wicked) turn not, he (the Lord) will whet his sword; he (the Lord) hath bent his bow, and made it ready.”

And at whom is the Lord about to shoot? The previous verse told us, “the wicked.” (That would be Psalm 7:11. “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”)

Wow!

That is, if the wicked man “turns” not! If he does not relent! “Shub” (used here) is the main Hebrew verb meaning “to go back, to withdraw,” hence to repent. Thus, if he stays unrepentant … God will severely judge him.

Yes, this presents a view of God almost unheard, practically unknown today!

Again … God is going to fiercely judge the stubbornly wicked.

(In the setting of Psalm 7 David is applying this truth to an enemy of his. A man named Cush. Who hated David and spoke lies against him, apparently repeatedly. Cush wanted David dead.)

Bottom line: David turned his enemies over to God.

David will await the Lord’s decision … not prematurely taking matters into his own hands!

This short little Bible sentence gives us all a good example of how to respond to those who react to our Christianity, our attempts to live in a godly manner.

Go get ’em, Lord!

“If he (the wicked) turn not, he (the Lord) will whet his sword; he (the Lord) hath bent his bow, and made it ready.”

It’s the Truth.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

.