Psa 7:1-2 | NETfull | STEP | A musical composition by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning a Benjaminite named Cush. O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter. Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!

Psalms 7:1-2

A musical composition ^{▼▼ The precise meaning of the Hebrew term שִׁגָּיוֹן (shiggayon; translated here “musical composition”) is uncertain. Some derive the noun from the verbal root שָׁגָה (shagah, “swerve, reel”) and understand it as referring to a “wild, passionate song, with rapid changes of rhythm” (see BDB 993 s.v. שִׁגָּיוֹן). But this proposal is purely speculative. The only other appearance of the noun is in Hab 3:1, where it occurs in the plural.} by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning ^{▼▼ Or “on account of.”} a Benjaminite named Cush. ^{▼▼ Apparently this individual named Cush was one of David’s enemies.}

1 O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter. ^{▼▼ The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.}
Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!
2 Otherwise they will rip ^{▼▼ The verb is singular in the Hebrew text, even though “all who chase me” in v. 1 refers to a whole group of enemies. The singular is also used in vv. 4–5, but the psalmist returns to the plural in v. 6. The singular is probably collective, emphasizing the united front that the psalmist’s enemies present. This same alternation between a collective singular and a plural referring to enemies appears in Pss 9:3, 6; 13:4; 31:4, 8; 41:6, 10–11; 42:9–10; 55:3; 64:1–2; 74:3–4; 89:22–23; 106:10–11; 143:3, 6, 9.} me ^{▼▼ Heb “my life.” The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.} to shreds like a lion;
they will tear me to bits and no one will be able to rescue me. ^{▼▼ Heb “tearing and there is no one rescuing.” The verbal form translated “tearing” is a singular active participle.}