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Psalms 28

BSB·9 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1To Youאֵ֘לֶ֤יךָ’ê·le·ḵā — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְהוָ֨ה׀Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, I callאֶקְרָ֗א’eq·rā — To call, summon, or proclaimH7121 — Full Word Study →; be notאַֽל־’al- — do not; negative imperative particleH408 — Full Word Study → deafתֶּחֱרַ֪שׁte·ḥĕ·raš — to engrave, plow, devise, or keep silentH2790 — Full Word Study → to meמִ֫מֶּ֥נִּיmim·men·nî — from, out of, by means ofH4480 — Full Word Study →, O my Rockצוּרִי֮ṣū·rî — Rock; stone; strength; fortressH6697 — Full Word Study →. For ifפֶּן־pen- — lest, that not, for fear thatH6435 — Full Word Study → You remain silentתֶּֽחֱשֶׁ֥הte·ḥĕ·šeh — to be silent, keep silence, hold peaceH2814 — Full Word Study →, I will beוְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּיwə·nim·šal·tî — To speak in parables or proverbs; to make a comparisonH4911 — Full Word Study → likeעִם־‘im- — with, together with, amongH5973 — Full Word Study → those descendingי֥וֹרְדֵיyō·wr·ḏê — To descend, go down, come downH3381 — Full Word Study → to the Pitבֽוֹר׃ḇō·wr — Pit, cistern, or dungeon; a deep holeH953 — Full Word Study →. 2Hearשְׁמַ֤עšə·ma‘ — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study → my cryק֣וֹלqō·wl — voice, sound, or cryH6963 — Full Word Study → for mercyתַּ֭חֲנוּנַיta·ḥă·nū·nay — Earnest plea; humble supplication or entreatyH8469 — Full Word Study → when I callבְּשַׁוְּעִ֣יbə·šaw·wə·‘î — to cry out, shout for helpH7768 — Full Word Study → to You for help, when I lift upבְּנָשְׂאִ֥יbə·nā·śə·’î — To lift up, raise, or bear; to carry or supportH5375 — Full Word Study → my handsיָ֝דַ֗יyā·ḏay — hand; power, strength, controlH3027 — Full Word Study → towardאֶל־’el- — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → Your holyקָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃qāḏ·še·ḵā — Holiness, sacred, consecrated, set apartH6944 — Full Word Study → sanctuaryדְּבִ֥ירdə·ḇîr — inner sanctuary, holy of holies, oracle chamberH1687 — Full Word Study →. 3Do notאַל־’al- — do not; negative imperative particleH408 — Full Word Study → drag me awayתִּמְשְׁכֵ֣נִיtim·šə·ḵê·nî — to draw, pull, extend, or prolongH4900 — Full Word Study → withעִם־‘im- — with, together with, amongH5973 — Full Word Study → the wickedרְשָׁעִים֮rə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study →, and withוְעִם־wə·‘im- — with, together with, amongH5973 — Full Word Study → the workersפֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫יpō·‘ă·lê — to do, work, make, performH6466 — Full Word Study → of iniquityאָ֥וֶן’ā·wen — Evil, wickedness, iniquity, or worthlessnessH205 — Full Word Study →, who speakדֹּבְרֵ֣יdō·ḇə·rê — to speak, say, or declareH1696 — Full Word Study → peaceשָׁ֭לוֹםšā·lôm — Peace, wholeness, well-being, prosperityH7965 — Full Word Study → toעִם־‘im- — with, together with, amongH5973 — Full Word Study → their neighborsרֵֽעֵיהֶ֑םrê·‘ê·hem — neighbor, friend, companion, associateH7453 — Full Word Study → while maliceוְ֝רָעָ֗הwə·rā·‘āh — evil, bad, harm, disasterH7451 — Full Word Study → is in their heartsבִּלְבָבָֽם׃bil·ḇā·ḇām — The inner self; mind, will, understandingH3824 — Full Word Study →. 4Repayתֶּן־ten- — to give, grant, or bestowH5414 — Full Word Study → them according to their deedsכְּפָעֳלָם֮kə·p̄ā·‘o·lām — work, deed, or actionH6467 — Full Word Study → and for their worksמַֽעַלְלֵ֫יהֶ֥םma·‘al·lê·hem — deed, work, or actionH4611 — Full Word Study → of evilוּכְרֹ֪עַū·ḵə·rō·a‘ — Evil, wickedness, badnessH7455 — Full Word Study →. Repayתֵּ֣ןtên — to give, grant, or bestowH5414 — Full Word Study → them for what their handsיְ֭דֵיהֶםyə·ḏê·hem — hand; power, strength, controlH3027 — Full Word Study → have doneכְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣הkə·ma·‘ă·śêh — Work, deed, or actionH4639 — Full Word Study →; bring backהָשֵׁ֖בhā·šêḇ — to turn back, return, restoreH7725 — Full Word Study → on them what they deserveגְּמוּלָ֣םgə·mū·lām — Recompense, reward, or requitalH1576 — Full Word Study →. 