1. "Author of the psalm." This psalm, according to the title, was composed by David; and there is nothing in it that is contrary to this supposition. Indeed, there were many circumstances in the life of David which would suggest the thoughts in this psalm; and the sentiments expressed are such as are frequently found in his other compositions.
2. "Occasion on which the psalm was composed." The psalm is said in the title to have been composed as "a song to the Lord, concerning the words (Margin, 'or business, ') of Cush the Benjamite." There is no reason to call the correctness of this title in question, but there have been very various opinions as to who this Cush was. It is manifest from the psalm that it was composed in view of some "words" of reviling, or reproach, or slander; something that was done to wound the feelings, or to injure the reputation, or destroy the peace of David.
There have been three opinions in regard to the "Cush" here referred to:
(1) According to the first, "Saul" is the person intended; and it has been supposed that the name "Cush" is given to him as a reproach, and to denote the blackness of his character, as the word "Cush" would denote an Ethiopian, or black man. So it was understood by the author of the Targum or Aramaic Paraphrase, in which it is rendered "an ode which David sang before the Lord on the death of Saul, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin." But this opinion has no probability. It is not certain that this term "Cush" would, in the time of David, denote one of black complexion; nor is there any probability that it would be used as a term of reproach at all; and as little probability is there that it would be applied by David to Saul if it had been. If the psalm referred to Saul, it is probable, from all that we know of the feelings of David toward the reigning prince, that he would not designate him, in the title of a psalm, in enigmatical and reproachful language. Besides, the injurious treatment of Saul toward Davd was rather manifested in deeds than in words.
(2) a second opinion is, that it refers to Shimei, who was of the house of Saul, and who reproached and cursed David as he was flying from Jerusalem on occasion of the rebellion of Absalom, 2-Samuel 16:5 ff. It is supposed by those who maintain this opinion that the name was given to him because he was a calumniator and reviler - or, as we would say, a "blackhearted" man. But the same objection exists to this opinion as to that before-mentioned; and besides this, there are several things in the psalm which do not agree with such a supposition. In fact there is no reason for such a supposition, except that Shimei was a calumniator, and that the psalm refers to some such person.
(3) a third opinion is, that it refers to some one of the name Cush, of the tribe of Benjamin, who reproached David on some occasion that is now unknown. This opinion has every degree of probability, and is undoutbtedly the correct opinion. David was often reproached and calumniated in his life, and it would seem that, on some occasion now to us unknown, when he was violently reproached in this manner, he gave vent to his feelings in this impassioned ode. No other record was made of the transaction, and the occasion on which it occurred is not known. At the time when it occurred it would be easily understood who was referred to, and the design of the composition was accomplished by the record of the feelings of the author on all occasion that greatly tried his spirit. It is thus of permanent value to the church and the world, for there are few persons that are not on some occasions bitterly reproached, and few who are not disposed to vent their feelings in expressions similar to those in this psalm. One great design of the collection of poems in the Psalm was to show the workings of human nature in a great variety of situations; and hence, such a psalm as this has a permanent and general value; and so far as this general use is concerned, it matters little on what occasion, or in reference to what individual, the psalm was composed.
3. "Contents of the psalm." The psalm embraces the following points:
I. A prayer of the psalmist for deliverance from his enemies, and especially from this particular foe that threatened his destruction, Psalm 7:1-2. This is the general subject of the psalm.
II. He offers this prayer on the ground that he is innocent of the charges that are brought against him; relying thus on the fact that his was a righteous cause, and appealing to God on this ground, and declaring his willingness to suffer all that his enemy attempted to bring upon him if he was guilty, Psalm 7:3-5.
III. He prays for the interposition of divine justice on his enemies, on the ground of the general justice of God, and as a part of his general administration over men, Psalm 7:6-9.
IV. In his own hopes, he trusts in the divine discrimination between innocence and guilt, assured that God would interpose on behalf of the righteous, and that the principles of the divine administration were opposed to the wicked, Psalm 7:10-11.
