Psalm 28

Psalm 28, Praise from Prayer Heard and Answered

Psalm 28 is titled, A Psalm of David. This psalm shows David crying out to God in urgent need, asking not only that God would hear him, but that God would answer him. David does not treat prayer as a bare religious exercise. He needs the living God to respond. The psalm moves from petition to praise, from distress to confidence, from personal need to concern for all the people of God. It also shows several conditions of the heart. There is the evil heart of the wicked, the trusting heart of David, and the rejoicing heart that praises God after prayer is heard. David begins with the fear that God may be silent, but he ends by blessing the Lord because God has heard the voice of his supplications.

A. The Prayer of Petition, Making Requests of God

Psalm 28:1 to Psalm 28:2, Asking to Be Heard by God

Psalm 28:1, “Unto 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.”

Psalm 28:2, “Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.”

David begins, “Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock.” This is personal, direct, and urgent. David does not first run to human strength, political influence, military strategy, or self confidence. He cries to the Lord. His prayer is addressed to the covenant God of Israel, the living God, the One who had revealed Himself as faithful to His people. David calls Him “my rock,” which speaks of stability, strength, refuge, foundation, and security. A rock is firm when everything else is shifting. A rock is a place where a man can stand when the ground around him is unstable. David’s circumstances may have been uncertain, but the Lord Himself was not uncertain.

David’s use of “my rock” is important because it shows personal faith. He does not speak of God merely as a rock in theory. He says, “my rock.” The difference matters. A man may know many biblical truths abstractly while failing to lay hold of them personally. David knows the Lord not merely as Israel’s Rock, but as his own Rock. His life has been tested enough for him to know that God alone is the foundation that cannot be moved.

David then prays, “be not silent to me.” This reveals the burden of his soul. David is not asking merely for emotional relief. He needs God to answer. There are seasons when the believer cries out and heaven seems silent. That silence can be one of the heaviest trials of faith. David knows that if God does not speak in deliverance, he is in grave danger. The silence of God feels to him like abandonment, even though he still knows God as his Rock.

David continues, “lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.” The pit often refers to death, the grave, ruin, or the place of helpless descent. David feels that if God does not intervene, he will be counted among those going down to destruction. He is not merely afraid of hardship. He fears disgrace, judgment, collapse, and death apart from the visible help of God. This is the cry of a man who knows that he cannot preserve himself.

This verse teaches that true prayer desires an actual answer from God. Formal religion may be satisfied with saying prayers, hearing prayers, and feeling temporarily calm after prayers. But biblical prayer seeks God Himself and expects God to act according to His will. David is not content with religious routine. He cries out because he needs the Lord to hear, answer, deliver, and sustain him.

David says in verse 2, “Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee.” The word “supplications” carries the idea of earnest pleas for mercy and help. David is not bargaining with God. He is pleading. He knows that the Lord is his only hope. His prayer is not cold, ceremonial, or mechanical. It is the cry of a dependent servant before the only One who can save him.

David adds, “when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.” Lifting up the hands was a physical posture of prayer that expressed dependence, openness, need, and reverence. The hands lifted toward God are like the hands of a beggar asking for mercy, or the hands of a child reaching toward a father. David’s body participates in the cry of his soul. He is not ashamed to come before God as needy.

The phrase “thy holy oracle” refers to the holy place associated with God’s presence, especially the place of divine revelation and covenant mercy. In David’s day, this would have been connected to the tabernacle and the ark, not the later temple built by Solomon. David turns his prayer toward the place where God had chosen to make His presence known among His people. He knows that God is not limited to a building, but he also honors the place where God revealed His covenant presence.

For the believer today, access to God is not through the tabernacle system, but through the Lord Jesus Christ, who fulfilled what the tabernacle and sacrifices pointed toward.

Hebrews 4:14, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, , let us hold fast our profession.”

Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, , yet without sin.”

Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, , that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

David lifted his hands toward the holy oracle. The Christian comes boldly to the throne of grace through Christ. The principle remains the same, the people of God must come to God for mercy, help, and answer in the time of need.

Psalm 28:3 to Psalm 28:5, Asking to Be Spared the Fate of the Wicked

Psalm 28:3, “Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.”

Psalm 28:4, “Give 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.”

Psalm 28:5, “Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.”

David now prays, “Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity.” He asks God not to treat him as one of the wicked. This is similar to the prayer of Psalm 26, where David asked not to be gathered with sinners. David knows there is a distinction between those who belong to the Lord and those who practice iniquity. He does not want to share their destiny, their judgment, their disgrace, or their ruin.

