Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 7:17

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 7:17. I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness — I shall celebrate both his justice and his mercy. I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. The name of God is often put for his perfections. So here, שם יהוה עלין shem Yehovah Elyon; "The perfections of Jehovah, who is above all." My old Scotico-English MS., mentioned at the conclusion of the introduction, begins at this verse, where are the following words by way of paraphrase: Sang falles til ioy; and he that synges well that name, his ioy es mare than i kan tell. Those who are happy may sing; and he who can duly celebrate the name of God, who knows it to be a strong tower into which he can run and find safety, has inexpressible happiness. That is the sense of the above.

ANALYSIS OF THE SEVENTH PSALM

I. His appeal to God by way of petition, Psalms 7:1; Psalms 7:2; Psalms 7:6.

II. The reasons of this appeal, - set down through the whole Psalm.

III. His doxology or thanksgiving, Psalms 7:17.

I. He begins his appeal with a petition for deliverance from his persecutors: "Save me and deliver me," Psalms 7:1. In which he desires God to be,

1. Attentive to him: 1. Because of the relation between them. For he was the Lord his God. 2. He trusted in him: "O Lord my God, I trust in thee," Psalms 7:1.

2. Benevolent to him. For he was now in danger of death. He had, 1. Enemies. 2. Many enemies. 3. Persecuting enemies. 4. But one above the rest, a lion ready to rend him in pieces; so that if God forsook him, he would do it. "Save me from those that persecute me," c., Psalms 7:2.

II. And then he gives his reasons why he doth appeal to his God, which are: 1. His own innocence. 2. God's justice.

1. He makes a protestation of his innocence. He was accused that he lay in wait, and plotted for Saul's life and kingdom but he clears himself, shows the impossibility of it, and that with a fearful imprecation. 1. O Lord-if I have done any such thing as they object; if I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me, Psalms 7:3; Psalms 7:4, which was indeed an impossible matter. For I have delivered him-as Saul in the cave, 1 Samuel 24:2. His imprecation - Then let mine enemy persecute me-let him take both my life and my honour, kingdom, property, and whatever thou hast promised me.

2. And, which is the second reason of this appeal, being innocent, he calls for justice. "Arise, O Lord-lift up thyself-awake for me to judgment." For, 1. The rage of my enemies is great. 2. The judgment was thine that chose me to be king of thy people. Awake for me. 3. This will be for thy honour, and the edification of thy Church. "The congregation of thy people shall compass thee about. For their sakes return thou on high." Ascend the tribunal, and do justice.

Now, upon this argument of God's justice, he dwells and insists to the last verse of the Psalm.

1. He avows God to be his Judge.

2. He prays for justice to be done to him and to the wicked. 1. To him, an innocent person: "Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness." 2. To the wicked: "O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end!"

3. He prays not only for himself, but for all good men: "Establish the just." And adds this reason, that as "God trieth the hearts and reins," he is fittest to be judge, in whom is required knowledge and prudence.

4. The other two properties of a judge are, to save, and to punish; and the triumph of his faith is, that he knows He will do both. 1. He will save the just and upright in heart, and therefore his defence is in God. 2. He will punish the wicked, for he is angry with them every day; and yet even to them he shows much clemency and forbearance. He waits for their conversion. He whets, binds on, and sharpens his instruments of death; but he shoots not till there is no remedy. But, If they will not return he will whet his sword, c.

5. But the Lord's longsuffering had no good effect upon Saul he grew worse and worse: He travailed with mischief; conceived iniquity; brought forth falsehood; and digged a pit for his innocent neighbour, into which he fell himself. Thus the righteous God executed judgment and vindicated innocence.

III. The close of the Psalm is a doxology. Thanks that a good and merciful God would judge for the righteous, save those who are true of heart, establish the just, and take vengeance upon the wicked. For this, saith David, "I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord the Most High."

