Psalm 7 7

Psalm 7:7 kjv

So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high.

Psalm 7:7 nkjv

So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes, therefore, return on high.

Psalm 7:7 niv

Let the assembled peoples gather around you, while you sit enthroned over them on high.

Psalm 7:7 esv

Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high.

Psalm 7:7 nlt

Gather the nations before you.
Rule over them from on high.

Psalm 7 verses

Psalm 7 7 Meaning

Psalm 7:7 is a plea from David to the Most High, requesting Him to enact judgment. The verse paints a picture where God's righteous verdict is observed by "the assembly of the peoples" or nations, indicating a public and universal display of divine justice. Following this act, God is entreated to "return on high," signifying His re-ascension to His sovereign throne, confirming His ultimate authority and supreme rule, having demonstrated His righteous judgment. It underscores God's role as the supreme and universal Judge.

Psalm 7 7 Context

Psalm 7 is a Shiggaion of David, a fervent prayer of complaint and petition against the false accusations brought by Cush, a Benjamite (likely referring to King Saul or his partisans, who slandered David). David appeals directly to God, the ultimate Judge, seeking vindication from his persecutors. The preceding verses (7:1-6) establish David's fervent appeal to God to deliver him and to rise up and execute judgment. He protests his innocence and calls upon God to unleash His anger against his foes. Verse 7 specifically then calls for this divine judgment to be public and universally recognized, concluding with God resuming His elevated status as the sovereign King and Judge, implying a restoration of order and justice. It moves from David's individual plea to a declaration of God's universal judicial authority.

Psalm 7 7 Word analysis

• Let the assembly (תַּעֲדַ֤ה ta‘ăḏâ, from ‘adah - to pass over, or ‘adah - to adorn/gather; often derived from ‘edah - congregation/assembly)

  • Significance: The root ‘edah refers to a gathered community, often the formal assembly or congregation of Israel. Here, it is extended to peoples, signifying a broader, international gathering. It is not a chaotic mob but a convened, structured gathering meant to observe or participate. This emphasizes the solemnity and universality of God's judgment.

• of the peoples (לְאֻמִּֽים lə’ummîm, nations/peoples)

  • Significance: Le’ummim is a plural term for ethnic groups or nations, highlighting the worldwide scope of God's sovereignty. The judgment David prays for is not merely personal or limited to Israel but is seen and acknowledged by all humanity, reinforcing God's cosmic authority.

• encompass You; (עָלֶ֖יהָ סֹֽבְבָהּ ‘ālehā sōḇəḇāh, surround/turn around upon/it)

  • Significance: Sabav (סָבַב) means to surround, encompass, or turn about. Here, it portrays the nations gathered around God. This imagery suggests either their being witnesses to God's judgment, or perhaps in awe or fear as He acts. It reinforces the idea that God's acts are observable to all peoples, challenging any notion of Him being a tribal deity.

• then over it (עָלֶיהָ ‘alehā, over/upon it)

  • Significance: The pronoun "it" (-hā) refers back to the "assembly of the peoples." This confirms that God's action ("return on high") occurs in the presence of or with regard to this encompassing assembly, implying that their recognition or consequence is part of the divine verdict.

• return (תָשׁ֣וּב ṯāšûḇ, from shuv - שׁוּב - to return, turn back, restore)

  • Significance: Shuv is a foundational verb in Hebrew, with various applications. In this context, coupled with "on high," it often conveys God's resumption of His throne, or returning to His elevated status, having acted in judgment. It signifies the completion of a divine act and His re-establishment of undisputed authority. It also carries the nuance of vindication and the reversal of the current unjust state.

• on high. (לַמָּרֽוֹם lammārôm, to the height/exalted place)

  • Significance: Marom refers to a high place, majesty, or elevated position, consistently associated with God's dwelling place, His heavenly throne, and His supreme power and authority. God's "return on high" emphasizes His supreme sovereignty and unquestionable rule, visible to all who encompass Him.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Let the assembly of the peoples encompass You;": This phrase is a powerful request for universal witness. It's a plea for God not to simply deliver judgment in secret but to display His righteousness before all nations, compelling them to observe and acknowledge His sovereign power. It foreshadows the ultimate day when all nations will stand before God's judgment seat.

• "then over it return on high.": This climactic phrase describes the aftermath or culmination of God's judgment. The "return on high" indicates God's re-establishment of His supreme, unchallenged authority, demonstrated in full view of the assembled nations. It symbolizes God, having accomplished His righteous judgment, re-ascending to His majestic throne, utterly exalted above all earthly powers and principalities. This validates David's faith and confirms God's absolute dominion.

Psalm 7 7 Bonus section

• The "return on high" can also be interpreted, less commonly, as God restoring the psalmist himself to a place of dignity or security, lifting him up from his affliction to a place of safety and prominence. However, the stronger contextual and linguistic emphasis aligns with God's own re-enthronement as the universal Judge after acting.
• This verse contains an implicit polemic against the gods of the nations and human rulers. By asserting that the "assembly of the peoples" will "encompass" YHWH as He executes judgment and "returns on high," it proclaims Him as the sole legitimate and powerful Judge of all the earth, unlike any idol or earthly potentate.
• The progression in Psalm 7, from intense individual lament and petition (vv. 1-5) to a confident call for divine judgment (v. 6), culminating in God’s universal demonstration of justice (v. 7), showcases a mature faith that rests on God’s sovereign character, irrespective of immediate circumstances.

Psalm 7 7 Commentary

Psalm 7:7 expresses a profound prayer for the visible and universal manifestation of God’s justice. David implores God to arise and execute judgment, not as a private act, but as a public spectacle for the "assembly of the peoples" or all nations. This signifies that God’s justice is not confined to Israel but extends over all humanity, compelling universal recognition of His supreme authority. The call for the nations to "encompass" God highlights the idea of a universal jury or audience observing His righteous verdict, thereby validating His actions and establishing His truth.

The subsequent plea, "then over it return on high," reinforces God's supreme sovereignty. After demonstrating His power in judgment and vindication, God is envisioned as re-ascending or affirming His exalted position of ultimate dominion. This is not a physical movement as much as a declaration of His unquestionable status as the most high God. It solidifies His kingship and reinforces that He alone is the righteous Judge who is exalted above all, His justice unquestionable and His reign eternal. The verse thus articulates a deep trust in God’s ultimate rule and a desire for His universal glory to be revealed through righteous judgment.