אִם־גָּ֭מַלְתִּי שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥י רָ֑ע וָאֲחַלְּצָ֖ה צֽוֹרְרִ֣י רֵיקָֽם
ʾim–ggomaltiy sholemiy roʿ voʾachalletzo tzoreriy reykom
if I have rewarded with evil him who is peaceably disposed toward me, though I joyously freed from pursuit him who oppressed me without just cause,
1.....(7.5)
If without cause I oppressed and smote him that was mine enemy.
These words are to be read in a light of what Scripture says elsewhere: "And he [David] smote Moab, and measured them off with a line, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two cord-lengths to put to death, and one full cord-length to keep alive."(Shmuel II - II Samuel 8:2)
According to rabbi Judah, the Moabites murdered David's mother, father, his brothers and forced Ruth.
1.
if I repaid the one who did evil to me
If I repaid him according to his deeds.
2.
and I stripped my adversary into emptiness
I destroyed his [Saul] garment when I severed the skirt of his coat. Did I do it to destroy and to strip him and cause him to stand empty, and [was it done] with hatred? Only to let him know that he was delivered into my hand to kill him, and I did not kill him.
[The word] חלצה is an expression of stripping off clothing.
1.
If I have requited evil unto him that was at peace with me:
If I have requited him evil who was at peace with me as he does me who was at peace with him [Saul], and was his son-in-law, and fought his battles - and he requites me evil in return for good!
2.
But (no) ! I have delivered him that without cause was my enemy:
Not merely have I not requited evil unto him {who was) at peace with me, but (on the contrary) I have delivered him who without cause was my enemy. But to no purpose did I rescue him as indeed he rescued Saul from the power of Abishai, who, had he not withheld him, was about to kill him, as he said: "Let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time" (i Sam. 26:8); and so of the occasion when he was in the cave it is said: " so David checked his men with these words and suffered them not to rise against Saul" (i Sam. 24:7).
And the waw in ואחלצה ( "but [lit. and] I have delivered").
1.
David says: “O Lord, my God! If I have indeed done that of which I am accused; if in truth a taint of malfeasance cleaves to my acquisitions; if I have really attained my position of honor in the nation by evil means, as they say I did, when actually I achieved it by means of self sacrifice for the common good; If indeed I have rewarded with evil anyone peacably disposed toward me — I, who joyously, delivered from the hands of my companions this very same Saul who attacked me without just cause — then I am indeed deserving of persecution.