Psalm 7


Psalm 7 is the 7th psalm from the Book of Psalms. Its authorship is traditionally assigned to King David. The Greek and Masoretic numberings are the same for this psalm. The message in the psalm is that the righteous may seem weak, but ultimately will prevail against the wicked.

Structure

The 7th Psalm is a Psalm of David, and one of the Lamentations of an individual. A possible outline the psalm as follows:
This line is verse 1 in Hebrew texts. The Hebrew word shiggayon, which appears in the superscription, is of unknown meaning.

Uses

in literature

used some of the imagery from Psalm 7 in his famous sermon 'Sinners in the hands of an angry God".

Psalm 7:12,13 was used in Sinners in the hands of an Angry God as
The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string,
and justice bends the arrow at your heart,
and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God,
and that of an angry God, without any promise
or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment
from being made drunk with your blood.”
A takeoff on this imagery used by the book by Brian Zahnd is "Sinners in the hands of a loving God"
The arrow imagery will occur 15 times in Psalms, of God, of His enemies and even of children of blessed people.

Judaism

Psalm 7 is recited on Purim.

Catholicism

Around 530, St. Benedict of Nursia choose this psalm for the Tuesday office of Prime. According to the rule of St. Benedict, it was the first of three psalms. This tradition is still respected in a number of monasteries.
In the Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 7 is recited to the Office of midday on Monday the first week.