V. He speaks confidently of the ultimate destruction of the ungodly and of the manner in which it would be brought about, Psalm 7:12-16. If they did not turn, they must be certainly destroyed, for God was preparing the instruments of their destruction; and the means which he would use would be the very plans of the wicked themselves.
VI. The psalmist says that, as for himself, he would praise the Lord according to his righteousness; that is, would adore and praise him as a righteous God, Psalm 7:17.
The general subject of the psalm, therefore, pertains to the feelings which are to be entertained toward revilers and calumniators - toward those who reproach us when we are conscious of innocence of the charges that are alleged against us; and as all good men are liable to be placed in these circumstances, the psalm has a practical and general value.
4. "The title to the psalm." The psalm is entitled "Shiggaion of David." The word "Shiggaion" - שׁגיון shiggâyôn - occurs only in this place in the singular number, and in Habakkuk 3:1 in the plural. "A prayer of Habakkuk upon Shigionoth." It properly means a "song, psalm, hymn" (Gesenius). Prof. Alexander renders it "wandering, error," as if the word were derived from שׁגה shâgâh, to walk, to go astray; and he supposes that it refers to the fact that David was "wandering" or unsettled at the time when the psalm was composed. This reason, however, will not apply to the use of the word in Habakkuk. Solomon Van Til. (Ugolin, Thesau. Sac. Ant., vol. xxxii. pp. 294, 295), supposes that it refers to "a certain inadvertence or oblivion of himself on the part of the author, or powerful seizure of the mind," "animi abreptio." He says that it is commonly supposed to indicate a poem, in which the poet is impelled by his feelings, and drawn along with little regard to the regularity of the numbers or the meter, but in which he pours out his emotions in an erratic or irregular manner from the overflowing of his soul.
This seems to me to have been the probable origin of this title, and to have denoted the kind of poetry to which it was applicable. Julius Bartoloccius (Ugolin, xxxii. 484) supposes that it refers to a certain "tone" (the "fifth tone") as especially "sweet" and "soft," and that this kind of poetry was thus applicable to hymns of joy; and that the term is used here because this psalm is especially sweet and pleasant. There is nothing in the psalm, however, which would indicate that this is the origin of the title; and the former supposition better meets the case than either this or the opinion of Prof. Alexander. I would regard it, therefore, as applicable to a psalm where there was an overflow of feeling or emotion that poured itself out without much regard to regular rhythm, or the laws of meter. It is a psalm of a "wandering" or "irregular meter." It may not be easy, however, to determine why it is particularly applied to this psalm; it is more easy to see why it should be applied to the hymn in Habakkuk. The Latin Vulgate and the Septuagint render it simply "A psalm."

The psalmist prays against the malice of his enemies, Psalm 7:1, Psalm 7:2; protests his own innocence, Psalm 7:3-5; prays to God that he would vindicate him, for the edification of his people, Psalm 7:6-8; prays against the wickedness of his enemies, Psalm 7:9; expresses strong confidence in God, Psalm 7:10; threatens transgressors with God's judgments, Psalm 7:11-13; shows the conduct and end of the ungodly, Psalm 7:14-16; and exults in the mercy and lovingkindness of his Maker, Psalm 7:17.
This Psalm is entitled, Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. The word שגיון shiggayon comes from שגה shagah, to wander, a wandering song; i.e., a Psalm composed by David in his wanderings, when he was obliged to hide himself from the fury of Saul.
Bishop Horsley thinks it may have its name, a wandering ode, from its being in different parts, taking up different subjects, in different styles of composition. But he has sometimes thought that shiggaion might be an unpremeditated song; an improviso.
