Psalms28

New International Version

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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 Lord and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.

⁶ Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy.

⁷ The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

⁸ The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

⁹ Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.

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Psalms 28

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 28. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: A prayer in distress. (1–5). Thanksgiving for deliverance. (6–9).

vv1-5

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, 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.

vv6-9

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.

Key Words

DavidH1732Hebrew

דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse

callH7121Hebrew

קָרָא: to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

rockH6697Hebrew

צוּר: properly, a cliff (or sharp rock, as compressed); generally, a rock or boulder; figuratively, a refuge; also an edge (as precipitous)

deafH2814Hebrew

חָשָׁה: to hush or keep quiet

silentH2790Hebrew

חָרַשׁ: to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense); hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent, to let alone; hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of dumbness)

becomeH4911Hebrew

מָשַׁל: to liken, i.e. (transitively) to use figurative language (an allegory, adage, song or the like); intransitively, to resemble

go downH3381Hebrew

יָרַד: to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)

pitH953Hebrew

בּוֹר: a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison)

HearH8085Hebrew

שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

voiceH6963Hebrew

קוֹל: a voice or sound

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