Psalm 28

Psalm 28 belongs to Book One of the Psalms (Psalms 1–41), and its superscription reads "A Psalm of David." The preceding Psalm 27 ends with an exhortation to wait on the LORD; this psalm opens with a cry that bursts forth in the midst of that waiting.

Structure

• Verses 1–2 The psalmist cries out to the LORD, "my rock," not to turn a deaf ear to him. He says that if the LORD remains silent, he will become like those who go down into the pit, and he lifts up his hands toward the sanctuary in supplication.
• Verses 3–5 He asks not to be dragged away with the wicked, who speak peace to their neighbors while harboring mischief in their hearts. He asks that they be repaid according to their deeds and declares that, because they do not regard the works of the LORD, He will tear them down and not build them up again.
• Verses 6–7 The mood shifts, and the psalmist blesses the LORD for hearing his supplications. He confesses the LORD as his strength and shield and resolves to praise Him with song.
• Verses 8–9 He confesses that the LORD is the strength of His people and the saving strength of His anointed, and prays that the LORD would save His people and be their shepherd.

Key Verses

• Psalm 28:1 "O LORD my rock; be not silent to me" — the starting point of the lament, in which God's silence is felt as a crisis akin to death.
• Psalm 28:7 "The LORD is my strength and my shield" — the turning point at which lament gives way to trust and praise.
• Psalm 28:9 "Feed them also, and lift them up for ever" — the individual's prayer broadens into a prayer for the community.

People and Places

• David: the king of Israel named in the superscription.
• The sanctuary: the Hebrew word translated "sanctuary" in verse 2 (rendered "holy oracle" in the KJV) is understood to refer to the innermost room of the temple, that is, the Most Holy Place.
• The anointed: mentioned in verse 8, this term refers to the king whom God has established. See anointing.

Points for Reflection

• Prayers asking God to repay the wicked, as in verse 4, are frequently discussed in light of Jesus' teaching on love for enemies (Matthew 5:44). A widely held interpretation reads such prayers as entrusting vengeance to God rather than taking it into one's own hands, which connects them with the teaching of Romans 12:17–21.
• "His anointed" in verse 8 is read primarily as referring to the king of the Davidic dynasty, and in Christian tradition it is also read as referring to Christ, the Messiah.
• The shepherd imagery of verse 9 connects with the New Testament image of the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).