Discovery BoxPsalms 7:8-10 
Context7:8 The Lord judges the nations. 1
Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent, 2
because I am blameless, 3 O Exalted One! 4
7:9 May the evil deeds of the wicked 5 come to an end! 6
But make the innocent 7 secure, 8
O righteous God,
you who examine 9 inner thoughts and motives! 10
7:10 The Exalted God is my shield, 11
the one who delivers the morally upright. 12
1 sn The
2 tn Heb “judge me, O
3 tn Heb “according to my blamelessness.” The imperative verb translated “vindicate” governs the second line as well.
4 tn The Hebrew form עָלָי (’alay) has been traditionally understood as the preposition עַל (’al, “over”) with a first person suffix. But this is syntactically awkward and meaningless. The form is probably a divine title derived from the verbal root עָלָה (’alah, “ascend”). This relatively rare title appears elsewhere in the OT (see HALOT 824-25 s.v. I עַל, though this text is not listed) and in Ugaritic as an epithet for Baal (see G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 98). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:44-45, and P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 (WBC), 98.
5 tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (rÿsha’im, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and his people.
6 tn The prefixed verbal form is a jussive, expressing an imprecation here.
7 tn Or “the godly” (see Ps 5:12). The singular form is collective (see the plural “upright in heart” in v. 10), though it may reflect the personal focus of the psalmist in this context.
8 tn The prefixed verbal form expresses the psalmist’s prayer or wish.
9 tn For other uses of the verb in this sense, see Job 7:18; Pss 11:4; 26:2; 139:23.
10 tn Heb “and [the one who] tests hearts and kidneys, just God.” The translation inverts the word order to improve the English style. The heart and kidneys were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.
11 tn Traditionally, “my shield is upon God” (cf. NASB). As in v. 8, עַל (’al) should be understood as a divine title, here compounded with “God” (cf. NIV, “God Most High”). See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:45-46. The shield metaphor pictures God as a protector against deadly attacks.
12 tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 11:2; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).
