Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 7:3
O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
3. if I have done this ] ‘This’ refers to the crimes of which he was falsely accused by Cush, and is further explained in the two following lines.
if there be iniquity in my hands ] Wrong as the opposite of right: what is crooked and distorted: a different word from that used in Psa 7:14 and in Psa 5:5. Compare the closely similar language of David’s protest in 1Sa 24:11, “Know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand:” and 1Sa 26:18, “What have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
3 5. The appeal for help is supported by a solemn protestation of innocence. If he is guilty of the crimes laid to his charge, may he be surrendered to the utmost fury of his enemies.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
O Lord my God – A solemn appeal to God as to the sincerity and truth of what he was about to say.
If I have done this – This thing charged upon me, for it is evident that Cush, whoever he was, had accused him of some wrong thing – some wicked action. What that was can only be learned from what follows, and even this is not very specific. So far as appears, however, it would seem to be that he accused David of bringing evil, in some way, upon one who was at peace with him; that is, of wantonly and without provocation doing him wrong, and of so doing wrong that he had the avails of it in his own possession – some spoil, or plunder, or property, that he had taken from him. The charge would seem to be, that he had made a wanton and unprovoked attack on one who had not injured him, and that he had taken, and had still in his possession, something of value that properly belonged to another. Whether the accuser (Cush) in this referred to himself or to some other person, does not appear clear from the psalm; but as he was filled with rage, and as the life of David was endangered by him, it would seem most probable that the reference was to himself, and that he felt he had been personally wronged. The design of David, in the passage now before us, is to deny this charge altogether. This he does in the most explicit manner, by saying that this was so far from being true, that he had, on the contrary, delivered the life of him that was his enemy, and by adding that, if this were so, he would be willing that the injured man should persecute and oppose him, and even trample his life down to the earth.
If there be iniquity in my hands – That is, if there is the iniquity referred to; or, in other words, if he had in his possession what had been wrongfully taken from another, to wit, as appears, from this Cush who now accused him. The word iniquity here denotes an unjust possession – a property that had been unjustly taken from another; and, as remarked above, the slanderous charge would seem to have been, that he had taken that property from some one who was at peace with him, and that he retained it contrary to justice. This charge David means peremptorily to deny.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 7:3-5
O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands.
The appeal of conscious integrity
When near his end Mahomet made an effort to obtain himself the peace and pardon of the living before presenting himself before his Judge. Sustained beneath the arms by his two cherished disciples, Abubeker and All, he trailed himself along to the pulpit of the mosque, and said, with a feeble voice, Mussulmans! if I have ever maltreated any among you, let him now come and strike me in turn. If I have offended any of you by word, let him return insult for insult. If I have taken from any his property, let him take all I possess upon the earth. And these are not vain words; let no one, in doing himself justice, apprehend my resentment. Resentment and anger are not in my character. A man dared to step from the crowd and claim of him a concealed debt. Help thyself, said the prophet; it is better to blush in this life before men, for ones injustice, than to blush in the other world before God. (Lamartines Turkey.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 3. If I have done this] David was accused by Saul of affecting the kingdom; and of waiting for an opportunity to take away the life of his king, his patron, and his friend. In his application to God he refers to these charges; meets them with indignation; and clears himself of them by a strong appeal to his Judge; and an imprecation that, if he had meditated or designed any such thing, he might meet with nothing but curse and calamity either from God or man.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If I have done this, i.e. that which Cush and others falsely lay to my charge. If I design or have endeavoured to take away Sauls crown and life by violence, as Sauls courtiers maliciously reported, 1Sa 24:9,10; 26:19.
