Psalms 7 · Verse 4

Psalms 7:4

If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)
Psalms 7:4, King James Version

Psalms 7:4 in other translations

BSBif I have rewarded my ally with evil, if I have plundered my foe without cause,
WEBif I have rewarded evil to him who was at peace with me (yes, I have plundered him who without cause was my adversary),
ASVIf I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me (Yea, I have delivered him that without cause was mine adversary);
YLTIf I have done my well-wisher evil, And draw mine adversary without cause,
DARBYIf I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me; (indeed I have freed him that without cause oppressed me;)
BBEIf I have given back evil to him who did evil to me, or have taken anything from him who was against me without cause;
WebsterIf I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me; (yes, I have delivered him that without cause is my enemy:)

What does Psalms 7:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. If I have injured my friend. yea, I have delivered, &c.--This makes a good sense, but interrupts the course of thought, and hence it is proposed to render, "if I have spoiled my enemy"--in either case (compare 1Sa 24:4-17; 31:8, 11).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 Yea, I have delivered him - When, in the course of thy providence, thou didst put his life in my hand in the cave, I contented myself with cutting off his skirt, merely to show him the danger he had been in, and the spirit of the man whom he accused of designs against his life; and yet even for this my heart smote me, because it appeared to be an indignity offered to him who was the Lord 's anointed. This fact, and my venturing my life frequently for his good and the safety of the state, sufficiently show the falsity of such accusations, and the innocence of my life.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 7:1-9

David flees to God for succour. But Christ alone could call on Heaven to attest his uprightness in all things. All His works were wrought in righteousness; and the prince of this world found nothing whereof justly to accuse him. Yet for our sakes, submitting to be charged as guilty, he suffered all evils, but, being innocent, he triumphed over them all. The plea is, "For the righteous God trieth the hearts and the…

Read the full comment on Psalms 7:1-9 →

Psalms 7:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אִם\־'im-ifH518
גָּ֭מַלְתִּיGa.mal.tiI have repaidH1580
שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥יshol.Mi[one who] is at peace with meH7999
רָ֑עRa'evilH7451
וָאֲחַלְּצָ֖הva.'a.cha.le.Tzahand I have rescued !H2502
צוֹרְרִ֣יtzo.Riopposer myH6887
רֵיקָֽם\׃rei.Kamwithout causeH7387

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 7:4

  • 1 Samuel 24:17-19

    And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.

  • Psalms 55:20

    He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.

  • Jeremiah 18:20-21

    Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them. Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

  • Psalms 109:5

    And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

  • 1 Samuel 24:7

    So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

  • 1 Samuel 20:1

    And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?

  • 1 Samuel 22:14

    Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

  • 1 Samuel 25:28-29

    I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

  • 1 Samuel 24:10-15

    Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed. Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. …

  • Genesis 44:4

    And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?

  • 1 Samuel 26:9-17

    And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless? David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them. …

  • 1 Samuel 26:24

    And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
If I.
55:20; 109:5; Ge 44:4; Pr 17:3; Jer 18:20,21
I have.
1Sa 24:7,10,11; 26:9-17,24
without.
1Sa 19:4,5; 20:1; 22:14; 24:11-15,17-19; 25:28,29; 26:21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 7:3

    O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;

  • Psalms 7:4

    If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

  • Psalms 7:5

    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.

Read all of Psalms 7

Psalms 7:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Si dí mal pago al pacífico conmigo, (hasta he libertado al que sin causa era mi enemigo;)
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Éternel, mon Dieu! si j’ai fait cela, s’il y a de la méchanceté dans mes mains,
German
Elberfelder 1871
wenn ich Böses vergolten dem, der mit mir im Frieden war, -habe ich doch den befreit, der mich ohne Ursache bedrängte, -
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Domine Deus meus, si feci istud, si est iniquitas in manibus meis,