Psalms 7:11–13
David describes God as a just judge who is indignant at evil
Study it word by word11Elohim is a righteous judge, and an El who is indignant every day.
12If he does not turn back, he will sharpen his sword; he has bent his bow and made it ready.
13And for him he has prepared weapons of death; he makes his arrows fiery.
In its context
9May the evil of the wicked come to an end, and make firm the righteous; and the one who tests the hearts and the kidneys is the righteous Elohim.
10My shield is with Elohim, who saves the upright in heart.
…
14Look, he conceives wickedness, becomes pregnant with suffering, and gives birth to a lie.
15He dug a pit and hollowed it out, and fell into the pit that he made.
Its words in the original
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- שׁוֹפֵטshofet· judge
Judge: decide who is in the right and do him justice; also punish. Also rule, govern.
- צַדִּיקtsadik· righteous
Righteous: one who does what is right before God and before others; just, innocent.
- אֵלel· El, God, god
"El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".
- זֹעֵםzoem· denounce, be indignant
Denounce in indignation: be enraged against someone and declare him an object of wrath.
- יוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").
- יָשׁוּבyashuv· return, turn back
Turn back, return. Also turn away; in the causative form, bring back, give back, answer. Figuratively, turn back to God (change course). Often adverbial: "again".
- חַרְבּcharb· sword
Sword; also any tool with an edge, like a knife or a chisel.
- יִלְטוֹשׁyiltosh· sharpen, forge
Sharpen, hammer out, forge.
- קַשְׁתּkasht· bow
Bow: the weapon for shooting arrows; also the rainbow, which God sets in the clouds as a sign of his covenant.
- דָרַךְdarach· tread, march, bend
Tread, walk, march on; also string a bow by stepping on it.
- יְכוֹנְנֶyechonne· be firm, prepare
Be firm, be set, be ready; in the causative form, set up, establish, prepare, make ready.
- כְּלֵיkele· vessel, article
Object, article: anything made to be used (vessels, jewelry, tools, weapons, baggage).
- מָוֶתmavet· death
Death; also the realm of the dead, or a deadly plague.
- חִצָּיchitsay· arrow
Arrow.
- דֹלְקִיםdolkim· burn; pursue hotly
Burn; hence pursue hotly.
- יִפְעָלyifal· do, make
Do, make, carry out.