5Sinceכִּ֤יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → they show noלֹ֤אlō — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → regardיָבִ֡ינוּyā·ḇî·nū — To understand, discern, perceiveH995 — Full Word Study → for the worksפְּעֻלֹּ֣תpə·‘ul·lōṯ — Wages, payment for labor, reward for workH6468 — Full Word Study → of the LORDיְ֭הוָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → orוְאֶל־wə·’el- — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study → what His handsיָדָ֑יוyā·ḏāw — hand; power, strength, controlH3027 — Full Word Study → have doneמַעֲשֵׂ֣הma·‘ă·śêh — Work, deed, or actionH4639 — Full Word Study →, He will tear them downיֶ֝הֶרְסֵ֗םye·her·sêm — To destroy, tear down, or overthrow completelyH2040 — Full Word Study → and neverוְלֹ֣אwə·lō — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → rebuild themיִבְנֵֽם׃yiḇ·nêm — to build, construct, establishH1129 — Full Word Study →. 6Blessed beבָּר֥וּךְbā·rūḵ — to bless, kneel, praiseH1288 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְהוָ֑הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, forכִּי־kî·šā- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → He has heardשָׁ֝מַעšā·maʿ — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study → my cryק֣וֹלqō·wl — voice, sound, or cryH6963 — Full Word Study → for mercyתַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃ta·ḥă·nū·nāy — Earnest plea; humble supplication or entreatyH8469 — Full Word Study →. 7The LORDיְהוָ֤ה׀Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → is my strengthעֻזִּ֥י‘uz·zî — Strength, power, or mightH5797 — Full Word Study → and my shieldוּמָגִנִּי֮ū·mā·ḡin·nî — Shield; protection, defenseH4043 — Full Word Study →; my heartלִבִּ֗יlib·bî — Heart; the center of emotion, will, and intellectH3820 — Full Word Study → trustsבָטַ֥חḇā·ṭaḥ — to trust, rely on, have confidenceH982 — Full Word Study → in Him, and I am helpedוְֽנֶ֫עֱזָ֥רְתִּיwə·ne·‘ĕ·zā·rə·tî — to help, aid, supportH5826 — Full Word Study →. Therefore my heartלִבִּ֑יlib·bî — Heart; the center of emotion, will, and intellectH3820 — Full Word Study → rejoicesוַיַּעֲלֹ֥זway·ya·‘ă·lōz — to exult, rejoice, triumphH5937 — Full Word Study →, and I give thanks to Himאֲהוֹדֶֽנּוּ׃’ă·hō·w·ḏen·nū — To give thanks, praise, or acknowledgeH3034 — Full Word Study → with my songוּֽמִשִּׁירִ֥יū·miš·šî·rî — Song; singing; musical compositionH7892 — Full Word Study →. 8The LORDיְהוָ֥הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → is the strength of His peopleעֹֽז־‘ōz- — Strength, power, or mightH5797 — Full Word Study →, a strongholdוּמָ֘ע֤וֹזū·mā·‘ō·wz — Refuge, stronghold, fortress; place of security and strengthH4581 — Full Word Study → of salvationיְשׁוּע֖וֹתyə·šū·‘ō·wṯ — Deliverance, salvation, rescue from dangerH3444 — Full Word Study → for His anointedמְשִׁיח֣וֹmə·šî·ḥōw — Anointed one; chosen for divine serviceH4899 — Full Word Study →. 9Saveהוֹשִׁ֤יעָה׀hō·wō·šî·‘āh — To deliver, rescue, or save from dangerH3467 — Full Word Study → Your peopleעַמֶּ֗ךָ‘am·me·ḵā — a people; nation; communityH5971 — Full Word Study → and blessוּבָרֵ֥ךְū·ḇā·rêḵ — to bless, kneel, praiseH1288 — Full Word Study → Your inheritanceנַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָna·ḥă·lā·ṯe·ḵā — Inheritance; received possession or propertyH5159 — Full Word Study →; shepherd themוּֽרְעֵ֥םū·rə·‘êm — to shepherd; to tend, feed, or pasture a flockH7462 — Full Word Study → and carryוְ֝נַשְּׂאֵ֗םwə·naś·śə·’êm — To lift up, raise, or bear; to carry or supportH5375 — Full Word Study → themעַד־‘aḏ- — until, till, up to (temporal or spatial limit)H5704 — Full Word Study → foreverהָעוֹלָֽם׃hā·‘ō·w·lām — forever, eternity, perpetual durationH5769 — Full Word Study →.
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 28
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Chapter Overview

