Psalm 7

Longing for Justice

1. Help me, Lord my God, for I flee for safety into you,

I am looking for a hiding place from all who hunt me down.

2. I fear the lion-like adversaries of my world,

those who tear and rend the soul.

I fear them when no place is sure,

when there is no one near to save.

3. O God, my plea to you is this,

if I have caused this evil or this pain,

if you find blood upon my hands,

4. If I have been the source of harm,

if I have plundered foe or friend,

5. Then let them come and take me, Lord,

let them bring me to the ground.

6. But God, I beg of you to rise

and in your fury stand against my foes.

Awaken to my cause, O God, and be the judge of all.

7. And as you ascend the judge’s seat,

Let all be gathered there,

8. Judge us, judge me, judge everything

and all that’s in your care.

9. Weigh me on the scale of innocence,

according to your law,

and as you establish justice, bring evil to an end.

10. For this I know, you are the source of justice done,

the fairest judge of all,

You know what’s in the human heart,

to the very secrets of the soul.

11. You are also the great protecting one,

you shield the good, defending all that’s true.

12. Your justice moves the many nations

often against their will.

13. But if the peoples of the earth will never turn or change,

then you must sharpen sword and bend your bow.

14. You must make yourself a weapon of our death,

an arrow tipped with fire.

15. Your target, those who deal in sin,

who live out crime and lies.

16. For the life they lead digs for them a pit,

their traps become their graves.

17. And evil is always, in the end, a cheat,

it recoils upon its “friends.”

It descends from nowhere like a crown of fire

and rests upon their heads.

18. O God, I give you thanks for justice done,

I raise your name in praise,

My tongue gives tribute to the name of one,

exalted over all.