This prayer does not mean David believes he is sinless. David knew his need for mercy. Rather, he is distinguishing between the repentant servant of God and the settled worker of iniquity. There is a difference between a believer who sins and grieves over it, and a wicked man who makes sin his work. David does not want to be numbered among those whose lives are characterized by rebellion, deceit, and disregard for God.

David describes the wicked as those “which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.” Their evil is first exposed in their hypocrisy. They speak peace outwardly while plotting harm inwardly. Their words are smooth, but their hearts are corrupt. They know how to sound friendly while intending damage. This is a dangerous kind of wickedness because it disguises itself with pleasant speech.

The Bible repeatedly warns against this kind of deceit.

Proverbs 26:24, “He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;”

Proverbs 26:25, “When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.”

Proverbs 26:26, “Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.”

This matches David’s concern. The wicked speak peace, but mischief is in their hearts. Their words and hearts are divided. God sees both. Men may be fooled by speech, but the Lord weighs the heart.

David then prays in verse 4, “Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours.” This is a prayer for righteous judgment. David is not asking God to punish innocent people. He is asking God to deal justly with the wicked according to their deeds. In his own sin, David cast himself on God’s mercy. But here he is speaking of hardened workers of iniquity who refuse God, deceive others, and persist in evil.

David repeats the same idea several ways, “according to their deeds,” “according to the wickedness of their endeavours,” “after the work of their hands,” and “render to them their desert.” This repetition shows the seriousness of the request. David is asking God to bring moral order to a disordered world. Wicked men often appear to prosper. Deceivers often seem to get away with their schemes. Violent and corrupt people may appear untouched for a season. David appeals to the righteous Judge to render to them what they deserve.

This kind of prayer may sound severe, but it reflects a healthy conscience that understands justice. A world where evil is never judged would be a morally insane world. Judgment is necessary because God is righteous. If God never judged wickedness, righteousness would have no final vindication. David’s prayer is not petty revenge. It is an appeal for divine justice.

The New Testament confirms that God will judge each man according to his works.

Romans 2:5, “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;”

Romans 2:6, “Who will render to every man according to his deeds:”

Romans 2:7, “To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”

Romans 2:8, “But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, , but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,”

Romans 2:9, “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;”

Romans 2:10, “But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:”

Romans 2:11, “For there is no respect of persons with God.”

David’s prayer fits the biblical doctrine of judgment. God is not unjust. He sees the deeds, motives, schemes, and hands of men. No wicked act is hidden from Him.

In verse 5, David explains the deeper reason for judgment, “Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands.” The wicked are not merely guilty because they harm men. They are guilty because they disregard God. They do not honor His works. They do not consider His creation, providence, rule, redemption, or judgment. They live as practical atheists, even if they might use religious language when convenient.

This is a foundational sin. The works of the Lord are evident, but the wicked refuse to regard them. They do not look at creation and worship the Creator. They do not look at providence and submit to the Governor of all things. They do not look at God’s acts in history and humble themselves. Their problem is not lack of evidence. Their problem is a rebellious heart.

Paul teaches the same principle in Romans 1.

Romans 1:20, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, , being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

Romans 1:21, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, , neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

The wicked do not regard the works of the Lord because they do not want to glorify Him as God. Ingratitude, pride, and rebellion darken the heart. David sees this clearly. Their hypocrisy toward neighbors flows from a deeper rejection of God.

David concludes, “he shall destroy them, and not build them up.” This is the final outcome of those who refuse God. They may build schemes, reputations, alliances, wealth, and influence, but God will not build them up. He will destroy them. The wicked may forget God, but God does not forget them. Their judgment may seem delayed, but it is certain unless they repent.

This should sober every reader. God is merciful, but He is not mocked. He is patient, but He is not indifferent. The man who speaks peace while plotting evil, who works iniquity while ignoring God, and who refuses to regard the operation of the Lord’s hands is walking toward destruction.

B. The Prayer of Praise, Happy in the Answer to Prayer

Psalm 28:6 to Psalm 28:7, Praising the Lord Who Hears Prayer

Psalm 28:6, “Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.”

Psalm 28:7, “The 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.”

The psalm now turns suddenly from petition to praise. David says, “Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.” The same man who feared God’s silence now blesses God because God has heard him. This is a major movement in the psalm. Prayer has become praise. Crying has become thanksgiving. Distress has become confidence.

