The Meaning of Psalms 56:7 Explained

Psalms 56:7

KJV: Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.

YLT: By iniquity they escape, In anger the peoples put down, O God.

Darby: Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God.

ASV: Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Shall they escape  by iniquity?  in [thine] anger  cast down  the people,  O God. 

What does Psalms 56:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

He asked God to bring them down and not let them escape. Because God hates wickedness, the psalmist trusted that He would punish the wicked.

Context Summary

Psalms 56:1-13 - "what Can Man Do Unto Me?"
This psalm was composed under the same circumstances as Psalms 34:1-22. See 1 Samuel 21:1-15. What a strange medley is here shown-David feigning madness and composing psalms! Commenting on Psalms 56:3, one says that Isaiah's resolve is still better: "I will trust and not be afraid," Isaiah 12:2. Note, the magnificent refrain at the close of each of the first two strophes, Psalms 56:4; Psalms 56:10. The psalmist asks: "What can flesh do?" "Nothing," is the Apostle Paul's emphatic answer. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers can hurt a man who makes God his stronghold, Romans 8:31.
Let us use the last verse for our life-prayer. Live as one on whom God's vows rest. Thank Him that by His Cross and Passion He has delivered thy soul from death. Could He have done so much at such cost, and then fail? Surely He must deliver our feet from falling, Psalms 116:8, or all the past will have been in vain. Whenever the shadows gather, and past sins threaten, and the enemies of your soul seek to overthrow, plead this prayer: Thou hast"¦ wilt not Thou? [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 56

1  David, praying to God in confidence of his word, complains of his enemies,
9  He professes his confidence in God's word, and promises to praise him

What do the individual words in Psalms 56:7 mean?

By iniquity escape shall they in anger the peoples cast down God
עַל־ ؟ אָ֥וֶן פַּלֶּט־ לָ֑מוֹ בְּ֝אַ֗ף עַמִּ֤ים ׀ הוֹרֵ֬ד אֱלֹהִֽים

؟ אָ֥וֶן  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָוֶן 
Sense: trouble, wickedness, sorrow.
פַּלֶּט־  escape 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: פַּלֵּט  
Sense: deliverance, escape.
לָ֑מוֹ  shall  they 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
בְּ֝אַ֗ף  in  anger 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
עַמִּ֤ים ׀  the  peoples 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הוֹרֵ֬ד  cast  down 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
אֱלֹהִֽים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).