Psalms 28:7

7 The Lord is my strength and my breastplate, my heart had faith in him and I am helped; for this cause my heart is full of rapture, and I will give him praise in my song.

Psalms 28:7 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 28:7

The Lord [is] my strength
That is, the author both of natural and spiritual strength; that gave him strength of body, and fortitude of mind, to bear up under all the exercises he was tried with; the strength of his life, spiritual and temporal, and of his salvation; the strength of his heart under present distresses, and who he knew would be so in the hour of death, when his heart and strength would fail;

and my shield;
to protect and defend him; as were the love, power, and faithfulness of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, his power and fulness, his blood, righteousness, and salvation;

my heart trusted in him;
in the Lord as his strength and shield; not in any creature, nor in his own strength and righteousness; but in the Lord God, in whom are righteousness and strength: and it is plain he did not trust in his own heart, since his heart trusted in the Lord; and which shows that his trust was an hearty one, his faith was a faith unfeigned, he believed with the heart unto righteousness;

and I am helped:
this was the fruit of his trust, even a gracious experience of divine assistance: saints are helpless in themselves, and are also as to the help of man; God is the only helper of them; he helps them out of all their troubles; in whatsoever he calls them unto, and to what they want; and the help he affords is sometimes quick, and always seasonable; and sometimes by means, and sometimes without them;

therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth;
that is, in the Lord, the ground of which was the help he had from him; and this joy was very great, a joy unspeakable, and full of glory; it was not carnal, but spiritual, a heart joy, joy in the Holy Ghost;

and with my song will I praise him;
praise is due to God, what glorifies him, and is acceptable to him; it becomes the saints, is comely for them, and it is pleasant work to them, when grace is in exercise; see ( Psalms 69:30 Psalms 69:31 ) ; this may be understood of one of his songs, and one of the best of them, and of one better than this, as a Jewish writer ^F21 observes.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F21 R. Moseh in Aben Ezra in loc.

Psalms 28:7 In-Context

5 Because they have no respect for the works of the Lord, or for the things which his hands have made, they will be broken down and not lifted up by him.

6 May the Lord be praised, because he has given ear to the voice of my prayer.

7 The Lord is my strength and my breastplate, my heart had faith in him and I am helped; for this cause my heart is full of rapture, and I will give him praise in my song.

8 The Lord is their strength, and a strong place of salvation for his king.

9 Be a saviour to your people, and send a blessing on your heritage: be their guide, and let them be lifted up for ever.