Psalm 28 is a prayer of David that moves from desperate plea to confident praise. The psalmist cries out to God in distress, fearful of being abandoned and grouped with the wicked, then appeals for God's justice against evildoers who speak deceptively. The psalm marks a dramatic turning point in verse 6, where David's tone shifts from urgent supplication to joyful thanksgiving, declaring that God has heard his prayer. This movement from lament to praise reflects the pattern of faith that trusts God will answer before the answer fully arrives.

Verses 1–5: A Cry for Deliverance and Justice

David begins with raw emotion: "Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me" (v. 1). He addresses God as his rock—his unmovable foundation—and pleads that God will not remain silent, for silence from the Lord would be equivalent to spiritual death: falling into the pit with the ungodly. This is not presumption but honest desperation rooted in relationship.

In verse 2, David describes his prayer posture: lifting his hands toward God's holy sanctuary, a physical gesture of surrender and earnest petition. He lifts not only his hands but his voice, making his need known to heaven.

Verses 3–5 shift to David's request for justice. He asks not to be "drawn away with the wicked" (v. 3)—not to be lumped together with those who are two-faced, speaking peace outwardly while harboring mischief within. David calls for God to judge these deceivers according to their deeds and render to them their just desert (vv. 4–5). The reason: they regard neither God's works nor His power. This is the root of all wickedness—a refusal to acknowledge God's sovereignty and mighty hand. Such people cannot be built up by the Lord; they can only be destroyed.

Application: When we face betrayal or opposition from deceitful people, we need not nurse revenge. Instead, we bring our case to God, the just Judge, and commit the outcome to Him.

Verses 6–9: From Prayer to Praise

The turn comes suddenly in verse 6: "Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications." David has moved from asking to thanking. He declares confidently that God has heard him—the prayer is answered in his faith before circumstances change.

This confidence overflows in verse 7. The LORD is David's strength and shield; his heart has trusted (past tense, firm reliance), and he is helped. His heart therefore "greatly rejoiceth" and he bursts into song. This is faith at work: thanksgiving preceding full manifestation of deliverance.

Verses 8–9 broaden the scope from personal praise to intercession for God's people. David recognizes that the Lord is not only his strength but the strength of His anointed one and all His covenant people. He prays that God would save His people, bless His inheritance (the church), shepherd them, and lift them up eternally. The psalm concludes not in isolation but in solidarity with God's greater purposes for His redeemed community.

Application: Our personal answered prayers should lead us to intercede for others and to recognize God's care for His whole people.

Application for Today

Psalm 28 teaches us that honest prayer includes both lament and praise, both petition and justice-seeking. We are invited to cry out to God without pretense, to bring our fears and the wrongs we've witnessed before Him. Yet the psalm also models faith that praises before it sees, trusting that God has heard. Whether facing deception, danger, or doubt, we can bring everything to our Rock and find both the strength to endure and a reason to sing.

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