Fathers

Psalms 7

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O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:) Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah. Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded. So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high. The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate. I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 7:6

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"Arise, O Lord, in Thine anger" (ver. 6). Why yet does he, who we say is perfect, incite God to anger? Must we not see, whether he rather be not perfect, who, when he was being stoned, said, "O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge"? Or does the Psalmist pray thus not against men, but against the devil and his angels, whose possession sinners and the ungodly are? …

Exposition on Psalm 7 ↗

Jerome

'Arise, O Lord my God, in the precept which thou hast commanded, and a congregation of peoples shall surround thee.' This we say, this believing we speak. For the persons are always changing in the psalms. It would be a great matter now, if we wished to say in the psalms into how many and how great persons they change. 'Arise, O Lord my God, in the precept which thou hast commanded.' This we say: For us thou hast suffered, for us thou hast been crucified; arise and save us. …

Homily 3, on Psalm 7 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Above he set forth a prayer for himself, asking to be delivered and saved; here he petitions against the enemies. Here he does two things. First, he asks for their punishment. Second, the fruit of their punishment, at "and be exalted." Let us first read the text according to history, as it could have applied to David. "Arise" is said to two kinds of people: to one who sleeps and to one who lies down. Now God, when he does not punish sins, seems to sleep, as though he did not have the vigilance of prudence: Ps. 43: "Arise! …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