David
Psalm 28
A Psalm of David.
Scripture (KJV)
1Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
2Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
3Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.
4Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.
5Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.
6Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.
7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
8The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
9Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.
Summary
Psalm 28 is a prayer that moves from urgent cry to confident praise. David cries to the LORD his rock, begging Him not to be silent, lest he become like those who descend to the pit. He lifts his hands toward the holy oracle and asks not to be swept away with the wicked, who speak peace while plotting mischief. He prays that God would repay the workers of iniquity according to their deeds. The turning point comes at verse 6: "Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications." David then confesses the LORD as his strength and shield, whose help makes his heart rejoice, and he closes with a pastoral prayer for God’s people—"Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever."
The major themes are prayer, deliverance, strength, protection, and praise. Practically, the psalm teaches that honest crying out to God can turn to singing, and that personal deliverance should lead to intercession for others. The great lesson is that the LORD is both the strength of the individual and the saving strength of His anointed.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 28
O LORD my rock, to You I cry; be not silent to me. Hear the voice of my supplications as I lift my hands toward Your holy place. Draw me not away with the wicked, who speak peace while mischief is in their hearts. Repay them according to their deeds, but bless me as one who trusts in You. You have heard my cry—blessed be the LORD. You are my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in You and I am helped. My heart rejoices, and with my song I will praise You. Save Your people, bless Your inheritance, feed them, and lift them up forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1When have I feared God’s silence, and how did He answer?
- 2How does the turn from lament to praise in this psalm mirror my own prayers?
- 3What does it mean that the LORD is both "my strength" and "the saving strength of his anointed"?
- 4Who else do I need to pray for as David prays for God’s people in verse 9?
Related Psalms
Psalm 27
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Courage from seeking God’s presence and waiting patiently on Him.
Read morePsalm 26
“Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord, therefore I shall not slide.”
A plea for vindication grounded in integrity and love for God’s house.
Read morePsalm 35
“Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.”
A prayer for God to contend against unjust enemies and vindicate the righteous.
Read morePsalm 140
“Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;”
Psalm 140 is a lament of David against violent and deceitful enemies.
Read morePsalm 142
“I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.”
Psalm 142 is a maskil of David, composed when he was hiding in a cave—likely during his flight from Saul.
Read moreSupport BookofPsalms.org
If you find BookofPsalms.org helpful and would like to support the website, you may make a voluntary contribution through PayPal. Your support helps pay for the operation, hosting, maintenance, development, content, security, and continued improvement of BookofPsalms.org.
Independent Website & Contribution Disclosure
BookofPsalms.org is an independently operated, privately owned website. BookofPsalms.org is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or operated by any church, denomination, ministry, religious organization, charity, or nonprofit organization.
All funds contributed through BookofPsalms.org are received by the privately owned company that operates the website. Funds may be used by the company to support website hosting, maintenance, development, content creation, administration, advertising, technology, and other business and operating expenses.
Contributions are voluntary and are NOT tax-deductible charitable donations. BookofPsalms.org does not represent contributions as charitable donations or contributions to a nonprofit, church, ministry, or tax-exempt religious organization.
Receive weekly Psalms and prayers
A gentle Psalm, an original prayer, and a short reflection—delivered once a week.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.