As to Cush the Benjamite, he is a person unknown in the Jewish history; the name is probably a name of disguise; and by it he may covertly mean Saul himself, the son of Kish, who was of the tribe of Benjamin. The subject of the Psalm will better answer to Saul's unjust persecution and David's innocence, than to any other subject in the history of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 7
Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. The name of this psalm, "Shiggaion", either respects the music or the matter of the psalm. Some take it to be the name of the musical instrument to which the psalm was set (n): so Habakkuk's prayer is said to be "upon shigionoth"; which is the same word with this, only of the plural number, Habakkuk 3:1. Others say it was the first word of a song, to the tune of which this was sung (o) And others understand it of a certain kind of a song (p): and the Targum renders it, "the interpretation of the ode of David"; which Ainsworth renders, "David's interpretation of the law"; leading instead of as does also the king of Spain's Bible. And certain it is that it is the name of a song; since it follows, "which he sang unto the Lord"; in his presence, before him, and to the glory of his name. But the question is, of what sort it is? and why it should be so called? since its root signifies "to err" or "wander": it is more generally rendered, "an erratic" or "wandering ode"; a song or psalm, which consisted of various kind of metre: it was sung with various notes, and all kind of music, which made it very pleasant. Hence some render it, "David's delight", as R. Obadiah Gaon; and the verb from whence it is derived is translated "ravished" in Proverbs 5:19; and Ben Melech says, the word signifies , "joy and pleasure"; and Aben Ezra observes that some interpret it "delight". But others are of opinion that this word regards the subject matter of the psalm, and may be rendered, "David's ignorance" or "error"; his sin of ignorance; and respects his mistaken conduct with regard to his enemies, particularly Saul, in making imprecations upon them, Psalm 6:10; in cursing them, and especially King Saul; when a king is not to be cursed, Ecclesiastes 10:20; and in cutting off the skirt of his garment, for which his heart smote him, 1-Samuel 24:4. Some render it, "the care of David", as Cocceius; which he wrote in deep meditation, when he had forgot himself, and was as it were in an ecstasy; setting forth "the sum of his cares", as Ainsworth expresses it, when he was harassed and greatly afflicted by his enemies. The occasion of it is, "the words of Cush the Benjamite"; which some understand of Shimei the Benjamite, who came out and cursed David as he went along, when he fled from Absalom, 1-Samuel 16:5. Theodoret thinks Hushai is meant, who persuaded Absalom not to follow the counsel of Ahithophel; on which account David penned this psalm. Others interpret it of one of Saul's courtiers, who was of the tribe of Benjamin, and whose name was Cush (q); and which is very likely, since it is evident that some of Saul's courtiers accused David to him, and charged him with seeking his harm, not only to take away his crown and kingdom, but his life, 1-Samuel 24:9. Though the generality of the Jewish writers (r) interpret it of Saul himself, who is called Cush, in allusion to his father's name Kish, who was a man of Benjamin, 1-Samuel 9:1; or else because Cush signifies "an Ethiopian", to which he may be compared, as the children of Israel in Amos 9:7. For as the Ethiopian is various in his skin, so was Saul in his actions, as Jarchi observes; or rather because, as Kimchi and Ben Melech express it, as the Ethiopian does not change his skin, Jeremiah 13:23; so Saul did not change his hatred to David. Though the same writers observe, that he may be called so by the rule of contraries, because he was a very goodly and beautiful man; the words referred to are supposed to be those in 1-Samuel 22:7.
(n) Menachem in Jarchi in loc. So David de Pomis, Lexic. fol. 204. 1. (o) Aben Ezra in loc. (p) Kimchi in loc. (q) Aben Ezra & Obadiah Gaon in loc. (r) Targum, Jarchi, Kimchi, Arama, & Ben Melech in loc.

(Psalm 7:1-9) The psalmist prays to God to plead his cause, and judge for him.
(Psalm 7:10-17) He expresses confidence in God, and will give him the glory of his deliverance.

