Christianity

Psalms 28Hear My Cry, My Rock

Summary

Psalm 28 opens with a plea that God, the psalmist's rock, not remain silent, lest he become like those who go down to the pit. He asks not to be dragged away with hypocrites who speak peace while planning harm, and asks God to repay them by their deeds. Suddenly he blesses the LORD for hearing him and calls God his strength and shield. It ends with a prayer for God's people as their shepherd. Traditionally ascribed to David.

Key verse

“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.”

Psalms 28:7

Themes

Answered Prayer
God's Silence
Hypocrisy
Shepherd of the People

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.

Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

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.

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.

Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

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 LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Judaism
Tehillim 28 in the JPS 1917 Tanakh
Its final verse, Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance, is among the verses recited in the Jewish morning service and is a common prayer for the community.
Christianity
Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd
Psalm 28:9 asks God to feed and carry his people as a shepherd, applying to the whole people the shepherd image Psalm 23 uses for one person.

Questions about Psalms 28

What does Psalm 28 say about hypocrites?

Verse 3 describes those who speak peace to their neighbors while mischief is in their hearts, and asks God not to sweep the psalmist away with them.

Why does the mood of Psalm 28 change halfway?

Many laments shift from pleading to praise. Some scholars think a priest pronounced an assurance between the two halves; others see an inner change in the person praying.