Psalms In My Palms - Book 3 - Justice

"Deliverer!"

Psalm 7:1-17

All Rise! Judge God presiding! In the presence of the Judge of the Highest Powers we bring our cry for help, we rely on Your Mercy, Your Honor! We know You will give a Divine Verdict because You are our JUSTICE! We ask You today in Your Holy Presence to establish the righteous. The imbalance of life must be corrected by the existence of power beyond our own human ability. You are the only one who qualifies for these extreme accomplishments. The barrier has been broken by Jesus as He has experienced both the human and the spiritual side. He has become our Vindicator to bring about JUSTICE! We use the cry in Luke 18:7-8 for our plea. (NKJV)-"He will vindicate them speedily." Romans 8:31-39 reminds us we are more than conquerors." JUSTICE will serve!

Psalm 7 is divided into 7 parts. I like the choice, for seven is the perfect number in many events of the Bible. The number of completion. (Read Numbers 23:29, seven bullocks; Acts 6:3, seven men; Revelations 1:4, seven Spirits of God; 4:5, seven lamps; 1:16, seven stars; Leviticus 4:6, seven sprinkles of blood; etc. I counted at least 80 verses with pertinence to the number 7.) the divisions of Psalm 7 are: Appeal for deliverance, verses 1-2; Protest of innocence, verses 3-5; Appeal for Justice, part one, verses 6-8; Appeal for Justice, part 2, verses 9-10; Picture of God's Justice, verses 11-13; Picture of the wicked, verses 14-16; and, Vow of Praise, verse 17. These divisions are necessary to reach our conclusion.

This is the same method by which we come to Christ for Salvation:

1. Recognition of His ability to control;

2. Admission of our condition;

3. Asking for God's help;

4. Relying on our Vindicator;

5. Seeing His work accomplished;

6. Seeing the results of sin;

And, 7. Praising God for the accomplishment.

("Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved."-Acts 16:31)

To begin our study of the content of Psalm 7, David is being pursued by Saul and is in grave danger (2 Samuel 2:15-17). David is pleading to the Judge for Justice, Verse 1 (NKJV)-"O Lord, my God in You I put my trust." He is well aware that he is not perfect but he also knows God is his only hope (Romans 3:22-24). Basically this Psalm makes two thing clear: God is Good; and, Life is difficult!

The action verb "save me" here is describing bird seeking refuge under its other 's wings. (Read Psalm 11:1; 17:8; Ruth 2:12). "Save me from those who persecute me; and deliver me." "Help!" David cried to God. "Lest they tear me like a lion, rending me to pieces, while there is none to deliver." (Psalm 31:15; 50:22) David was well aware of the danger to unprotected sheep in a pasture with a lion present. Saul was the Great Lion in David's life; but, David knew the God who had helped him slay the lion who came after his sheep; however, now David feels like the sheep not the shepherd, so he fears the lion. God is his shepherd and that is David's cry for help! (Isaiah 38:13 describes the strength of the lion.)

David puts forth his case, a plea of innocence in verses 35, (TLB)-"It would be different, Lord, if I were doing evil things-if I were paying back evil for good or unjustly attacking those I dislike. Then it would be right for you to let my enemies destroy me, crush me to the ground, and trample my life in the dust." David lays out a reasonable argument, serving as his own lawyer, against the assault by his enemies. (2 Samuel 16:12-shows David's attitude toward this abuse; 1 Samuel 24:11- reveals the opportunity for revenge which David by-passed; 1 Samuel 24:15-we see David's reasoning for his lack of revenge-"Therefore let the Lord be Judge between you and me and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand,"). This speaks loudly to us to let God bring forth His Justice in His timing. (Read 1Samuel 26:9-25). No personal revenge! (Psalm 94:1-"to whom vengeance belongs-")

David requests JUSTICE OF THE GOD OF JUSTICE! In verses 6-8-(CEB)-"Get up, Lord; get angry! Stand up against the fury of my foes! Wake up, my God; You commanded that JUSTICE be done!" Rise from Your position and render JUSTICE! (Read Psalms 34:2; 35:23-"my vindication, to my cause, my God and my Lord."; 44:23; 3:7) All these are pleas, not because God is literally sleeping but only the representation of human viewpoint on the situation, for God never sleeps! David went on to say, "Let the assembled people's surround You. Rule them from on High!" David wanted heavenly JUSTICE not tainted by the works of human hands, GOD IS THE ONLY TRUE JUSTICE!

So David said, "The Lord will judge the people's. Establish JUSTICE (vindicate) for me, Lord, according to my righteousness and according to my integrity." I am ready for Your decision! (Read Psalms 26:1-(NKJV)-"Vindicate me, O Lord...I have also trusted in the Lord...; 35:24-"According to Your righteousness"; 43:1-"plead my cause...; 18:20-"the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness..."). If there seems to be an interchange of terms between " Your righteousness" and "my righteousness" , please remember our righteousness is in Christ so we can boldly come before Him for help in time of need. Also David 's own words, "if God searches, He will find repentance which justifies me." David knew God was his righteousness!

In verses 9-10, we see David reminding God that JUSTICE can only be served when someone is found guilty-(TEV)-"Stop the wicked of evil men, and reward, I pray, the good men." JUSTICE HAS TWO FACETS: THE ABSOLVING OF GUILT FROM THE INNOCENT; and, THE INDICTMENT OF THE PUNISHMENT TO THE GUILTY! David went on, -"You are a Righteous God, and Judge men's thoughts and desires. God is my protector (CEB calls this a "shield"; thoughts and desires are translated by CEB as "hearts and minds."; 1 Samuel 16:7-"The Lord looks at the heart."; Psalms97:10-11; 125:4; 33:20-"He saves the upright in heart.")

David further reminds us in verses 11-13 seven truths of God:

1. "God is a Just Judge,"

2. ...God is angry with the wicked..."

3. "If the wicked do not turn back he will sharpen His sword"

4. "He bends His bow..."

5. He "makes it ready."

6. "He also prepares instruments of death"

7. "He makes His arrows into fiery shafts."

Remember this is against the rebellious wicked not against the believer. (Deuteronomy 32:4-" He is the Rock, His work is perfect, for all His ways are JUSTICE, a God of truth and without injustice. Righteous and upright is He."; Read Psalms 37:9; 118:1-14, also.)

Psalm 7:14-16 declares why God reacts after He has prepared His weapons for battle against the wicked. Here we find a list of condemnations against them:

1. "The wicked hatch evil,"

2. "Conceive trouble, "

3. "Give birth to lies!"

(Read Isaiah 59:4-for a good description of "no plea" on the part of the wicked.)

4. " They make a pit"

5. "Dig it all out,"

6. "Then they fall right into the hole that they've made."

Caught in a trap their own words and actions. (Read Job 4:8-"they reap what they sow." Self-destruction is the result.)

David's climax to this Psalm is not bleak or hopeless, for the one who trusts in God for JUSTICE,(TEV)-"I will thank the Lord for HIS JUSTICE , I will sing praises to the Lord, the Most High." (Psalms 47:2-"For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a Great King over all the earth ; 78:35-"...God was their Rock and Most High God...; Deuteronomy 32:8;). GOD IS A GOD OF JUSTICE ! Case Dismissed!

Next time...