Psalms 7:11-13

He Reveals That God Is A Present Judge on All (Psalms 7:11).

‘God (Elohim) is a righteous judge,

Yes, a God (El) who has indignation every day.

If a man turn not, he will whet his sword,

He has bent his bow and made it ready,

He has also prepared for him the instruments of death,

He makes his arrows fiery shafts.'

But while longing for that great day of judgment which will slay the wicked and establish the righteous, he wants all to know that even now God judges continually on earth every day (see Psalms 10:4; Psalms 10:11; Psalms 10:13). He is a righteous judge, and thus has indignation every day as He looks at the state of the world. For all things are open to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do, and He never overlooks anything.

God looks for men to repent, but if they will not do so He becomes a man of war against their sin. He sharpens His sword and has already prepared His bow, and makes ready His arrows, which He has already prepared as His instruments of death. His arrows are shafts of lightning (see Psalms 18:14; Zechariah 9:14), although he may also have in mind arrows with inflammable materials attached which were often fired among the enemy.

It is noteworthy that even here David leaves room for repentance (‘if a man turn not'). He remembers what mercy God had had on him. But his picture is a warning to all who play with sin that God is not mocked. And that He is even now ever ready to deal with sin by death (compare Ezekiel 18:4 onwards).