Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 7:1

"O Jehovah my God, in thee do I take refuge: Save me from all them that pursue me, and deliver me," — Psalms 7:1 (ASV)

O Lord my God, in you do I put my trust—The psalm opens with an expression of strong confidence in God. The psalmist addresses Yahweh as his God and says that in him he trusts or confides. The word rendered trust—חסה châsâh—means “to flee;” to flee to a place; to take shelter; and is applied to taking shelter under the shadow or protection of someone (Judges 9:15; Isaiah 30:2; Psalms 57:1; Psalms 61:4). The idea here is that in his troubles he fled to God as a refuge and felt safe under his protection.

Save me from all those who persecute me—That is, protect my life; rescue me from their power. The word “persecute” here refers to those who sought his life, who endeavored to deprive him of his rights. The language would apply to many occasions in the life of David—to the persecutions he endured from Saul, Absalom, etc. In this particular case, the language was suggested by the opposition of Cush the Benjamite, and this was what David had specifically in mind.

It is probable, however, that whoever Cush was, he was not alone, but that others were associated with him in his opposition to David. In such circumstances, it was also natural for David to remember his other persecutors and pray that he might be delivered from them all.

The prayer, therefore, has a general form, and the desire expressed is one that we all naturally have: that we may be delivered from all that troubles us.

And deliver me—Rescue me. It would seem from this expression, and from the following verse, that there was more to be feared in this case than mere reproachful words, and that his life was actually in danger.