(In the Hebrew, v.1 is the designation 'A Shiggayon of David, which he sang....'; from then on v.1-17 in English translation corresponds to v.2-18 in the Hebrew)
Appeal to the Judge of the Whole Earth against Slander and Requiting Good with Evil
In the second part of Psalm 6:1-10 David meets his enemies with strong self-confidence in God. Ps 7, which even Hitzig ascribes to David, continues this theme and exhibits to us, in a prominent example taken from the time of persecution under Saul, his purity of conscience and joyousness of faith. One need only read 1 Sam 24-26 to see how this Psalm abounds in unmistakeable references to this portion of David's life. The superscribed statement of the events that gave rise to its composition point to this. Such statements are found exclusively only by the Davidic Psalm.
(Note: Viz. Psalm 7:1, Psalm 59:1, Psalm 56:1, Psalm 34:1, Psalm 52:1, Psalm 57:1, Psalm 142:1, Psalm 54:1 (belonging to the time of the persecution under Saul), Psalm 3:1, Psalm 63:1 (to the persecution under Absolom), Psalm 51:1 (David's adultery), Psalm 60:1 (the Syro-Ammonitish war).)
The inscription runs: Shiggajon of David, which he sang to Jahve on account of the sayings of Cush a Benjamite. על־דּברי is intentionally chosen instead of על which has other functions in these superscriptions. Although דּבר and דּברי can mean a thing, business, affairs (Exodus 22:8; 1-Samuel 10:2, and freq.) and על־דּברי "in reference to" (Deuteronomy 4:21; Jeremiah 7:22) or "on occasion of" (Jeremiah 14:1), still we must here keep to the most natural signification: "on account of the words (speeches)." Cûsh (lxx falsely Χουσί = כּוּשׁי; Luther, likewise under misapprehension, "the Moor") must have been one of the many servants of Saul, his kinsman, one of the talebearers like Doeg and the Ziphites, who shamefully slandered David before Saul, and roused him against David. The epithet בּן־ימיני (as in 1-Samuel 9:1, 1-Samuel 9:21, cf. אישׁ־ימיני 2-Samuel 20:1) describes him as "a Benjamite" and does not assume any knowledge of him, as would be the case if it were הבּנימיני, or rather (in accordance with biblical usage) בּן־הימיני. And this accords with the actual fact, for there is no mention of him elsewhere in Scripture history. The statement וגו על־דברי is hardly from David's hand, but written by some one else, whether from tradition or from the דברי הימים of David, where this Psalm may have been interwoven with the history of its occasion. Whereas there is nothing against our regarding לדוד שׁגּיון, or at least שׁגיון, as a note appended by David himself.
Since שׁגּיון (after the form הזּיון a vision) belongs to the same class as superscribed appellations like מזמור and משׂכּיל, and the Tephilla of Habakkuk, Habakkuk 3:1 (vid., my Commentary), has the addition על־שׁגינות, שׁגיון must be the name of a kind of lyric composition, and in fact a kind described according to the rhythm of its language or melody. Now since שׁגה means to go astray, wander, reel, and is cognate with שׁגע (whence comes שׁגּעון madness, a word formed in the same manner) שׁגיון may mean in the language of prosody a reeling poem, i.e., one composed in a most excited movement and with a rapid change of the strongest emotions, therefore a dithyrambic poem, and שׁגינות dithyrambic rhythms, variously and violently mixed together. Thus Ewald and Rdiger understand it, and thus even Tarnov, Geier, and other old expositors who translate it cantio erratica. What we therefore look for is that this Psalm shall consist, as Ainsworth expresses it (1627), "of sundry variable and wandering verses," that it shall wander through the most diverse rhythms as in a state of intoxication - an expectation which is in fact realized. The musical accompaniment also had its part in the general effect produced. Moreover, the contents of the Psalm corresponds to this poetic musical style. It is the most solemn pathos of exalted self-consciousness which is expressed in it. And in common with Habakkuk it gives expression to the joy which arises from zealous anger against the enemies of God and from the contemplation of their speedy overthrow. Painful unrest, defiant self-confidence, triumphant ecstasy, calm trust, prophetic certainty-all these states of mind find expression in the irregular arrangement of the strophes of this Davidic dithyramb, the ancient customary Psalm for the feast of Purim (Sofrim xviii. 2).