Psalm 7

W. van der Kamp, 1972

1. Thou art my refuge; LORD, defend me.
   Come, lest my foes like lions rend me,
   And drag me off, a helpless prey.
   If I did good with ill repay,
   If sin, O God, my hands has blighted,
   And I in plunder have delighted,
   Let me then by my foe be found,
   And let him tread me to the ground.
   
2. Rise in Thy anger, LORD, and hasten
   The fury of my foes to chasten.
   My God, awake! Appoint Thy day,
   Put all the peoples in array;
   Ascend Thy throne and judge the nations,
   Do right unto their generations;
   Judge me, O LORD, for I profess
   Integrity and righteousness.
   
3. Ward off those who Thy people ravish;
   The just and righteous, LORD, establish,
   O Thou who triest heart and mind,
   Our God in righteousness enshrined.
   My shield Thou art; Thy help Thou gavest
   And men of upright heart Thou savest.
   O righteous Judge, Thy anger’s sway
   Subdues the wicked every day.
   
4. If any man shows no repentance,
   Our God will whet His sword with vengeance.
   For those who to withstand have dared
   His bow is braced, His shafts prepared.
   For barbed with fire are all His arrows
   When He in ire the wicked harrows.
   And never will my foe achieve
   The evil which he did conceive.
   
5. With evil pregnant he will hound me;
   He brings forth falsehood to confound me.
   For others he prepares a pit,
   But he himself falls into it.
   His mischief, on his head returning,
   Repays him who with hate was burning.
   God’s righteousness I’ll glorify.
   I praise the Name of God Most High!