In my hands, i.e. in my actions or carriage towards Saul. The hand is oft put for actions, whereof the hand is a great and common instrument, as Psa 78:42; 109:27; Jon 3:8. If I design or have attempted to lay violent hands upon Saul.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. if I have done thisthatis, the crime charged in the “words of Cush” (compare 1Sa24:9).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
O Lord my God, if I have done this. The crime which Saul and his courtiers charged him with, and which was made so public that every body knew it; and therefore it was needless particularly to mention it; namely, that he lay in wait for Saul, and sought his life to take it away, 1Sa 24:9. The Targum interprets it of this psalm, paraphrasing it, “if I have made this song with an evil intention”; to give an ill character of any, and lead them with false charges;
if there be iniquity in my hands; not that he was without sin, he had it in his heart; nor that he lived without the actual commission of sin: but his sense is, that there was no iniquity, as not in his heart, purpose, and design, so not in his hand, nor attempted by him, of the kind he was accused of, 1Sa 24:11. Otherwise, we often hear him complaining of the depravity of his nature, and acknowledging his sins and transgressions, Ps 32:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(Heb.: 7:4-6) According to the inscription points to the substance of those slanderous sayings of the Benjamite. With one may compare David’s words to Saul 1Sa 24:12; 1Sa 26:18; and from this comparison one will at once see in a small compass the difference between poetical and prose expression. (Targ. ) is the name he gives (with reference to Saul) to him who stands on a peaceful, friendly footing with him, cf. the adject. , Psa 55:21, and , Psa 41:10. The verb , cogn. , signifies originally to finish, complete, (root , , t , cf. to be or to make full, to gather into a heap). One says and , and also without a material object or benefecit or malefecit mihi. But we join with according to the Targum and contrary to the accentuation, and not with (Olsh., Bttch., Hitz.), although beside , as e.g., beside might mean “requiting.” The poet would then have written: i.e., if I have retaliated upon him that hath done evil to me. In Psa 7:5 we do not render it according the meaning to which is usual elsewhere: but rather I rescued… (Louis de Dieu, Ewald 345, a, and Hupfeld). Why cannot in accordance with its primary signification expedire, exuere (according to which even the signification of rescuing, taken exactly, does not proceed from the idea of drawing out, but of making loose, exuere vinclis ) signify here exuere = spoliare , as it does in Aramaic? And how extremely appropriate it is as an allusion to the incident in the cave, when David did not rescue Saul, but, without indeed designing to take , exuviae , cut off the hem of his garment! As Hengstenberg observes, “He affirms his innocence in the most general terms, thereby showing that his conduct towards Saul was not anything exceptional, but sprang from his whole disposition and mode of action.” On the 1 pers. fut. conv. and ah, vid., on Psa 3:6. belongs to , like Psa 25:3; Psa 69:5.
In the apodosis, Psa 7:6, the fut. Kal of is made into three syllables, in a way altogether without example, since, by first making the Sheb audible, from it is become (like Gen 21:6, Psa 73:9; Exo 9:23, Psa 39:13), and this is then sharpened by an euphonic Dag. forte.
(Note: The Dag. is of the same kind as the Dag. in among nouns; Arabic popular dialect farass (my horse), vid., Wetzstein’s Inshriften S. 366.)
Other ways of explaining it, as that by Cahjg = , or by Kimchi as a mixed form from Kal and Piel,
(Note: Pinsker’s view, that the pointing is designed to leave the reader at liberty to choose between the reading and , cannot be supported. There are no safe examples for the supposition that the variations of tradition found expression in this way.)
have been already refuted by Baer, Thorath Emeth, p. 33. This dactylic jussive form of Kal is followed by the regular jussives of Hiph. and . The rhythm is similar so that in the primary passage Exo 15:9, which also finds its echo in Psa 18:38, – viz. iambic with anapaests inspersed. By its parallelism with and , acquires the signification “my soul,” as Saadia, Gecatilia and Aben-Ezra have rendered it – a signification which is secured to it by Psa 16:9; 30:13; Psa 57:9; Psa 108:2, Gen 49:6. Man’s soul is his doxa, and this it is as being the copy of the divine doxa ( Bibl. Psychol. S. 98, [tr. p. 119], and frequently). Moreover, “let him lay in the dust” is at least quite as favourable to this sense of as to the sense of personal and official dignity (Psa 3:4; Psa 4:3). To lay down in the dust is equivalent to: to lay in the dust of death, Psa 22:16. , Isa 26:19, are the dead. According to the biblical conception the soul is capable of being killed (Num 35:11), and mortal (Num 23:10). It binds spirit and body together and this bond is cut asunder by death. David will submit willingly to death in case he has ever acted dishonourably.
Here the music is to strike up, in order to give intensity to the expression of this courageous confession. In the next strophe is affirmation of innocence rises to a challenging appeal to the judgment-seat of God and a prophetic certainty that that judgment is near at hand.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
3 O Jehovah my God Here David, to induce God to show him favour, protests that he is molested unjustly, and without being guilty of any crime. To give his protestation the greater weight, he uses an imprecation. If he has done any wrong, he declares his readiness to bear the blame; yea, he offers to endure the severest punishment, if he is not altogether innocent of the crime of which all men thought him almost convicted. And by entreating God to succour him upon no other condition than this, that his integrity should upon trial be found to be untarnished, he teaches us, by his example, that as often as we have recourse to God, we must make it our first care to be well assured in our own consciences with respect to the righteousness of our cause; for we do him great wrong if we wish to engage him as the advocate and defender of a bad cause. The pronoun this shows that he speaks of a thing which was generally known; whence we may conclude, that the slander which had been raised by Cush was spread far and wide. And as David was condemned, by the false reports and unrighteous judgments which men advanced against him, and saw no remedy on earth, he betakes himself to the judgment-seat of God, and contents himself with maintaining his innocence before the heavenly Judge; an example which all the godly should imitate, in order that, in opposition to the slanderous reports which are spread against them, they may rest satisfied with the judgment of God alone. He next declares more distinctly, that he had committed no crime. And in the fourth verse, he mentions two particulars in self-vindication; first, That he had done no wrong to any one; and, secondly, That he had rather endeavoured to do good to his enemies, by whom notwithstanding he had been injured without any just cause. I, therefore, explain the fourth verse thus: If I have wronged any man that was at peace with me, and have not rather succoured the unworthy, who persecuted me without a cause, etc. Since David was hated of almost all men, as if ambition to reign had impelled him perfidiously to rise up in rebellion against Saul, and to lay snares for the monarch to whom he was bound by the oath of allegiances (101) in the first part of the verse, he clears himself of such a foul slander. The reason, perhaps, why he calls Saul him that was at peace with him is, that on account of his royal dignity his person ought to be sacred, and secure from danger, (102) so that it should be unlawful to make any hostile attempt against him. This phrase, however, may be understood generally, as if he had said, No one who has meekly restrained himself from injuring me, and has conducted himself kindly towards me, can with truth complain that I have ever injured him in a single instance. And yet it was the general persuasion, that David, in the midst of peace, had stirred up great confusion, and caused war. From this it is just so much the more manifest, that David, provided he enjoyed the approbation of God, was contented with the consolation arising from this, though he should have comfort from no other source.
(101) “ Apres luy avoir fait le serment.”— Fr. “After having sworn the oath of allegiance to him.”
(102) “ Pource que le nom et titre royal luy devoit estre une sauvegarde et le tenir en seurete.”— Fr. “ Because the royal name and title ought to be to him a safeguard, and secure the safety of his person.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Thisi.e., this with which I am chargedthe Benjamites slander.
If there be iniquity.A comparison with 1Sa. 24:12-13, and still more 1Sa. 26:18, shows how closely this psalm is connected with the two notorious instances of Davids magnanimous and generous conduct towards Saul.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. O Lord my God A solemn appeal for the truth of what he is about to utter.
If I have done this The shedding of blood in revenge, or to open my way to the throne, of which his enemies accused him. See 2Sa 16:5-8
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
He Pleads His Own Innocence ( Psa 7:3-5 ).
