Psalm 7:7-17 – Evil has a price

David had to struggle with slanderous accusations hurled at him unjustly. But he maintained his innocence and integrity. Despite the hurt and discouragement, he turned to God, His refuge, and confidently trust Him to vindicate. What about us? Who do we turn to when wrongly dealt with? David was aware that until God the righteous had taken His judgement seat, injustice would be his experience as well as those who had chosen to live uprightly with integrity. Yet he took courage in the fact that God alone judges justly. It is because God alone knows everyone’s mind and heart, the source of one’s actions in life.  

So David relied on his personal innocence as a defense against the slanders and defamation brought against him. Assured that he was not guilty, he cried out for the wicked to be brought to an end and he be vindicated. Like David, let’s be assured that God examines our inner motives. He alone knows the truth and will vindicate those who live with integrity and honor.

The Psalmist tells us that as Judge, God is ready and always prepared to deal with the wicked. We see that in the way David painted God’s readiness. His sword is sharpened; His bow is bent and positioned to fire; He also has deadly weapons and the shafts of His arrows are fiery. Verse 12 indicates that God is not just ready once in a while, but that He is in readiness daily. And the only way a person could avert His judgement is repentance. Unless there’s true repentance there’s no way we can escape God’s impending judgement.  

In verse 14, David used the language of gestation to describe the progress of wickedness. Like a pregnant woman travailing in birth pangs, David saw his enemy travailing with wickedness. Like a pregnant woman who had conceived and about to deliver her baby, David’s adversary had conceived mischief and would give birth to deceit and falsehood. Then in verses 15-16, David saw his adversary being caught by the trap of his own making. He dug a hole for David but fell into it himself. He was visited by his own deception. David meant to say that in his wickedness, his enemy was ensnared by his own evil scheme. In other words his own wickedness boomeranged on him.

In anticipation of God’s deliverance, David committed himself to give thanks to God for His righteousness and to praise the name of the Most High in verse 17. In expressing his willingness to give thanks and praise God, David was testifying of his trust and confidence in Him. This Psalm teaches us to rely on God, Who knows us intimately, and will see us through when we are wrongly accused. It also warns us against acting with wicked intent. For the evil scheme we design may trap us and boomerang on us. Like David, let’s walk with our God uprightly as we serve Him with integrity!