Psalms 28

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

1 To You, O LORD, I call; My ¹rock, do not be deaf to me, For if You ²are silent to me, I will become like those who ³go down to the pit.

2 Hear the ⁴voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help, When I ⁵lift up my hands ⁶toward Your holy ⁷sanctuary.

3 ⁸Do not drag me away with the wicked And with those who work iniquity, Who ⁹speak peace with their neighbors, While evil is in their hearts.

4 Requite them ¹⁰according to their work and according to the evil of their practices; Requite them according to the deeds of their hands; Repay them their recompense.

5 Because they ¹¹do not regard the works of the LORD Nor the deeds of His hands, He will tear them down and not build them up.

6 Blessed be the LORD, Because He ¹²has heard the voice of my supplication.

7 The LORD is my ¹³strength and my ¹⁴shield; My heart ¹⁵trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore ¹⁶my heart exults, And with ¹⁷my song I shall thank Him.

8 The LORD is their ¹⁸strength, And He is a ¹⁹saving defense to His anointed.

9 ²⁰Save Your people and bless ²¹Your inheritance; Be their ²²shepherd also, and ²³carry them forever *.

Psalms 28 Commentary

Chapter 28

A prayer in distress. (1-5) Thanksgiving for deliverance. (6-9)

Verses 1-5 David is very earnest in prayer. Observe his faith in prayer; God is my rock, on whom I build my hope. Believers should not rest till they have received some token that their prayers are heard. He prays that he may not be numbered with the wicked. Save me from being entangled in the snares they have laid for me. Save me from being infected with their sins, and from doing as they do. Lord, never leave me to use such arts of deceit and treachery for my safety, as they use for my ruin. Believers dread the way of sinners; the best are sensible of the danger they are in of being drawn aside: we should all pray earnestly to God for his grace to keep us. Those who are careful not to partake with sinners in their sins, have reason to hope that they shall not receive their plagues. He speaks of the just judgments of the Lord on the workers of iniquity, ver. Verse 4 . This is not the language of passion or revenge. It is a prophecy that there will certainly come a day, when God will punish every man who persists in his evil deeds. Sinners shall be reckoned with, not only for the mischief they have done, but for the mischief they designed, and did what they could to effect. Disregard of the works of the Lord, is the cause of the sin of sinners, and becomes the cause of their ruin.

Verses 6-9 Has God heard our supplications? Let us then bless his name. The Lord is my strength, to support me, and carry me on through all my services and sufferings. The heart that truly believes, shall in due time greatly rejoice: we are to expect joy and peace in believing. God shall have the praise of it: thus must we express our gratitude. The saints rejoice in others' comfort as well as their own: we have the less benefit from the light of the sun, nor from the light of God's countenance, for others' sharing therein. The psalmist concludes with a short, but comprehensive prayer. God's people are his inheritance, and precious in his eyes. He prays that God would save them; that he would bless them with all good, especially the plenty of his ordinances, which are food to the soul. And direct their actions and overrule their affairs for good. Also, lift them up for ever; not only those of that age, but his people in every age to come; lift them up as high as heaven. There, and there only, will saints be lifted up for ever, never more to sink, or be depressed. Save us, Lord Jesus, from our sins; bless us, thou Son of Abraham, with the blessing of righteousness; feed us, thou good Shepherd of the sheep, and lift us up for ever from the dust, O thou, who art the Resurrection and the Life.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 18:2
• 2. Psalms 35:22; Psalms 39:12; Psalms 83:1
• 3. Psalms 88:4; Psalms 143:7; Proverbs 1:12
• 4. Psalms 140:6
• 5. Psalms 134:2; Psalms 141:2; Lamentations 2:19; 1 Timothy 2:8
• 6. Psalms 5:7; Psalms 138:2
• 7. 1 Kings 6:5
• 8. Psalms 26:9
• 9. Psalms 12:2; Psalms 55:21; Psalms 62:4; Jeremiah 9:8
• 10. Psalms 62:12; 2 Timothy 4:14; Revelation 18:6; Revelation 22:12
• 11. Isaiah 5:12
• 12. Psalms 28:2
• 13. Psalms 18:2; Psalms 59:17
• 14. Psalms 3:3
• 15. Psalms 13:5; Psalms 112:7
• 16. Psalms 16:9
• 17. Psalms 40:3; Psalms 69:30
• 18. Psalms 20:6; Psalms 89:17
• 19. Psalms 27:1; Psalms 140:7
• 20. Psalms 106:47
• 21. Deuteronomy 9:29; Deuteronomy 32:9; 1 Kings 8:51; Psalms 33:12; Psalms 106:40
• 22. Psalms 80:1
• 23. Deuteronomy 1:31; Isaiah 40:11; Isaiah 46:3; Isaiah 63:9

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "the innermost place of Your sanctuary"
• [b]. Or "dealings"
• [c]. A few mss and ancient versions read "the strength of His people"
• [d]. Or "refuge of salvation"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 28

\\<<[A Psalm] of David>>\\. This psalm, Aben Ezra says, David either composed himself, or one of the singers for him; the former seems most likely; and it might be made by him when he was persecuted by Saul, or when delivered from him; or at least when he had faith and hope that he should be delivered: the psalm consists of two parts, petitions and thanksgivings.