David’s praise is not vague emotion. It has a reason. He blesses the Lord “because he hath heard.” Biblical praise is not irrational excitement. It rises from the knowledge of who God is and what God has done. David knows that the Lord has heard the voice of his supplications, and therefore he blesses Him. The God who seemed silent is now known as the God who hears.

This is one of the great encouragements of prayer. God is not deaf to His people. His timing may not match ours. His answer may not come in the way we expect. But He hears. David’s testimony strengthens the believer who is still waiting. The God who heard David hears His people still.

David says in verse 7, “The LORD is my strength and my shield.” Again, this is personal. The Lord is not merely strength in general. He is “my strength.” He is not merely a shield in theory. He is “my shield.” Strength speaks of inward power, endurance, courage, and ability to stand. Shield speaks of protection, defense, and preservation from attack. David needs both. He needs strength within and protection without.

This is a complete picture of divine help. Some dangers come from outside, enemies, accusations, threats, sickness, violence, betrayal, or pressure. Some dangers rise inside, fear, discouragement, weakness, confusion, anger, despair, or weariness. The Lord is strength for the inner man and shield against outer danger. David has found God sufficient for both.

David continues, “my heart trusted in him, and I am helped.” This is the testimony of faith. David trusted, and God helped. The trust was from the heart, not merely the lips. A man may speak confidence while his heart clings to unbelief. David’s heart trusted in the Lord. This does not mean he never felt fear or distress. The earlier verses show that he did. But beneath his distress was genuine trust.

The result is simple and powerful, “and I am helped.” David does not give every detail of the answer. He does not explain the method, timing, or circumstances. He simply says, “I am helped.” That is enough. The Lord gave him what he needed. God’s help may come through deliverance, wisdom, endurance, protection, providence, correction, strengthened faith, or a changed circumstance. However it came, David knew the Lord had helped him.

David then says, “therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth.” The same heart that trusted now rejoices. This is the movement of faith. A trusting heart becomes a rejoicing heart when it sees the Lord’s help. David’s joy is not shallow. It is rooted in answered prayer and divine faithfulness. The word “greatly” shows abundance. His heart does not merely feel mild relief. It greatly rejoices.

Finally, David says, “and with my song will I praise him.” Praise that begins in the heart comes out through the mouth. David will sing to the Lord. He will not keep silent about God’s help. The Lord heard the voice of his supplications, and now the Lord will hear the voice of his praise. This is proper. A man who has cried loudly in trouble should not be silent when God delivers him.

This verse also shows that music and song are proper instruments of worship when directed rightly toward the Lord. David’s song is not performance centered. It is praise centered. He sings because the Lord is worthy, because the Lord is his strength and shield, because his heart trusted, because he was helped, and because his heart greatly rejoices.

The New Testament gives the same pattern of prayer, thanksgiving, and praise.

Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

David made supplication, trusted the Lord, received help, and praised Him. The believer today is likewise called to bring requests to God with thanksgiving and to know the guarding peace of God through Christ Jesus.

Psalm 28:8 to Psalm 28:9, Praising the Lord Who Is the Strength of His People

Psalm 28:8, “The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.”

Psalm 28:9, “Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.”

David now moves from personal praise to corporate concern. In verse 7, he said, “The LORD is my strength and my shield.” In verse 8, he says, “The LORD is their strength.” David’s experience with God does not make him self absorbed. It expands his concern for the people of God. The Lord who helped David is also the strength of His people.

This is an important progression. Answered prayer should enlarge the heart. When a man is near to the Lord, he begins to care more deeply for what belongs to the Lord. David has received help, and now he prays for God’s people, God’s inheritance, and God’s flock. His personal deliverance becomes the foundation for intercession.

David says, “The LORD is their strength.” God’s people are not strong in themselves. Israel was never preserved because of superior numbers, weapons, wisdom, or worthiness. The Lord was their strength. The same is true for the church today. God’s people are upheld by God’s power, not by human brilliance, cultural approval, political favor, or worldly strategy. When the people of God forget this, they become weak even if they appear outwardly successful.

David continues, “and he is the saving strength of his anointed.” The word “anointed” points first to David as the Lord’s anointed king. God was the saving strength of David, preserving him as the king chosen and set apart by God. Yet the word also points beyond David to the ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. David was an anointed king, but Christ is the Anointed King in the fullest and final sense.

The Old Testament promise of the Lord’s Anointed finds its fulfillment in Christ.

Psalm 2:2, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,”

Psalm 2:3, “Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”

Psalm 2:6, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”

Psalm 2:7, “I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, , Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.”

