Of the many things David could do well, thinking in “word pictures” was near the top of the list!
And today’s Lesson, along with the next 2 Lessons, certainly illustrate the (future) King’s talent in that area.
Notice with me Psalm 7:14, a divinely inspired one-line “portrait” of a wicked man. “Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.”
The individual being scrutinized, clearly masculine in gender, is here said to be “in travail.” (As if he were a woman? Only they “travail” to give birth, physically anyway. And does this verbiage indicate a “mixing” of the sexes, that many years ago? Our Sentence’s next 2 verbs almost proves the point!)
The actual verb “travaileth” is “chabal,” only used 29 times in the whole Bible. It most often means “to bind,” as if tied to something! He is “chained” to his sins! Then get this. “Chabal” also means “to pledge” allegiance to something or someone. To be loyal to iniquity! Almost “to invent” new and deeper ways of sinning!
And the noun “iniquity,” spelled “aven” in Hebrew, means “to breathe hard, to pant,” that vigorously participating in ungodliness!
“Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.”
Now the next of these 3 verbs, “hath conceived,” is “harah,” clearly feminine in “intent!” It is even translated “with child” 5 times in the King James Version of Scripture! And it means “to become pregnant.”
“Mischief” is “amal,” meaning “trouble, toil, labor, misery, wearisomeness.” Sounds here like the “pleasures of sin” were indeed only for a “season!”
Then the last of these sequential verbs, “brought forth.” Here “yalad” is employed. It means “to beget, to deliver.” And is even translated “to midwife” 10 times!
All leading to the “point” of the verse, its “apex” … “falsehood.” Someone has lied about David, spoken false words, things untrue and harmful. And the word “sheqer” means “deception, trickery,” with the idea of “cheating” added as well.
Spawning iniquity, mischief and falsehood!
No wonder David turns this person over to God!
For judgment!
In God’s time, in God’s way!
David will just “wait” and “trust.”
What an example.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell