1Shiggaion of David,aShiggaion of David Meaning of Heb. uncertain. which he sang to GOD, concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.
2O my ETERNAL God, in You I seek refuge;deliver me from all my pursuers and save me,
3lest, like a lion, they tear me apart,rending in pieces, and no one save me.
4O my ETERNAL God, if I have done such things,if my hands bear the guilt of wrongdoing,
5if I have dealt evil to my ally—I who rescued my foe without rewardbI who rescued my foe without reward Meaning of Heb. uncertain; in contrast to others “or stripped my foe clean.”—
6then let the enemy pursue and overtake me;let my life be trampled to the ground,and my body dwell in the dust. Selah.
7Rise, O ETERNAL One, in Your anger;assert Yourself against the fury of my foes;cagainst the fury of my foes Or “in Your fury against my foes.” bestir Yourself in my behalf;You have ordained judgment.
8dMeaning of verse uncertain. Let the assembly of peoples gather about You,with You enthroned above, on high.
9GOD judges the peoples;vindicate me, O ETERNAL One,for the righteousness and blamelessness that are mine.
10Let the evil of the wicked come to an end,but establish the righteous;the One who probes the mind and conscienceeconscience Lit. “kidneys.” is God the Righteous.
11I look to God to shield me;fI look to God to shield me Cf. Ibn Ezra and Kimhi; lit. “My Shield is upon God.” the deliverer of the upright.
12God vindicates the righteous;God pronounces doomgpronounces doom In contrast to others “has indignation.” each day.
13If someone [wicked] does not turn back, but whets his sword,bends his bow and aims it,
14then against himself he readies deadly weapons,and makes his arrows sharp.hMeaning of these verses uncertain. Or, with God as the main subject: “If one does not turn back, [God] whets a sword, / bends a bow and aims it— / 14preparing deadly weapons for him, / and making the arrows sharp.”
15See, he hatches evil, conceives mischief,and gives birth to fraud.
16He has dug a pit and deepened it,and will fall into the trap he made.
17His mischief will recoil upon his own head;his lawlessness will come down upon his skull.
18I will praise GOD for being righteous,and sing a hymn to the name of GOD Most High.