Salmi 7:11 Commento

It appears by the title that this psalm was penned with a particular reference to the malicious imputations that David was unjustly laid under by some of his enemies. Being thus wronged, I. He applies to God for favour (Psa 7:1, Psa 7:2). II. He appeals to God concerning his innocency as to those things whereof he was accused (Psa 7:3-5). III. He prays to God to plead his cause and judge for him against his persecutors (Psa 7:6-9). IV. He expresses his confidence in God that he would do so, and would return the mischief upon the head of those that designed it against him (Psa 7:10-16). V. He promises to give God the glory of his deliverance (Psa 7:17). In this David was a type of Christ, who was himself, and still is in his members, thus injured, but will certainly be righted at last. Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 7 Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. The name of this psalm, "Shiggaion", either respects the music or the matter of the psalm. Some take it to be the name of the musical instrument to which the psalm was set (n): so Habakkuk's prayer is said to be "upon shigionoth"; which is the same word with this, only of the plural number, Hab 3:1. Others say it was the first word of a song, to the tune of which this was sung (o) And others understand it of a certain kind of a song (p): and the Targum renders it, "the interpretation of the ode of David"; which Ainsworth renders, "David's interpretation of the law"; leading instead of as does also the king of Spain's Bible. And certain it is that it is the name of a song; since it follows, "which he sang unto the Lord"; in his presence, before him, and to the glory of his name. But the question is, of what sort it is? and why it should be so called? since its root signifies "to err" or "wander": it is more generally rendered, "an erratic" or "wandering ode"; a song or psalm, which consisted of various kind of metre: it was sung with various notes, and all kind of music, which made it very pleasant. Hence some render it, "David's delight", as R. Obadiah Gaon; and the verb from whence it is derived is translated "ravished" in Pro 5:19; and Ben Melech says, the word signifies , "joy and pleasure"; and Aben Ezra observes that some interpret it "delight". But others are of opinion that this word regards the subject matter of the psalm, and may be rendered, "David's ignorance" or "error"; his sin of ignorance; and respects his mistaken conduct with regard to his enemies, particularly Saul, in making imprecations upon them, Psa 6:10; in cursing them, and especially King Saul; when a king is not to be cursed, Ecc 10:20; and in cutting off the skirt of his garment, for which his heart smote him, Sa1 24:4. Some render it, "the care of David", as Cocceius; which he wrote in deep meditation, when he had forgot himself, and was as it were in an ecstasy; setting forth "the sum of his cares", as Ainsworth expresses it, when he was harassed and greatly afflicted by his enemies. The occasion of it is, "the words of Cush the Benjamite"; which some understand of Shimei the Benjamite, who came out and cursed David as he went along, when he fled from Absalom, Sa1 16:5. Theodoret thinks Hushai is meant, who persuaded Absalom not to follow the counsel of Ahithophel; on which account David penned this psalm. Others interpret it of one of Saul's courtiers, who was of the tribe of Benjamin, and whose name was Cush (q); and which is very likely, since it is evident that some of Saul's courtiers accused David to him, and charged him with seeking his harm, not only to take away his crown and kingdom, but his life, Sa1 24:9. Though the generality of the Jewish writers (r) interpret it of Saul himself, who is called Cush, in allusion to his father's name Kish, who was a man of Benjamin, Sa1 9:1; or else because Cush signifies "an Ethiopian", to which he may be compared, as the children of Israel in Amo 9:7. For as the Ethiopian is various in his skin, so was Saul in his actions, as Jarchi observes; or rather because, as Kimchi and Ben Melech express it, as the Ethiopian does not change his skin, Jer 13:23; so Saul did not change his hatred to David. Though the same writers observe, that he may be called so by the rule of contraries, because he was a very goodly and beautiful man; the words referred to are supposed to be those in Sa1 22:7. (n) Menachem in Jarchi in loc. So David de Pomis, Lexic. fol. 204. 1. (o) Aben Ezra in loc. (p) Kimchi in loc. (q) Aben Ezra & Obadiah Gaon in loc. (r) Targum, Jarchi, Kimchi, Arama, & Ben Melech in loc.

God judgeth the righteous,.... Not all that are thought to be righteous, or think themselves to be so, are such; nor is any man naturally righteous, or of himself, nor by virtue of his obedience to the law of works; but such only are righteous who are made so by the obedience of Christ; these God governs and protects, avenges their injuries and defends their persons; some render the words, "God is a righteous Judge" (f); he is so now in the administrations of his government of the universe, and he will be so hereafter in the general judgment of the world; and God is angry with the wicked every day; wicked men are daily sinning, and God is always the same in his nature, and has the same aversion to sin continually; and though he is not always making men examples of his wrath, yet his wrath is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men; and there are frequent stances of it; and when he is silent he is still angry, and in his own time will stir up all his wrath, and rebuke in his hot displeasure. (f) Vid. Aben Ezra & Abendana not. in Miclol. Yophi in loc. "Deus judex justus", V. L. Munster, Musculus, Montanus, Piscator, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth.

God alone is the just Judge, he alone is the one who sees hearts. He gives to each one according to his works. Truly, “man looks at the outward appearance,” but the Lord is a judge of thoughts and the feelings of the spirit. There is no judgment hidden from him.

Do not be so poorly disposed toward God as to think that he is too weak to avenge, for he is also strong. What reason is there, then, that swift vengeance is not inflicted on the sinner? Because he is patient, “he is not angry every day.”

That same adversary, Absalom, as if he has been born again from ourselves, prepares the war against us. Our sound judgment concerning the matter, or rather our alliance with God, turns him who is bloodthirsty against us back. For because he attributes the cause of the good things that have been accomplished for him through “the words of Cush” to God, he composes this thanksgiving.… It would be worthwhile to apply the figures of the story to the virtuous life, how the advice that saves us becomes the strangling of the adversary; and this saving advice has been recorded, on the one hand, in the history, and on the other, in the psalm.