The righteous may be oppressed, but they shall not be forsaken: nor can they lose even by their afflictions, for they shall be turned to their advantage. Every occurrence helps a good man, whether prosperous or adverse; but to the wicked every thing is a curse. By his wickedness, even his blessings are turned to a bane.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 7:0 Against Cush, a Benjaminite

During the reign of Saul, David won much fame for himself. Saul became jealous and attempted to murder David. When David escaped, Saul pursued him cruelly, being urged on by a group of zealous courtiers (probably from Saul’s tribe of Benjamin), who accused David of plotting to overthrow the king (1 Samuel 18:22-26; 1 Samuel 22:7; 1 Samuel 24:9; 1 Samuel 26:19; cf. 2 Samuel 16:5; 2 Samuel 20:1).

The time was one of considerable suffering and temptation for David, but he remained guiltless throughout. He refused to do anything against Saul, whom he still acknowledged as God’s anointed king. All he wanted was to save his own life (1 Samuel 20:1; 1 Samuel 24:11; 1 Samuel 26:9). Cush, the Benjaminite against whom David wrote this psalm, was probably one of those who falsely accused David and urged Saul to destroy him.

Unjustly pursued by fierce enemies, David turns to God for protection (1-2). In a strongly worded statement he boldly declares his innocence (3-5). He appeals to the judge of heaven and earth also to declare his innocence, and in addition to condemn his enemies (6-9). David’s confidence is that God always acts justly (10-11). Therefore, those who are evil should turn from their sin, otherwise they will be overtaken by God’s judgment (12-13).
Since evil deeds sooner or later bring about the downfall of those who practise them, David need have no fear of his enemies. His confidence in God’s overruling justice strengthens him in his present distress (14-17).

Curses on the wicked

The psalmists frequently request God to destroy the wicked without mercy (e.g. Psalms 7:6; Psalms 35:8; Psalms 139:19). This appears at first to be a display of hate and revenge that should have no place in the hearts of God’s people. Before considering this matter, we should, in fairness to the psalmists, note that the curses and punishments they spoke of were in keeping with the legal penalties and methods of warfare of their day. The Christian today may rightly hesitate to use such language (cf. Psalms 58:6; Psalms 109:6-15; Psalms 137:9).

However, the reason the psalmists called for divine punishment was not necessarily that they wanted personal revenge. This is seen in Psalms 7:3-6, where the psalmist, before praying down divine judgment, emphasizes that he has no desire to return evil for evil personally. The psalmists’ overwhelming desire was to see God’s standards of righteousness established. In fact, it often seems that, in regard to righteousness, they knew God better than we do. For this reason sin appeared worse to them than it does to us. They saw sin as God sees it and hated evil as God hates it (Psalms 139:21-22). They knew that wicked people had to be punished according to their wickedness (Psalms 109:16-19).

Cursing in ancient times was not a burst of bad language arising out of a fit of temper or hatred. It was an announcement that people believed could release powerful forces against the evildoer. The psalmists feel something of the divine anger against sin as they call on God to punish the evildoers with the sorrows that they intended to bring upon the innocent (Psalms 109:17; cf. Romans 12:9,Romans 12:19; Ephesians 4:26).

It should also be remembered that the ancient Israelites lived in the era before Jesus Christ came and revealed God’s purposes more fully. They did not have the fuller understanding that Christians have of a future judgment bringing rewards and punishments. For them righteousness was to be rewarded and wickedness punished in this life; and one could not occur without the other. If God was going to establish righteousness on the earth, this would mean punishing the wicked. If he was to deliver his people, this would mean overthrowing their foes.

The psalmists may not have had as clear an understanding as Christians have of the vastness of God’s grace, because the world-changing events of Christ’s life, death and resurrection had not yet taken place. But they were realistic enough to see that most people would not repent. The principle behind their attacks on their enemies was this: ‘God is a righteous judge . . . If people do not change their ways, God will sharpen his sword’ (Psalms 7:11-12; cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:6).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“I will give thanks unto Jehovah according to his righteousness, And will sing praise to Jehovah Most High.”