O YHWH, my God, if I have done this,
If there be iniquity in my hands,
If I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me,
Yes, I have delivered him who was without cause my adversary,
Let the enemy pursue my life (nephesh), and overtake it,
Yes, let him tread my life (chay) down to the earth,
And lay my glory in the dust.’ Selah.
David is aware that YHWH at least knows the truth, that he is innocent of seeking Saul’s death. He is guilty of no ‘iniquity’ in this regard. Iniquity is the opposite of ‘right’ and indicates what is crooked and distorted. Indeed he has never done evil against anyone who was at peace with him, and he has spared Saul’s life more than once, in spite of the fact that he is his enemy without genuine reason (1Sa 24:3-6; 1Sa 26:11). Happy is the man who can say from an honest heart that he has treated fairly those who have treated him fairly, and even those who have treated him unfairly, as David could.
He declares that he is quite willing to be judged in this regard, and that if it be proved untrue, then he is ready to forfeit his own life to the violent men who seek him. Then let him be pursued and slain, his breath be taken from him, and his life trodden in the earth, and his glory laid in the dust (compare Isa 26:19). ‘Breath’, ‘life’ and ‘glory’ are three parallel words. Man had within him the breath (nephesh) of life (chay) (Gen 2:7), and was made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27). This was man’s glory, the image of the divine glory (compare Psa 16:9; Psa 30:12; Psa 57:8).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
While we keep our eye stedfastly on Christ, as the person here specially treated of, we may secondarily, and subordinately, look at David, king of Israel. We by no means lessen the importance of the former, by having respect also to the latter. Nay, from considering David king of Israel as one of Christ’s mystical members, and, as such, partaking in the sufferings and reproaches of Christ, we give greater glory to the suffering Head. Of David it might be said, in his kindness for the ill-treatment from Cush, the Benjamite, which no doubt means Saul, that he requited good for evil, and delivered him, who without any cause, was his enemy. 1Sa 24:4-7 . and again, 1Sa 26:8 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 7:3 O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
Ver. 3. O Lord my God ] See Trapp on “ Psa 7:1 “
If I have done this
If there be iniquity in my hands
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 7:3-5
3O Lord my God, if I have done this,
If there is injustice in my hands,
4If I have rewarded evil to my friend,
Or have plundered him who without cause was my adversary,
5Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it;
And let him trample my life down to the ground
And lay my glory in the dust. Selah.
Psa 7:3-5 The psalmist sets up hypothetical parallel situations.
1. if I have done this (but this is not specified)
2. if there is injustice in my hands (i.e., actions, see SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND below)
3. if I have rewarded evil to my friend (this may be a well known proverb, cf. Pro 20:22; Pro 24:29; Rom 12:17)
4. if I have plundered my friend without cause
If any of these things are true, then
1. let my enemy pursue me BDB 922, KB 1191, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense
2. let my enemy overtake me BDB 673, KB 727, Hiphil jussive
3. let my enemy trample my life BDB 942, KB 1245, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense
4. I will lay my glory in the dust BDB 1014, KB 1496, Hiphil jussive (glory in the sense of one’s life essence, cf. Psa 16:9; Psa 30:12; Psa 57:8; Psa 108:1)
This is a poetic way of claiming innocence!
SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND (ILLUSTRATED FROM EZEKIEL)
Psa 7:5 Selah See note at Psa 3:2 and Introduction to Psalms, VII.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
iniquity. Hebrew. ‘aval. App-44. not the same as Psa 7:14.
in my hands. Hands put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for what is done by them.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 7:3-5
Psa 7:3-5
“O Jehovah my God, if I have done this;
If there be iniquity in my hands;
If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me
(Yea, I have delivered him that without cause was mine adversary);
Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it;
Yea, let him tread my life down to the earth,
And lay my glory in the dust. (Selah)”
Notice the triple “if” in Psa 7:3-5. This format was typical of what was called The Oath of Clearance which is mentioned in 1Ki 8:31-32. When one was accused, he could go to the temple and there take a solemn oath after the pattern noted here, asking that God would receive his affirmation as righteous and true, including also a curse upon his own head in case his oath was false. This oath was supposed to be taken in the Temple and administered by the priests; but it was sometimes taken elsewhere. Job is supposed to have had this Oath of Clearance in mind in the words of Job 31:5-40.
