Psalm 7 - which David sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite
Accepting the Lord's judgment upon us and asking Him to return.
 
Who is Cush the Benjamite? Some think it is Doeg the Edomite (1 Sam 21:7; 22:9-22). I do not think this can be because:
1) Doeg is an Edomite, not a Benjamite, and
2) David mentions Doeg's name in the title of Ps 52. If David mentions Doeg's name then, then why cover him with an alias here?

Others think it refers to Saul, but #2 above also applies to Saul ( Ps 18, 52, 54, 57, 59).  The Bible records that Saul hurt David by his actions, not his words. This Psalm is concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.

Neither could this Psalm refer to Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjamite (2 Sam 20).  David was not being pursued at that time, and Sheba was put to death right away.

I believe it refers to Shimei the Benjamite (2 Sam 16:5-14) who cursed David to his face before all his men when David was being pursued unto death by his son Absalom (Ps 7:1-2).  David delivered Shimei from death (2 Sam 16:9-12) even though Shimei was David's foe for no reason (Ps 7:4). Shimei's false charge against David was that he had rebelled against Saul (2 Sam 16:8; Ps 7:3-4), but David had delivered Saul from death, even though Saul was seeking to kill David for no reason (1 Sam 24:2-22; 1 Sam 26).  David trusted himself to the righteous judgment of God (Ps 7:8-11; 2 Sam 16:10-12). David called Shimei, "this Benjamite" (Ps 7:1; 2 Sam 16:11).

David does not call Shimei by his actual name (Ps 16: 4) to cover Shimei because Shimei was still alive and might genuinely repent.
Shimei was put to death by Solomon 3 years after David went to be with the Lord (1 Kg 2:8, 36-44).  After David passed from this life, I think it became too late for Shimei to right the wrong he did to David (Matt 5:25). But Shimei had apologized to David, when David was reinstated as king (2Sam 19:15-23). Why didn't David just accept Shimei's apology? I don't know. Apparently the apology was not genuine, and David realized that. Solomon put the genuineness of Shimei's apology to the test, and Shimei failed.
 David used the names of Saul ( Ps 18, 52, 54, 57, 59) and Absalom (Ps 3) in his Psalm titles because they had already died when the Psalms were published.
Mordecai, whom the Lord used to save the Jews from extermination by Haman, was a descendant of Shimei (Esther 2:5). When the Lord returns, the family of Shimei will still be there and will repent and be saved (Zec 12:13).
Cush is the Hebrew name for Ethiopia. This may prophesy that the house of Shimei would go to Ethiopia after the dispersion in 70 AD. The family of Shimei who repent and are saved in Zec 12:13 may be Ethiopian Jews.
 
v1 - "a song" in the psalm heading is Shiggaion. This is the only Shiggaion psalm. The only other use of the word is in Hab 3:1, where it is plural, Shigionoth. This is a unique psalm.

Though the psalm is concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite, David's pressing problem was his being pursued by enemies seeking his destruction. Cush's words were like kicking a man when he is down, very down.
 
v3 - This verse begins to bring the words of Cush before the Lord. Cush's words must have been terrible accusations. This is the Christian way to respond when I am condemned, falsely I think,  by others.

If I feel bitterly towards those who condemn me, as it seems to me, unjustly, forgetting that if they knew me as I know myself they would condemn me much more, then I know nothing of Calvary love. - Amy Carmichael
 
v7 - "the assembly of the peoples" is all races. They will all assemble before the Lord to be judged.
"For their sakes" is for the sake of "the peoples", not just for the sake of Israel, but for all peoples.
 
v8 - In order to pray for the Lord to return, we must be prepared to be judged by the Lord according to our righteousness and integrity, because when the Lord returns, He will judge. He will judge His people at the judgment seat of Christ before He returns to earth. Integrity and righteousness are individual matters. We cannot claim righteousness or integrity based on being part of the right church or by believing the right doctrines.

David could pray this even though he knew that this judgment was due to his past terrible sin toward Uriah.

Would a Christian ever ask the Lord to judge me according to my righteousness and integrity? The Lord instructs us to in the Lord's prayer (Mat 6:12).
 
v9 - The outstanding thing when the Lord returns is not His making the earth into a paradise again but that wickedness will be ended.
 
vv11-13 This is David's fear of the Lord. This does not just apply to my enemies, but to myself also.
 
v17 - I don't think this is a joyous praising, but a sober willful praising as in Ps 42:5,11;43:5.

1/13/11 updated
3/12/09 updated