It is of great interest here that the true God is designated as Most High. Yes, it is true that the pagans of Palestine so designated one of their false deities, but “in the Bible” the term has no other application than the one evident here. It belongs to the true God and Creator of all things. Melchizedek was a priest of “God Most High” (Genesis 14:17-24); and in the few verses where he is introduced the expression “God Most High” is found four times; but the expression is not often found in the Old Testament. Significantly, Abraham himself used it and made it absolutely certain that the words refer to the true and only God. He said, “I have lifted up my hand unto Jehovah God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:22).

The scriptural application of the words is made even more certain in the New Testament, where the author of Hebrews revealed Melchizedek as a type of Jesus Christ, absolutely forbidding the notion that Melchizedek was the worshipper of a false deity. Also in Luke 8:18 the demoniac confessed the Christ as “Son of God Most High,” adding the request that Christ would not torment him. The Matthew account of the same event (Matthew 8:29) indicated that the demonic world recognized the right of God to torment them eventually in hell at some appointed time in the future, hence the request that Christ would not torment him “before the time.”

Likewise, the martyr Stephen’s great address has a reference to “The Most High” (Acts 7:48), revealing that Person as the one whose throne is in heaven and who “dwelleth not in temples made with hands.”

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness - That is, particularly as manifested in the treatment of the righteous and the wicked, protecting the one, and bringing deeserved punishment upon the other. The purpose of the psalm is to show this. In the course of the psalm the author had declared his full conviction that this was the character of God, and now, in view of this, he says that he will render to him the praise and glory which such a character deserves. He will acknowledge him by public acts of praise as such a God; and will at all times ascribe these attributes to him.

And will sing praise to the name of the Lord - To the name of Jehovah; that is, to Yahweh himself, the “name” being often used to designate a person, or that by which he is known; and also, in many cases, as in this, being significant, or designating the essential nature of him to whom it is applied.

Most high - Exalted above all other beings; exalted above all worlds. The purpose here declared of praising God may refer either to the act which he was then performing in the composition of the psalm, or it may be a purpose in respect to the future, declaring his intention to be to retain in future life the memory of those characteristics of the divine nature now disclosed to him, and to celebrate them in all time to come. The great truth taught is, that God is to be adored for what he is, and that his holy character, manifested alike in the treatment of the righteous and the wicked, lays the foundation for exalted praise.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

17I will praise Jehovah according to his righteousness; and I will sing to the name of Jehovah, Most High As the design of God in the deliverances which he vouchsafes to his servants is, that they may render to him in return the sacrifices of praise, David here promises that he will gratefully acknowledge the deliverance which he had received, and at the same time affirms that his preservation from death was the undoubted and manifest work of God. He could not, with truth, and from the heart, have ascribed to God the praise of his deliverance, if he had not been fully persuaded that he had been preserved otherwise than by the power of man. He, therefore, not only promises to exercise the gratitude which was due to his deliverer, but he confirms in one word what he has rehearsed throughout the psalm, that he is indebted for his life to the grace of God, who had not suffered Saul to take it from him. The righteousness of God is here to be understood of his faithfulness which he makes good to his servants in defending and preserving their lives. God does not shut up or conceal his righteousness from our view in the secret recesses of his own mind, but manifests it for our advantage when he defends us against all wrongful violence, delivers us from oppression, and preserves us in safety although wicked men make war upon us and persecute us.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 7

In the title, "shiggaion" probably means a poem with intense feeling. [Note: A. F. Kirkpatrick, Psalms, p. xx; Ross, p. 796.] Cush, the Benjamite, received no other mention elsewhere in the Bible. The Benjamites were, of course, King Saul’s relatives who were hostile to David before and after David became king.

