This Psalm teaches us to identify the prevailing threat surrounding us. Satan constantly chases us to devour our souls but unfortunately, only a few people understand this threat. Unless and until we deny ourselves, we cannot see the trap that satan has set for us, as our ego blinds our eyes. In other words, satan uses our ego as a platform to keep us from understanding the purpose of our life on this earth. With our egos, we cannot love anyone else, and the little knowledge we have appears to us like an ocean.
Taking Refuge
LORD my God, I take refuge in you;
save and deliver me from all who pursue me,or they will tear me apart like a lion
Psalms 7:1-2
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
Only a person who wants to stay away from threats needs refuge. David felt this because of his enemies who were chasing him wherever he went. But his ego did not blind his eyes, and he openly admitted to his vulnerable condition. David did not recognize satan, who was syndicating hostility, yet searched for a safe place away from his enemies to rely on God with utter submission. Somehow, he understood that living among the egoistic people caused hatred and frustration in his soul.
A Self-Examination
LORD my God, if I have done this
Psalms 7:3-5
and there is guilt on my hands —
if I have repaid my ally with evil
or without cause have robbed my foe—
then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let him trample my life to the ground
and make me sleep in the dust.
When David took refuge in God, he self-examined his heart to rule out any harm he caused to his enemies. Till the time we live among our enemies, we tend to commit sin and justify it. Once we take refuge in God, we gain confidence to submit ourselves before Him for His judgment. Amidst the agony, Job examined his heart despite the allegations made by his friends. Let us stop thinking that we are better than others and examine ourselves in the light of His truth. In His presence, prophet Isaiah was able to realize who he was.
An Amicable Settlement
Arise, LORD, in your anger;
Psalms 7:6-9
rise up against the rage of my enemies.
Awake, my God; decree justice.
Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
while you sit enthroned over them on high.
Let the LORD judge the peoples.
Vindicate me, LORD, according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity, O Most High.
Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
and make the righteous secure—
you, the righteous God
who probes minds and hearts.
David settled in the secure hands of God, where he awaits His judgment. David understood the ability of God in probing human minds and hearts. Satan always makes us feel guilty about something or the other but God cleanses our guilt with the blood of Jesus. When our heart condemns us, do we realize that God is greater than our hearts (1 John 3:20-21)? When we face never-ending struggles in our lives, do we believe that God will bring everything to an end and keep us safe? David believed in God at all times.
Our Shield
My shield is God Most High,
Psalms 7:10-13
who saves the upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge,
a God who displays his wrath every day.
If he does not relent,
he will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.
He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.
Taking refuge in God is a unique experience. In a worldly context, taking refuge is about staying in the refugee camps or a rehabilitation centre. People staying at a rehabilitation centre do not need to carry a shield, but the people at the battlefield need to have a shield. In the spiritual context, a person taking refuge in God should carry a shield, the Word of God, to face the fighting of his enemy. We should make God our shield to encounter the challenges. Many believers think that taking refuge in God means hiding behind God. If we ponder on the meaning of shield, we can understand that we should use the name of God to resist the devil and not for hiding from Him.
Many people teach their children to hide behind them and not let them face the world. These children are prone to mistakes, as they do not know how to encounter the challenges of satan. The more we restrict our children from sinning, the more eager they are to sin. Once they come out of their parent’s jurisdiction, they fall into the hands of satan. Let us teach our children to face the world, holding the Word of God as their shield (Proverb 22:6).
Devil’s Workshop
Whoever is pregnant with evil
Psalms 7:14-16
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.
The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads.
“An empty mind is the devil’s workshop.” If a child of God does not fill his heart with the word of God, then his heart is empty. It gives space for the devil to accomplish his purpose in a person’s life (Matthew 12:45). Without filling our hearts with the Word of God, we cannot take refuge in Him. Many believers are falling prey to satan as they venture to serve God and have fellowship among other believers without filling their hearts with the Word of God. They may have faith in God, may have bigger plans of serving Him, and may even have dreams to become like some renowned man of God but if they do not have the Word of God in their hearts, they will become pregnant with evil, conceive trouble and give birth to disillusionment (Romans 7:11).
In due course of time, they may dig a pit for someone but will fall in it. This truth will be revealed to us when we take refuge in God by filling our hearts with His Word. God showed this truth to David, as he was praising His name all the time (Proverbs 28:10).
His Righteousness
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness;
Psalm 7:17
I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High.
David pleaded to God for vindicating him according to his righteousness and his integrity (Psalm 7:8) and finally understood that he could become righteous only through the righteousness of God. As he understood this ultimate truth, his singing and praising never ended.
The Jordan Valley 