Psalm 56 7

Psalm 56:7 kjv

Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.

Psalm 56:7 nkjv

Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God!

Psalm 56:7 niv

Because of their wickedness do not let them escape; in your anger, God, bring the nations down.

Psalm 56:7 esv

For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

Psalm 56:7 nlt

Don't let them get away with their wickedness;
in your anger, O God, bring them down.

Psalm 56 verses

Psalm 56 7 Meaning

Psalm 56:7 expresses a heartfelt plea from David, who is facing intense persecution and deceit from his adversaries. He asks a rhetorical question: will his enemies truly escape divine judgment despite their active wickedness and deceitful plots? This question is immediately followed by a direct appeal for God to act in His righteous wrath, bringing down and silencing those who oppress David and, by extension, God's chosen. The verse encapsulates a deep conviction in God's perfect justice and His ultimate sovereignty over all forms of evil.

Psalm 56 7 Context

Psalm 56 is a "Michtam of David," composed "when the Philistines seized him in Gath." This historical context, as found in 1 Sam 21:10-15, shows David in an extremely precarious position, fleeing from King Saul, seeking refuge among the Philistines (traditional enemies of Israel), only to find himself recognized and in grave danger there. He pretends madness to escape. The Psalm vividly describes David's distress, his enemies' relentless pursuit, and his profound trust in God amidst terror. Verse 7, then, emerges as David’s passionate cry for divine justice, seeing the futility of his enemies' plots if God's righteous hand does not intervene against their wickedness. It reflects an ancient understanding of a righteous God actively involved in the affairs of nations, especially in upholding justice.

Psalm 56 7 Word analysis

• Will they escape by iniquity? (הֲיִמְלְטוּ בְּאָוֶן / Ha-yimleṭu b'āwen)

  • הֲ (Ha-): An interrogative particle indicating a question. In this context, it functions as a rhetorical question, strongly implying that escape through such means is unthinkable and unacceptable to God's justice.
  • יִמְלְטוּ (yimleṭu): From the root malat (מָלַט), meaning "to escape," "to be delivered," or "to get away safely." It carries the nuance of slipping through danger or avoiding consequences.
  • בְּאָוֶן (b'āwen): bə- is a preposition meaning "by," "in," or "with." Āwen (אָוֶן) is a deep Hebrew term signifying "iniquity," "wickedness," "evil," "trouble," or "mischief." More than just sin, it denotes moral perversity, falsehood, active malice, and often, the destructive actions or painful consequences of sin itself. Here, it refers to the very treacherous and oppressive nature of the enemies' actions.
  • This phrase questions whether the very substance of their hostile actions—deceit, oppression, active wrongdoing—can serve as a shield against God's judgment. David's profound faith asserts that such an outcome would contradict God's character.

• In Thine anger cast down the peoples, O God. (בְּאַף הַדֵּם עַמִּים אֱלֹהִים / B'af hadem ‘ammim Elohim)

  • בְּאַף (B'af): bə- (in) and ʾaph (אַף). ʾaph refers to the "nose" or "nostril," but idiomatically signifies "anger" or "wrath," as expressed in flaring nostrils during strong emotion. It emphasizes God’s active, fierce, and righteous indignation against injustice and sin.
  • הַדֵּם (hadem): From damam (דָּמַם), meaning "to be silent," "to cease," or "to destroy." In the Hif'il stem here, it conveys causing something to cease, silencing, putting an end to, or definitively "casting down" and destroying. It is a command for decisive divine intervention to incapacitate or remove the oppressive force.
  • עַמִּים (ʿammim): Plural of ʿam (עַם), "people" or "nation." While specifically referring to the Philistines who captured David, in the broader prophetic sense of the Psalms, it can refer to any nations or peoples that stand in opposition to God and His purposes, embodying the oppressive forces of evil.
  • אֱלֹהִים (Elohim): The majestic Hebrew name for God, emphasizing His power, authority, and sovereignty as the divine Judge and Creator over all.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Will they escape by iniquity?": This challenges the perceived impunity of evildoers. It articulates the believer's anguish when injustice appears to triumph, while simultaneously affirming the ultimate inability of evil to escape the divine gaze and justice. It sets up the petition for God to act.
  • "In Thine anger cast down the peoples, O God.": This phrase is an urgent, direct petition. It invokes God's righteous wrath not as vindictiveness but as a necessary attribute for upholding justice and the moral order. It seeks an authoritative, destructive intervention against the forces of oppression, asserting God's reign over all human powers and His determination to root out āwen.

Psalm 56 7 Bonus section

• The Psalm 56 is categorized as a "Michtam," a type of Psalm possibly signifying "a golden psalm" or a "memorial inscription." This implies a psalm of special value or significance, meant to endure as a profound declaration of trust in God during desperate times.
• The use of Elohim rather than YHWH (the personal covenant name) often appears when God is portrayed as the mighty creator, ruler, and judge of all nations, fitting the global scope implied by "peoples" (ʿammim).
• The imprecatory nature of the psalm (calling for judgment on enemies) is understood within a larger theological framework where justice ultimately belongs to God, not to humans. It demonstrates a transfer of vengeance from the individual to God, affirming that only His perfect and holy judgment is sufficient to address deep evil.
• The rhetorical question can also imply: "Is it right for them to escape by the very wickedness they perpetrate?" underscoring the incongruity of their chosen method for escaping punishment becoming their actual means of escape. David insists this must not be the case under a just God.

Psalm 56 7 Commentary

Psalm 56:7 articulates a crucial biblical conviction: wickedness cannot ultimately escape God’s judgment. David, surrounded by enemies actively plotting his harm through deception and violence, wrestles with the apparent contradiction between God’s justice and the seeming prosperity of the wicked. His rhetorical question, "Will they escape by iniquity?" serves to underline the spiritual absurdity of such a thought—surely God would not permit such an affront to His character. This leads directly to a fervent imprecation: a bold, confident prayer for God to unleash His righteous anger and definitively silence or destroy the oppressive "peoples" or "nations." This prayer is not an endorsement of personal vengeance, but a submission to God's perfect judgment, appealing to His covenant faithfulness and His role as the sovereign judge of all the earth. The verse teaches that God is not indifferent to evil; His wrath is a holy and necessary response to injustice, and His people can confidently appeal to Him for intervention when confronted with unrighteous oppression, trusting that He will, in His time and way, "cast down" the wicked.