David prayed for deliverance from his enemies on the ground that he was innocent, and he asked God to vindicate him by judging them. Elements of an individual lament (Psalms 7:1-2), an oath (Psalms 7:3-5), a psalm of Yahweh’s kingship (Psalms 7:6-12), and a thanksgiving hymn (Psalms 7:17) make designating this psalm’s genre very difficult.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

5. Promise to praise 7:17

David closed his psalm with a vow to thank and praise God for His righteousness.

"The attribute of God’s righteousness is what he does or will do on behalf of his own." [Note: VanGemeren, p. 106.]

Even though God had not yet vindicated him, David’s reflection on the character and activities of the Lord encouraged this psalmist to believe that He would do so at the proper time. He described God as the "Most High," a title used three times in this psalm in the NIV (Psalms 7:8; Psalms 7:10; Psalms 7:17) that pictures Him as sovereign, exalted on His heavenly throne (cf. Genesis 14:18-24).

Reflection on God’s character and ways of working can encourage God’s people to trust in Him and praise Him when we experience injustice and hostility from the wicked.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness,.... Or on account of it, as it was displayed in vindicating the innocent, and punishing the wicked; so Pharaoh having ordered male infants of the Hebrews to be drowned, and he himself and his host in righteous judgment being drowned in the Red sea; Moses and the children of Israel sung a song, as the psalmist here;

and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high; whose name is Jehovah, and is the most High over all the earth; and who had now, according to the psalmist's request, Psalms 7:6; arose and lifted up himself, and returned on high, and had shown himself to be above all David's enemies, and had sat on the throne judging right.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      10 My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.   11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.   12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.   13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.   14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.   15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.   16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.   17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

      David having lodged his appeal with God by prayer and a solemn profession of his integrity, in the former part of the psalm, in this latter part does, as it were, take out judgment upon the appeal, by faith in the word of God, and the assurance it gives of the happiness and safety of the righteous and the certain destruction of wicked people that continue impenitent.

      I. David is confident that he shall find God his powerful protector and Saviour, and the patron of his oppressed innocency (Psalms 7:10; Psalms 7:10): "My defence is of God. Not only, God is my defender, and I shall find him so; but I look for defence and safety in no other; my hope for shelter in a time of danger is placed in God alone; if I have defence, it must be of God." My shield is upon God (so some read it); there is that in God which gives an assurance of protection to all that are his. His name is a strong tower, Proverbs 18:10. Two things David builds this confidence upon:-- 1. The particular favour God has for all that are sincere: He saves the upright in heart, saves them with an everlasting salvation, and therefore will preserve them to his heavenly kingdom; he saves them out of their present troubles, as far as is good for them; their integrity and uprightness will preserve them. The upright in heart are safe, and ought to think themselves so, under the divine protection. 2. The general respect he has for justice and equity: God judgeth the righteous; he owns every righteous cause, and will maintain it in every righteous man, and will protect him. God is a righteous Judge (so some read it), who not only doeth righteousness himself, but will take care that righteousness be done by the children of men and will avenge and punish all unrighteousness.

      II. He is no less confident of the destruction of all his persecutors, even as many of them as would not repent, to give glory to God. He reads their doom here, for their good, if possible, that they might cease from their enmity, or, however, for his own comfort, that he might not be afraid of them nor aggrieved at their prosperity and success for a time. He goes into the sanctuary of God, and there understands,

      1. That they are children of wrath. They are not to be envied, for God is angry with them, is angry with the wicked every day. They are every day doing that which is provoking to him, and he resents it, and treasures it up against the day of wrath. As his mercies are new every morning towards his people, so his anger is new every morning against the wicked, upon the fresh occasions given for it by their renewed transgressions. God is angry with the wicked even in the merriest and most prosperous of their days, even in the days of their devotion; for, if they be suffered to prosper, it is in wrath; if they pray, their very prayers are an abomination. The wrath of God abides upon them (John 3:36) and continual additions are made to it.

      2. That they are children of death, as all the children of wrath are, sons of perdition, marked out for ruin. See their destruction.

