A musical composition 2 by David, which he sang to the Lord concerning 3 a Benjaminite named Cush. 4
7:1 O Lord my God, in you I have taken shelter. 5
Deliver me from all who chase me! Rescue me!
27:6 Now I will triumph
over my enemies who surround me! 6
I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy! 7
I will sing praises to the Lord!
59:16 As for me, I will sing about your strength;
I will praise your loyal love in the morning.
For you are my refuge 8
and my place of shelter when I face trouble. 9
A psalm.
98:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, 11
for he performs 12 amazing deeds!
His right hand and his mighty arm
accomplish deliverance. 13
1 sn Psalm 7. The psalmist asks the Lord to intervene and deliver him from his enemies. He protests his innocence and declares his confidence in God’s justice.
2 tn 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.
3 tn Or “on account of.”
4 sn Apparently this individual named Cush was one of David’s enemies.
5 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.
6 tn Heb “and now my head will be lifted up over my enemies all around me.”
7 tn Heb “I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices of a shout for joy” (that is, “sacrifices accompanied by a joyful shout”).
11 tn Or “my elevated place” (see Ps 18:2).
12 tn Heb “and my shelter in the day of my distress.”
16 sn Psalm 98. The psalmist summons the whole earth to praise God because he reveals his justice and delivers Israel.
17 sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. See Ps 96:1.
18 tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 1-3 are understood here as describing characteristic divine activities. Another option is to translate them as present perfects, “has performed…has accomplished deliverance, etc.” referring to completed actions that have continuing results.
19 tn Heb “his right hand delivers for him and his holy arm.” The right hand and arm symbolize his power as a warrior-king (see Isa 52:10). His arm is “holy” in the sense that it is in a category of its own; God’s power is incomparable.