The fact of David’s having been viciously slandered by people like Doeg and perhaps also by Cush the Benjamite, has led some to refer to this Psalm as the Song of the Slandered Saint. But as someone once said, “If God Himself was slandered in the Garden of Eden, we mortals living upon this sinful and rebellious earth should not expect to escape it.”
The New English Bible’s rendition of the second line in Psa 7:4 is severely condemned by Derek Kidner who affirmed that, “Their translation not only contradicts the Old Testament’s demand of generosity to a personal enemy, but also David’s known convictions.
Yea, I have delivered him that without cause was mine adversary. George DeHoff cited two clear examples of David’s doing that very thing on behalf of King Saul in 1Sa 24:1-22; and in 1Sa 26:1-25.
In the following six verses (Psa 7:5-11), believed by some to have once been a separate Psalm, “The Psalm moves from the intensely personal plea of a man who is betrayed and hounded, to the conviction that God is judge of all the earth, and in effect calls for such a judgment in which Israel will be declared innocent.
It was perhaps passages such as this one that led ancient Israel to the habit of frequently calling upon God to usher in the judgment day. Of course, they had some very erroneous ideas about that day, as indicated by the prophet Amos (Amo 5:18-20). For some, the Judgment Day was envisioned as a day when Almighty God would appear, kill all the Gentiles and turn the whole world over to God’s Chosen People!
E.M. Zerr:
Psa 7:3-4. If was used in these verses with the sense of a denial, or as a condition on which David would agree to submit to the following experiences.
Psa 7:5. The soul that David meant was his life. If he had been guilty of the wrongs named in the preceding verses, then he admitted he should be tormented.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
if I: Psa 59:3, Jos 22:22, 1Sa 20:8, 1Sa 22:8, 1Sa 22:13, 1Sa 24:9, 1Sa 26:18, 1Sa 26:19, 2Sa 16:7, 2Sa 16:8, Job 16:17-19
if there: Psa 66:18, 1Sa 24:11, Job 11:14
Reciprocal: Gen 44:9 – both Deu 21:7 – General 1Sa 20:1 – What have 2Sa 22:21 – rewarded 2Ch 6:40 – my God Job 10:7 – Thou knowest Job 31:5 – If Psa 18:20 – cleanness Psa 35:7 – without Psa 44:20 – If we Psa 50:6 – Selah Psa 69:4 – being Psa 119:78 – without Psa 119:121 – I have Psa 139:24 – And see Jer 15:15 – thou Act 25:5 – if Act 25:11 – if I 1Co 4:4 – I know 2Co 1:12 – our rejoicing 1Th 2:10 – how 1Jo 3:21 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 7:3. O Lord, if I have done this Which Cush and others falsely lay to my charge; if there be iniquity in my hands In my actions, the hand being often put for actions whereof it is a great instrument: David here makes a solemn appeal to God, the searcher of hearts, as judge of his innocence, with regard to the particular crime laid to his charge. Any person, when slandered, may do the same. But Christ only could call upon Heaven to attest his universal uprightness. Horne.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7:3 O LORD my God, if I have done {b} this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
(b) With which Cush charges me.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
2. Protestation of innocence 7:3-5
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
David couched his claim to be innocent of the offenses for which his enemies were pursuing him in terms of an oath ("If . . . if . . . then . . ."). This was a strong way to declare his freedom from guilt. Evidently his enemies had charged him with injustice, paying a friend back evil for good, and robbery.