In the New Testament, Jesus is revealed as the Christ, meaning the Anointed One. Those who belong to Him are secure because the saving strength of God rests upon His Anointed. The believer’s safety is not grounded in personal merit, but in union with Christ, the true Messiah, the Son of David, the King who reigns forever.

David closes with four short petitions, “Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.” These prayers are simple, but they are rich.

First, David prays, “Save thy people.” God’s people need rescue. They need deliverance from enemies, sin, danger, judgment, foolishness, and despair. David knows that only the Lord can save His people. This prayer is not merely political or military. It is covenantal. David asks God to preserve those who belong to Him.

Second, David prays, “and bless thine inheritance.” God’s people are His inheritance. This language shows ownership, affection, covenant purpose, and divine claim. The people of God are not random individuals loosely connected by religious interest. They belong to the Lord. David asks God to bless what belongs to Him. God’s blessing includes favor, protection, provision, spiritual fruitfulness, correction, peace, and continued covenant care.

Third, David prays, “feed them also.” The word carries the idea of shepherding, which includes feeding, ruling, guiding, caring, and protecting. David had once been a shepherd, and he knew what sheep needed. They needed pasture, direction, correction, defense, and oversight. God’s people are like sheep. They cannot safely shepherd themselves. They need the Lord’s care.

This shepherd theme is central to Scripture.

Psalm 23:1, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Psalm 23:2, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”

Psalm 23:3, “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”

Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, , I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

Psalm 23:5, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

The Lord does not merely rule His people from a distance. He shepherds them. He leads, feeds, restores, protects, corrects, and brings them home.

In the New Testament, Jesus identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd.

John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

John 10:14, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.”

John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”

John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, , neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

John 10:29, “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”

David’s prayer, “feed them also,” finds its fullest answer in Christ, who shepherds His people by His Word, His Spirit, His providence, and His faithful care.

Fourth, David prays, “and lift them up for ever.” God’s people need sustaining grace not only for a day, but forever. The Lord must bear them up. He must carry them through weakness, danger, discipline, sorrow, and time itself. David does not ask for temporary help only. He asks for everlasting sustaining care.

This final phrase is a fitting conclusion to the psalm. David began by fearing that he would become like those who go down into the pit if God remained silent. He ends by asking God to lift up His people forever. The movement is powerful. The silent God has heard. The needy servant has been helped. The fearful heart now rejoices. The personal prayer has become intercession for all God’s people. David knows that the Lord who heard him is able to save, bless, shepherd, and sustain His inheritance forever.

Doctrinal and Practical Summary

Psalm 28 teaches that the believer must cry to the Lord as his Rock. David does not seek stability in himself. He seeks it in the Lord. God alone is the foundation, refuge, and security of His people.

Psalm 28 teaches that the silence of God is one of the heavy trials of faith. David fears that if God remains silent, he will become like those who go down into the pit. Yet he keeps praying. The proper response to apparent silence is not unbelief, but continued supplication.

Psalm 28 teaches that true prayer seeks an actual answer from God. David is not satisfied with religious formality. He asks the Lord to hear the voice of his supplications.

Psalm 28 teaches that the wicked are marked by hypocrisy. They speak peace to their neighbors while mischief is in their hearts. God sees through smooth words and judges the heart beneath them.

Psalm 28 teaches that divine judgment is morally necessary. David prays that the wicked would be given according to their deeds, endeavors, and works. This is not personal spite, but an appeal to righteous judgment.

Psalm 28 teaches that disregard for the works of the Lord is a serious sin. The wicked refuse to consider God’s works and the operation of His hands. This rejection leaves them without excuse and places them under judgment.

Psalm 28 teaches that prayer can turn into praise. David begins by crying for God not to be silent, but later blesses the Lord because He has heard the voice of his supplications.

Psalm 28 teaches that the Lord is both strength and shield. He gives inward strength and outward protection. David’s heart trusted in Him, and he was helped.

Psalm 28 teaches that answered prayer produces rejoicing and praise. David’s trusting heart becomes a rejoicing heart, and his rejoicing heart becomes a singing heart.

Psalm 28 teaches that personal deliverance should lead to concern for all God’s people. David moves from “my strength” to “their strength,” and from personal help to intercession for the Lord’s inheritance.

Psalm 28 teaches that God’s people need salvation, blessing, shepherding, and sustaining grace forever. David’s final prayer asks the Lord to save His people, bless His inheritance, feed them, and lift them up forever.