Arise, Lord, in your anger;
    rise up against the rage of my enemies.
    Awake, my God; decree justice.
7 Let the assembled peoples gather round you,
    while you sit enthroned over them on high.
8     Let the Lord judge the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,
    according to my integrity, O Most High.
9 Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
    and make the righteous secure –
you, the righteous God
    who probes minds and hearts.

10 My shield is God Most High,
    who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
    a God who displays his wrath every day.
12 If he does not relent,
    he will sharpen his sword;
    he will bend and string his bow.
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
    he makes ready his flaming arrows. NIVUK

What a prayer for today – for these perilous times in which we are living:

”Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
    and make the righteous secure…”

Doesn’t it seem to be so relevant?

David is not merely mouthing words; going through a religious exercise. It is a heart-rending cry to the God he knows to be real, to intervene, to act decisively. He totally believes that God is able to deal with ”the wicked”.

But let’s remember that this comes in a section where David is entrusting his case to the Lord. Warren Wiersbe expresses this well: ‘It is wise to let God be the judge because His judgment is always right (1 Cor.4:3-5). We do not see ourselves and others as He sees, so it is best to turn the matter over to Him.’

Centuries later, Jesus – ‘Great David’s Greater Son – exemplified this approach:

”To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

22 ‘He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.’

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” 1 Pet.2:21-23 NIVUK.

Verse 22 of the above passage could never have been said of David, and he would not have claimed it. But in the circumstances surrounding Psalm 7, he upheld his claim to ”integrity” – that he was not guilty of the charges being laid at his door. Nevertheless, he was content to ‘entrust himself’ to the One who ”judges justly”.