Psalms 28:2

2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.

Psalms 28:2 in Other Translations

KJV
2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
ESV
2 Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
NLT
2 Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.
MSG
2 I'm letting you know what I need, calling out for help And lifting my arms toward your inner sanctum.
CSB
2 Listen to the sound of my pleading when I cry to You for help, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.

Psalms 28:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 28:2

Hear the voice of my supplications
Which proceed from the Spirit of grace and of supplication, and are put up in an humble manner, under a sense of wants and unworthiness, and on the foot of grace and mercy, and not merit;

when I cry unto thee;
as he now did, and determined he would, and continue so doing, until he was heard;

when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle:
the holy of holies, in the tabernacle and in the temple, which was sometimes so called, ( 1 Kings 6:23 ) ; compared with ( 2 Chronicles 3:10 ) ; where were the ark, the mercy seat, and cherubim, between which the Lord dwelt, and gave responses to his people; or heaven itself, which the holy of holies was a figure of; where is the throne of God, and from whence he hears the prayers of his people directed to him; or else Christ himself, who is the most Holy, and the "Debir", or Oracle, who speaks to the Lord for his people; and by whom the Lord speaks to them again, and communes with them. The oracle had its name, "debir", from speaking. Lifting up of the hands is a prayer gesture, and here designs the performance of that duty to God in heaven, through Christ; see ( Lamentations 3:41 ) ( 1 Timothy 2:8 ) ; it was frequently used, even by the Heathens, as a prayer gesture F18; see ( Psalms 141:2 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F18 "Duplices manus ad sidera tendit--et paulo post--et ambas ad coelum tendit palmas", Virgil. Aeneid. 10. vid. Aeneid. 2. "Ad coelum manibus sublatis", Horat. Satyr. l. 2. satyr. 5. v. 97. "Coelo supines si tuleris manus", ib. Carmin. l. 3. Ode 23. v. 1. "Et pandere palmas ante Deum delubra", Lucretius l. 5. prope finem (dh ceira anascwn) , Homer. Iliad. 5. v. 174.

Psalms 28:2 In-Context

1 To you, LORD, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.
4 Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve.
5 Because they have no regard for the deeds of the LORDand what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.

Cross References 3

  • 1. Psalms 17:1; Psalms 61:1; Psalms 116:1; Psalms 130:2; Psalms 142:1; Psalms 143:1; Psalms 138:2; Psalms 140:6
  • 2. S Ezra 9:5; Psalms 63:4; Psalms 141:2; Lamentations 2:19; 1 Timothy 2:8
  • 3. Psalms 5:7; Psalms 11:4
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