My Strength and My Shield
Psalm 28 summary: what it means
Psalm 28 starts as an urgent prayer. The writer calls God his rock and begs him not to stay silent, because silence would leave him like those who go down into the pit. He asks not to be dragged away with the wicked, people who speak peace to their neighbors while mischief is in their hearts, and asks God to pay them back for what they have done.
At verse 6 the psalm turns. The writer blesses the LORD because he has heard the prayer, and says his heart trusted and he was helped. The final verses widen from one person to the LORD's anointed and then to the whole people, ending with a request for God to be their shepherd and bear them up forever.
Psalm 28: My Strength and My Shield
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-28
Psalm 28 commentary: explained verse by verse
To you, LORD, I call.My rock, don’t be deaf to me,lest, if you are silent to me,I would become like those who go down into the pit.
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.
The prayer opens with a fear of silence. The writer calls God his rock and asks him not to be deaf, because if God says nothing he will be like those who go down into the pit. Being unheard is treated as close to death.
Also read Psalm 77:1, Psalm 88:4-6, Psalm 42:9, Psalm 35:22
Hear the voice of my petitions, when I cry to you,when I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
He asks God to hear the voice of his petitions as he lifts his hands toward the Most Holy Place. Raised hands are a posture of prayer. He prays toward the place where God is worshipped.
Also read Psalm 63:4, Lamentations 2:19, Daniel 6:10, Psalm 5:7
Don’t draw me away with the wicked,with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors,but mischief is in their hearts.
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.
The writer asks not to be drawn away along with the wicked. He describes them precisely: they speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. The problem is the gap between their words and their intentions.
Also read Psalm 10:14, Psalm 10:7, Micah 3:5, Jeremiah 9:8-9
Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings.Give them according to the operation of their hands.Bring back on them what they deserve.
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.
The prayer asks God to repay the wicked according to their work and the wickedness of their doings. The request is made three ways, ending with bring back on them what they deserve. It asks for judgment measured by their own deeds.
Also read Romans 11:22, Romans 2:6-8, Psalm 21:10, Psalm 62:12
Because they don’t respect the works of the LORD,nor the operation of his hands,he will break them down and not build them up.
Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.
The reason given is that they do not respect the works of the LORD or the operation of his hands. Because they ignore what God does, he will break them down and not build them up. The verse moves from request to a statement of what God will do.
Also read Isaiah 40:26, 2 Samuel 7:27, Ephesians 1:19-21, 2 Samuel 7:13
Blessed be the LORD,because he has heard the voice of my petitions.
Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.
This is the turning point of the psalm. The writer blesses the LORD because he has heard the voice of his petitions, the same words he used in verse 2. The prayer he feared would meet silence has been heard.
Also read Psalm 31:21-22, Psalm 118:5, Psalm 107:19-22, Psalm 69:33-34
The LORD is my strength and my shield.My heart has trusted in him, and I am helped.Therefore my heart greatly rejoices.With my song I will thank him.
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 writer calls the LORD his strength and his shield. His heart trusted, he was helped, and so his heart greatly rejoices and he will thank God with a song. The verse runs in order: trust, help, joy, thanks.
Also read Psalm 68:3-4, Psalm 18:1-2, Psalm 46:1, Revelation 15:3
The LORD is their strength.He is a stronghold of salvation to his anointed.
The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
The strength the writer found for himself is now said to belong to the people too. The LORD is their strength and a stronghold of salvation to his anointed. One person's experience widens to the community and to God's anointed.
Also read Psalm 20:6, Psalm 2:2, Psalm 140:7, Isaiah 61:1
Save your people,and bless your inheritance.Be their shepherd also,and bear them up forever.
Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.
The psalm ends with a prayer for the whole people: save them, bless them, be their shepherd and bear them up forever. The picture of a shepherd carrying the flock closes a psalm that began with one voice afraid of silence.
Also read Micah 5:4, Psalm 14:7, Psalm 80:14-19, Ezekiel 34:23-24
A prayer from Psalm 28
LORD, my rock, I call to you. Do not be silent to me. Hear the voice of my prayers as I lift up my hands to you. Do not draw me away with those who speak peace to their neighbors while mischief is in their hearts. I leave what they deserve in your hands. Blessed are you, LORD, because you have heard me. You are my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in you, and I am helped, so I will thank you with my song. Save your people and bless them. Be our shepherd, and carry us forever. Amen.
Psalm 28 Bible study questions
- In verse 1, what does the writer fear will happen to him if the LORD stays silent?
- What changes between the requests of verses 1 to 5 and the words of verse 6, and what reason does the writer give?
- Verse 3 describes people who speak peace while planning harm; how do you respond when words and intentions do not match?
- In verse 7 trust comes before help and help before song; where have you seen that order, or its absence, in your own life?
- How does calling the LORD a shield in Psalm 28:7 compare with the picture of God as a shield in Psalm 3:3?
Questions about Psalm 28
What does Psalm 28 mean?
It is a prayer for God to hear and to judge the wicked, which turns halfway through into thanks. From verse 6 the writer blesses God for hearing him and calls him his strength and shield.
Who wrote Psalm 28?
The heading attributes it to David.
What does Psalm 28:7-8 mean?
Verse 7 says the LORD is the writer's strength and shield, that he trusted and was helped, and that he rejoices and will give thanks in song. Verse 8 extends that strength to God's people and to his anointed.