"God the righteous judge, strong (in endurance) and long-suffering" [Psalm 7:11]. What God is judge, but the Lord, who judges the people? He is righteous; who "shall render to every man according to his works." [Matthew 16:27] He is strong (in endurance); who, being most powerful, for our salvation bore even with ungodly persecutors. He is long-suffering; who did not immediately, after His resurrection, hurry away to punishment, even those that persecuted Him, but bore with them, that they might at length turn from that ungodliness to salvation: and still He bears with them, reserving the last penalty for the last judgment, and up to this present time inviting sinners to repentance. "Not bringing in anger every day." Perhaps "bringing in anger" is a more significant expression than being angry (and so we find it in the Greek copies); that the anger, whereby He punishes, should not be in Him, but in the minds of those ministers who obey the commandments of truth through whom orders are given even to the lower ministries, who are called angels of wrath, to punish sin: whom even now the punishment of men delights not for justice' sake, in which they have no pleasure, but for malice' sake. God then does not "bring in anger every day," that is, He does not collect His ministers for vengeance every day. For now the patience of God invites to repentance: but in the last time, when men "through their hardness and impenitent heart shall have treasured up for themselves anger in the day of anger, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, [Romans 2:5] then He will brandish His sword."

If long-suffering were not associated with his justice, there would have been nothing to stop him punishing day in day out, since sinners always provide grounds for just punishment. Sinners, however, should not for this reason be disposed to indifference: those of right mind rightly respect long-suffering as a threat and take delay in wrath as an aggravation of punishment; this should also be the attitude of those on whom the imposition of judgment does not fall promptly.

“God is a righteous judge, … who does not give free rein to his wrath every day.” Instead, he also shows lovingkindness, by which he bears people’s faults for a longer time. For whenever he sees people not reaping profit from it, he gives them further opportunity with the addition of threats, putting the punishments off; but if they scorn the opportunity and persist in sinning, he immediately brings on their ruin in keeping with justice.

Above he set forth the divine judgment; here, however, he treats of the delay of the future event, namely of punishment. And first he shows the cause of the delay. Second, the preparation for vengeance: "unless you are converted," etc. He proposes, moreover, three causes why God might be thought not to punish sinners. One is because he is not just, so as to remove the providence over human acts: Ezek. 9: "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is filled with blood, and the city is filled with perversion. For they say: 'The Lord has forsaken the earth, and the Lord does not see.'" Job 22: "He walks about the poles of heaven and does not consider our affairs." And he excludes this from God, who is a judge and is just: Is. 32: "Behold, a king shall reign in justice, and a prince shall govern in judgment." Another cause is because he is not powerful; but he excludes this, because God is strong. Job 9: "If it is a matter of strength, he is most mighty." What, then, is the cause? Because he is patient; and therefore he says, "Will he be angry," etc., that is, he will not punish every day, but sometimes he waits and overlooks: Wis. 11: "Overlooking the sins of men on account of repentance." Is. 30: "The Lord waits for you, that he may have mercy on you." And Is. 28: "He who threshes will not thresh forever." Jerome has, "threatening all day long," namely through Sacred Scripture.

Shiggaion--a plaintive song or elegy. Though obscure in details, this title seems to intimate that the occasion of this Psalm was some event in David's persecution by Saul. He prays for relief because he is innocent, and God will be glorified in his vindication. He thus passes to the celebration of God's righteous government, in defending the upright and punishing the wicked, whose malignant devices will result in their own ruin; and, confident of God's aid, he closes with rejoicing. (Psa. 7:1-17) Though many enemies set upon him, one is singled out as prominent, and compared to a wild beast tearing his prey to pieces (compare Sa1 20:1; Sa1 23:23; Sa1 26:19).

judgeth--as in Psa 7:8. the wicked--Though not expressed, they are implied, for they alone are left as objects of anger.

(Heb.: 7:12-14) If God will in the end let His wrath break forth, He will not do it without having previously given threatenings thereof every day, viz., to the ungodly, cf. Isa 66:14; Mal 1:4. He makes these feel His זעם beforehand in order to strike a wholesome terror into them. The subject of the conditional clause אם־לא ישׁוּב is any ungodly person whatever; and the subject of the principal clause, as its continuation in Psa 7:14 shows, is God. If a man (any one) does not repent, then Jahve will whet His sword (cf. Deu 32:41). This sense of the words accords with the connection; whereas with the rendering: "forsooth He (Elohim) will again whet His sword" (Bttch., Ew., Hupf.) ישׁוּב, which would moreover stand close by ילטושׁ (cf. e.g., Gen 30:31), is meaningless; and the אם־לא of asseveration is devoid of purpose. Judgment is being gradually prepared, as the fut. implies; but, as the perff. imply, it is also on the other hand like a bow that is already strung against the sinner with the arrow pointed towards him, so that it can be executed at any moment. כּונן of the making ready, and הכין of the aiming, are used alternately. לו, referring to the sinner, stands first by way of emphasis as in Gen 49:10; Sa1 2:3, and is equivalent to אליו, Eze 4:3. "Burning" arrows are fire-arrows (זקּים, זיקות, malleoli); and God's fire-arrows are the lightnings sent forth by Him, Psa 18:15; Zac 9:14. The fut. יפעל denotes the simultaneous charging of the arrows aimed at the sinner, with the fire of His wrath. The case illustrated by Cush is generalised: by the sword and arrows the manifold energy of the divine anger is symbolised, and it is only the divine forbearance that prevents it from immediately breaking forth. The conception is not coarsely material, but the vividness of the idea of itself suggests the form of its embodiment.