      (1.) God will destroy them. The destruction they are reserved for is destruction from the Almighty, which ought to be a terror to every one of us, for it comes from the wrath of God,Psalms 7:13; Psalms 7:14. It is here intimated, [1.] That the destruction of sinners may be prevented by their conversion, for it is threatened with that proviso: If he turn not from his evil way, if he do not let fall his enmity against the people of God, then let him expect it will be his ruin; but, if he turn, it is implied that his sin shall be pardoned and all shall be well. Thus even the threatenings of wrath are introduced with a gracious implication of mercy, enough to justify God for ever in the destruction of those that perish; they might have turned and lived, but they chose rather to go on and die and their blood is therefore upon their own heads. [2.] That, if it be not thus prevented by the conversion of the sinner, it will be prepared for him by the justice of God. In general (Psalms 7:13; Psalms 7:13), He has prepared for him the instruments of death, of all that death which is the wages of sin. If God will slay, he will not want instruments of death for any creature; even the least and weakest may be made so when he pleases. First, Here is variety of instruments, all which breathe threatenings and slaughter. Here is a sword, which wounds and kills at hand, a bow and arrows, which wound and kill at a distance those who think to get out of the reach of God's vindictive justice. If the sinner flees from the iron weapon, yet the bow of steel shall strike him through,Job 20:24. Secondly, These instruments of death are all said to be made ready. God has them not to seek, but always at hand. Judgments are prepared for scorners. Tophet is prepared of old. Thirdly, While God is preparing his instruments of death, he gives the sinners timely warning of their danger, and space to repent and prevent it. He is slow to punish, and long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish. Fourthly, The longer the destruction is delayed, to give time for repentance, the sorer will it be and the heavier will it fall and lie for ever if that time be not so improved; while God is waiting the sword is in the whetting and the bow in the drawing. Fifthly, The destruction of impenitent sinners, though it come slowly, yet comes surely; for it is ordained, they are of old ordained to it. Sixthly, Of all sinners persecutors are set up as the fairest marks of divine wrath; against them, more than any other, God has ordained his arrows. They set God at defiance, but cannot set themselves out of the reach of his judgments.

      (2.) They will destroy themselves, Psalms 7:14-16; Psalms 7:14-16. The sinner is here described as taking a great deal of pains to ruin himself, more pains to damn his soul than, if directed aright, would save it. His conduct is described, [1.] By the pains of a labouring woman that brings forth a false conception, Psalms 7:14; Psalms 7:14. The sinner's head with its politics conceives mischief, contrives it with a great deal of art, lays the plot deep, and keeps it close; the sinner's heart with its passions travails with iniquity, and is in pain to be delivered of the malicious projects it is hatching against the people of God. But what does it come to when it comes to the birth? It is falsehood; it is a cheat upon himself; it is a lie in his right hand. He cannot compass what he intended, nor, if he gain his point, will he gain the satisfaction he promised himself. He brings forth wind (Isaiah 26:18), stubble (Isaiah 33:11), death (James 1:5), that is, falsehood. [2.] By the pains of a labouring man that works hard to dig a pit, and then falls into it and perishes in it. First, This is true, in a sense of all sinners. They prepare destruction for themselves by preparing themselves for destruction, loading themselves with guilt and submitting themselves to their corruptions. Secondly, It is often remarkably true of those who contrive mischief against the people of God or against their neighbours; by the righteous hand of God it is made to return upon their own heads. What they designed for the shame and destruction of others proves to be their own confusion.

Some apply it to Saul, who fell upon his sword.

      In singing this psalm we must do as David here does (Psalms 7:17; Psalms 7:17), praise the Lord according to his righteousness, that is, give him the glory of that gracious protection under which he takes his afflicted people and of that just vengeance with which he will pursue those that afflict them. Thus we must sing to the praise of the Lord most high, who, when his enemies deal proudly, shows that he is above them.