What does Psalm 28:4 mean?
The writer asks God to repay the wicked according to their deeds and bring back on them what they deserve. It is a request for fair judgment, left in God's hands.
What does Psalm 28:3 say about the wicked?
It describes them as people who speak peace with their neighbors while mischief is in their hearts, and the writer asks not to be drawn away with them.
What does Psalm 28:6 mean?
It is the turning point: the writer blesses the LORD because he has heard the voice of his petitions. The words used for the request in verse 2 now describe a prayer that has been heard.
Psalm 28 KJV: the King James Version
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.1
Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.2
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.3
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.4
Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.5
Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.6
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.7
The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.8
Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.9
Psalm 28 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 לְדָוִ֡ד אֵ֘לֶ֤יךָ יְהוָ֨ה ׀ אֶקְרָ֗א צוּרִי֮ אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי פֶּן־תֶּֽחֱשֶׁ֥ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר׃
2 שְׁמַ֤ע ק֣וֹל תַּ֭חֲנוּנַי בְּשַׁוְּעִ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ בְּנָשְׂאִ֥י יָ֝דַ֗י אֶל־דְּבִ֥יר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃
3 אַל־תִּמְשְׁכֵ֣נִי עִם־רְשָׁעִים֮ וְעִם־פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן דֹּבְרֵ֣י שָׁ֭לוֹם עִם־רֵֽעֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝רָעָ֗ה בִּלְבָבָֽם׃
4 תֶּן־לָהֶ֣ם כְּפָעֳלָם֮ וּכְרֹ֪עַ מַֽעַלְלֵ֫יהֶ֥ם כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יְ֭דֵיהֶם תֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֑ם הָשֵׁ֖ב גְּמוּלָ֣ם לָהֶֽם׃
5 כִּ֤י לֹ֤א יָבִ֡ינוּ אֶל־פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה וְאֶל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו יֶ֝הֶרְסֵ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִבְנֵֽם׃
6 בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה כִּי־שָׁ֝מַע ק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃
7 יְהוָ֤ה ׀ עֻזִּ֥י וּמָגִנִּי֮ בּ֤וֹ בָטַ֥ח לִבִּ֗י וְֽנֶ֫עֱזָ֥רְתִּי וַיַּעֲלֹ֥ז לִבִּ֑י וּֽמִשִּׁירִ֥י אֲהוֹדֶֽנּוּ׃
8 יְהוָ֥ה עֹֽז־לָ֑מוֹ וּמָ֘ע֤וֹז יְשׁוּע֖וֹת מְשִׁיח֣וֹ הֽוּא׃
9 הוֹשִׁ֤יעָה ׀ אֶת־עַמֶּ֗ךָ וּבָרֵ֥ךְ אֶת־נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ וּֽרְעֵ֥ם וְ֝נַשְּׂאֵ֗ם עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם׃
Psalm 28 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 27 there.
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1 A psalm for David himself. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord: O my God, be not thou silent to me: lest thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
2 Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication, when I pray to thee; when I lift up my hands to thy holy temple.
3 Draw me not away together with the wicked; and with the workers of iniquity destroy me not: Who speak peace with their neighbour, but evils are in their hearts.
4 Give them according to their works, and according to the wickedness of their inventions. According to the works of their hands give thou to them: render to them their reward.
5 Because they have not understood the works of the Lord, and the operations of his hands: thou shalt destroy them, and shalt not build them up.
6 Blessed be the Lord, for he hath heard the voice of my supplication.
7 The Lord is my helper and my protector: in him hath my heart confided, and I have been helped. And my flesh hath flourished again, and with my will I will give praise to him.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people, and the protector of the salvation of his anointed.
9 Save, O Lord, thy people, and bless thy inheritance: and rule them and exalt them for ever.
Psalm 28 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 27.
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1 Psalmus ipsi David. Ad te, Domine, clamabo; Deus meus, ne sileas a me: nequando taceas a me, et assimilabor descendentibus in lacum.
2 Exaudi, Domine, vocem deprecationis meæ dum oro ad te; dum extollo manus meas ad templum sanctum tuum.
3 Ne simul trahas me cum peccatoribus, et cum operantibus iniquitatem ne perdas me; qui loquuntur pacem cum proximo suo, mala autem in cordibus eorum.
4 Da illis secundum opera eorum, et secundum nequitiam adinventionum ipsorum. Secundum opera manuum eorum tribue illis; redde retributionem eorum ipsis.
5 Quoniam non intellexerunt opera Domini, et in opera manuum ejus destrues illos, et non ædificabis eos.
6 Benedictus Dominus, quoniam exaudivit vocem deprecationis meæ.
7 Dominus adjutor meus et protector meus; in ipso speravit cor meum, et adjutus sum: et refloruit caro mea, et ex voluntate mea confitebor ei.
8 Dominus fortitudo plebis suæ, et protector salvationum christi sui est.
9 Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic hæreditati tuæ; et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in æternum.
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Psalm 28 at a glance
| Verses | 9 |
| Heading in the text | By David. |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to David. |
| Type | Prayer and Thanksgiving |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 27 |
Read Psalm 28 when you are facing
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Psalm 28 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 28 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 28 belongs
Psalms of DavidBook 1 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source