Psalms 7:5

5 mine enemy pursue he my soul, and take he, and defoul my life in earth; and bring my glory into dust. (let my enemy persecute me, and take hold of me, and tread me down into the ground; and bring my honour down into the dust, or down into the dirt.)

Psalms 7:5 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 7:5

Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take [it]
That is, if the above things he was charged with could be proved against him; then he was content that Saul his enemy should pursue after him, and apprehend him, and bring him to justice, by taking away his life from him;

yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth;
with the utmost indignation and contempt, without showing any mercy; as the lion treads down his prey, and tears it to pieces, ( Micah 5:8 ) ; or as the potter treads his clay under foot, ( Isaiah 41:25 ) ;

and lay mine honour in the dust;
meaning either his life and soul, as before; denominating himself from his better part, and which he elsewhere calls his glory, ( Psalms 16:9 ) ( 30:12 ) ( 57:8 ) ; see ( Genesis 49:6 ) ; or else his body, as R. Judah Ben Balaam, who is blamed for it by Jarchi; or rather his fame, credit, and reputation, that he had gained, both by his courage and valour in the field, and by his wise and prudent behaviour at court, ( 1 Samuel 18:7 1 Samuel 18:16 ) . Should he appear to be guilty of the crimes he was accused of, he is willing to have his glorious name buried in the dust of oblivion, and his memory perish for ever. The words are to be considered as a strong assertion of his innocence, in an appeal to God, the searcher of hearts, and the trier of the reins of men; and as imprecating on himself the worst of evils, should it not appear; see ( Job 31:21 Job 31:22 ) .

Selah;
Aben Ezra renders "selah", "in truth", "let it be so"; and the Targum renders it, as usual, "for ever"; (See Gill on Psalms 3:2).

Psalms 7:5 In-Context

3 My Lord God, if I did this thing, if wickedness is in mine hands, or works (if there is wickedness, or a stain, upon my hands, or deeds);

4 if I yielded to men yielding to me evils, fall I by deserving void from mine enemies; (if I gave back evil to those who first did good to me, let me deservedly fall before my enemies;)

5 mine enemy pursue he my soul, and take he, and defoul my life in earth; and bring my glory into dust. (let my enemy persecute me, and take hold of me, and tread me down into the ground; and bring my honour down into the dust, or down into the dirt.)

6 Lord, rise thou up in thine ire; and be thou raised (up) in the coasts of mine enemies. And, my Lord God, rise thou up in the commandment, which thou hast commanded (And, my Lord God, rise thou up in the justice, or in the judgement, which thou hast commanded);

7 and the synagogue of peoples shall (en)compass thee. And for this go thou again on high; (and the congregation of the people shall surround thee. And for them, go thou again on high;)