Psa 7:13-14 | KingComments | STEP | In these verses, David has come to rest. He has grown in his faith and can say now, without a shadow of doubt, that God is standing up for him. His “shield”, that is, his protection, “is with God” ( ). Of this he is certain. God is the God “who saves the upright in heart”. And he, David, is such an upright in heart. Therefore, he counts on God to save him. “God is a righteous judge” ( ), which He shows and makes heard every day in the preaching of the gospel. His indignation or wrath is on every man who disobeys the Son ( ). The wrath of God is public to everyone who wants to see it. Those who keep their eyes closed, those who “do not repent” ( ), have themselves to blame when God actually pours out His indignation on them. God is not mocked. He sharpens His sword to judge. He also bents His bow, makes it ready and aims it at those who deserve His judgment. In doing so, there is no room for error; He hits only the wicked. No righteous person is hit by it. He has prepared for Himself His sword and His arrows, His “deadly weapons”, which He makes fiery shafts ( ).

‏ Psalms 7:13-14

God Is a Righteous Judge

In these verses, David has come to rest. He has grown in his faith and can say now, without a shadow of doubt, that God is standing up for him. His “shield”, that is, his protection, “is with God” (Psa 7:10). Of this he is certain. God is the God “who saves the upright in heart”. And he, David, is such an upright in heart. Therefore, he counts on God to save him.

“God is a righteous judge” (Psa 7:11), which He shows and makes heard every day in the preaching of the gospel. His indignation or wrath is on every man who disobeys the Son (Jn 3:36). The wrath of God is public to everyone who wants to see it. Those who keep their eyes closed, those who “do not repent” (Psa 7:12), have themselves to blame when God actually pours out His indignation on them.

God is not mocked. He sharpens His sword to judge. He also bents His bow, makes it ready and aims it at those who deserve His judgment. In doing so, there is no room for error; He hits only the wicked. No righteous person is hit by it. He has prepared for Himself His sword and His arrows, His “deadly weapons”, which He makes fiery shafts (Psa 7:13).

The Antichrist

In these verses the wicked is spoken of in the singular. Here we are talking about the personification of evil, about the man of sin, the man in whom sin takes shape in its fullness. We recognize this person in the antichrist. He is filled with evil, there is not a trace of goodness in him. The evil done by him is expressed in him like a woman who is pregnant, travails and gives birth to a child (Psa 7:14).

The antichrist is out to catch others in the snare of his lie. It is compared to digging a pit for someone to catch him in it (Psa 7:15). But the pit he has dug will be his own grave. He will fall into it and perish. Thus he receives retribution for the evil he has done to others. Examples of this are Saul and Haman, both of whom are pictures of the antichrist. Saul wanted to kill David by means of the Philistines and was himself killed by them (1Sam 18:17 ; 1Sam 31:1-6). Haman is hanged on the gallows he had erected for Mordecai (Est 7:9-10).

In Psa 7:16, David expresses the same thought in other words (cf. Pro 26:27). The trouble the antichrist inflicts on others “will return upon his own head” (cf. Jdg 9:56-57). It works like a boomerang. This also applies to the violence he has committed, for “his violence will descend upon his own pate”. How that will happen, David leaves to God (1Sam 26:10). We see here the principle of the government of God: “Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal 6:7b).