On Wednesday, I posted a Christological paraphrase of Psalm 7--how I imagine Jesus would respond to us if we prayed Psalm 7 today.
Since my paraphrase was so different than the psalm itself, I thought it would be helpful to add a rationale. Below, I will reprint the Christological paraphrase (in the larger font) followed by a short commentary on how I got there from the original psalm (in small font).
[The Spirit moved through David whenever he sang this song. He cried out to the LORD about the things Cush the Benjaminite was doing to him.]
I cut this from the Christological paraphrase because it didn't fit with the rest
My child, I am here to protect you. I see the people seeking to hurt you. Don’t be afraid! They are powerless to harm a hair on your head.
I know it feels like you are at their mercy; that they act with impunity and escape justice.
The image of the lion is one of powerlessness. The Psalmist is unable to deliver himself from his accusers. Jesus’s response to this prayer is that He sees. Though we are powerless, Jesus remains powerful. Even though it looks and feels like the unjust can harm us with impunity—this is not the case. The Lord is delaying justice in hope of repentance (2 Peter 3:8–9).
But my child, I see all things. I know your coming and your going.
Nothing is done in darkness that will not be brought to light. Nothing is whispered in corners that won’t be proclaimed from rooftops.
I search the mind and the heart. I show no favoritism.
I know you are hurting and afraid. I hurt with you. I am familiar with the pain of injustice.
Remember how I overcame—through faithful presence. You overcome the same way!
Starting in verse 4, the Psalmist insists on his innocence. In wishing divine retribution to come upon himself, the Psalmist reiterates that he isn’t asking for special favors—he just wants justice.
Jesus’s response to injustice is that He sees it, He hurts with us, and He promises to put it to an end. The Scriptures never promise us freedom or protection from injustice in this life—in fact, they promise us the opposite (1 Peter 4:12–17)! One of the things that is maddening about injustice is the feeling of powerlessness it creates—that powerful people can act with impunity to force their wills on others. The Scriptures promise that while this can be true in this life, in the end no one can buy off God. His justice wins in the end.
When I suffer, what I really want to know is that God is with me and that He cares. He is and He does. I love the image in Revelation of the martyrs who overcome “by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11). In other words, when we endure unjust suffering as Jesus endured unjust suffering, we are united to him in his martyrdom. The path forward through injustice is to suffer boldly through faithful presence.
The Scriptures do promise us that God will make all things right in the end (Romans 8:18–25; Revelation 21:3–4).
I promise to make all things right! One day, there will be no more mourning or pain. I have ripped the doors of hell off their hinges and set free the captives! My resurrection has silenced the accuser!
I will put an end to wickedness. I will liberate humanity from slavery to sin. My justice will fill the earth and there will be no doubt as to who is Lord. I have spoken; I will do it. My resurrection shows my ability.
The prayer of verses 9 and 10 is for God to establish justice on the earth. The Psalmist insists that he is innocent, so establishing justice looks like vindicating him over his enemies. The New Testament challenges assertions like this and reveals that justice is rarely this cut and dry. We are all held captive to sin and continue to act unjustly while we are under its sway. The only way for God to establish justice on the earth is to destroy sin. This is what He has done through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
The Psalmist prays for God to vindicate him and condemn his enemies. The challenge of Jesus is that we are not always as righteous as we think we are. We hope for eschatological vindication based on the cross, but who are we to deny that same vindication to our enemies? Jesus died for their sins just as He died for ours. Our hope is not for Jesus to slay the wicked, but rather that He put an end to wickedness. In that sense, Jesus will slay the wicked by freeing them from their wickedness and giving them His own righteousness!
At the same time, Jesus delights in hearing our prayers for justice. Justice might not look like what we envision, but it will come. We can pray for justice, acknowledge that Jesus is the only true Just One.
I am your protector! My reputation depends on it. You are the apple of my eye and in Me, you are faultless!
I cannot be bought and I cannot be fooled. It takes every ounce of my strength to restrain my righteous wrath until it is time.
I am drawing all people under my protective wings, but I love them too much to force them.
Some will choose condemnation over mercy, but none will escape judgment.
In verses 11–14, the Psalmist proclaims confidence in the justice of God. In the Psalmist’s worldview, earthly justice is according to our deeds. In a post-resurrection worldview, justice is something we long for in the future, accomplished only through the cross. Justice will be based on the justice of Jesus.
Don’t envy the wicked man. He sacrifices the blessing of true humanity for cheap thrills.
When you make yourself a slave to sin, it seeps into your bones. It changes you from the inside out.
When you continue down the path of wickedness, soon there is nothing left of your humanity. You become a husk of a person. You don’t want to go there. Nobody does.
The final verses of Psalm 7 express confidence that the wicked man’s wickedness will come down on his own head. Books like Job, Ecclesiastes, and even some of the Psalms remind us that this isn’t always the case. But, we do know that living according to the flesh is a feedback loop of self-destruction (Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:17–21). Even if the wicked “get away” with injustice, they do so at the expense of their humanity.
Rejoice in my faithfulness! I win in the end! You are going to be okay.”
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