THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND SHIELD
Key verse: 7a
NIV
Psalm 28
Of David.
1 To you, Lord, I call;
you are my Rock,
do not turn a deaf ear(A) to me.
For if you remain silent,(B)
I will be like those who go down to the pit.(C)
2 Hear my cry for mercy(D)
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands(E)
toward your Most Holy Place.(F)
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.(G)
4 Repay them for their deeds
and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done(H)
and bring back on them what they deserve.(I)
5 Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord
and what his hands have done,(J)
he will tear them down
and never build them up again.
Cross references
- Psalm 28:1 : S Dt 1:45
- Psalm 28:1 : S Est 4:14
- Psalm 28:1 : S Job 33:18
- Psalm 28:2 : Ps 17:1; 61:1; 116:1; 130:2; 142:1; 143:1
- Psalm 28:2 : S Ezr 9:5; Ps 63:4; 141:2; La 2:19; 1Ti 2:8
- Psalm 28:2 : Ps 5:7; 11:4
- Psalm 28:3 : Ps 12:2; S 26:4; 55:21; Jer 9:8
- Psalm 28:4 : Ps 62:12; 2Ti 4:14; Rev 22:12
- Psalm 28:4 : La 3:64; Rev 18:6
- Psalm 28:5 : Isa 5:12
- Psalm 28:6 : S Ge 24:27; 2Co 1:3; Eph 1:3; 1Pe 1:3
- Psalm 28:6 : ver 2
- Psalm 28:7 : S Ps 18:1
- Psalm 28:7 : Ps 13:5; 112:7; Isa 26:3
- Psalm 28:7 : S Dt 16:15; S Ps 16:9
- Psalm 28:7 : Ps 33:3; 40:3; 69:30; 144:9; 149:1
- Psalm 28:8 : Ps 18:1
- Psalm 28:8 : S Ex 15:2; Ps 27:1; Hab 3:13
- Psalm 28:8 : S Ps 20:6
- Psalm 28:9 : 1Ch 16:35; Ps 106:47; 118:25
- Psalm 28:9 : S Ex 34:9
- Psalm 28:9 : 1Ch 11:2; S Ps 23:1; 78:52, 71; 80:1; Isa 40:11; Jer 31:10; Eze 34:12-16, 23, 31; Mic 7:14
- Psalm 28:9 : S Dt 1:31; 32:11; Isa 46:3; 63:9
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Lord Is My Strength and My Shield
Of David.28 To you, O Lord, I call;
(A)my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if you (B)be silent to me,
I become like those who (C)go down to the pit.
2 (D)Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
when I cry to you for help,
when I (E)lift up my hands
(F)toward your most holy sanctuary.[a]
3 Do not (G)drag me off with the wicked,
with the workers of evil,
(H)who speak peace with their neighbors
while evil is in their hearts.
4 (I)Give to them according to their work
and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
(J)render them their due reward.
5 Because they (K)do not regard the works of the Lord
or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.
6 Blessed be the Lord!
For he has (L)heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and (M)my shield;
in him my heart (N)trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my (O)song I give thanks to him.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people;[b]
he is (P)the saving refuge of his anointed.
9 Oh, save your people and bless (Q)your heritage!
(R)Be their shepherd and (S)carry them forever.
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Footnotes
- Psalm 28:2 Hebrew your innermost sanctuary
- Psalm 28:8 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts is their strength
Cross references
- Psalm 28:1 : See Ps. 18:2
- Psalm 28:1 : Ps. 35:22; 39:12; 83:1; 109:1
- Psalm 28:1 : Ps. 88:4; 143:7
- Psalm 28:2 : Ps. 140:6
- Psalm 28:2 : Ps. 134:2; 141:2; Lam. 2:19; 1 Tim. 2:8; [Ps. 119:48]
- Psalm 28:2 : Ps. 5:7; 138:2; [1 Kgs. 8:29]
- Psalm 28:3 : [Ps. 26:9; Ezek. 32:20]
- Psalm 28:3 : Jer. 9:8; [Ps. 5:9; 12:2; 55:21; 62:4]
- Psalm 28:4 : Jer. 50:15, 29; Rev. 18:6; [2 Tim. 4:14]
- Psalm 28:4 : [Ps. 137:8]
- Psalm 28:5 : Isa. 5:12; [Job 34:27]
- Psalm 28:6 : ver. 2
- Psalm 28:7 : See Ps. 3:3
- Psalm 28:7 : See Ps. 11:1
- Psalm 28:7 : Ps. 69:30
- Psalm 28:8 : Ps. 140:7; [Ps. 20:6]
- Psalm 28:9 : Deut. 9:29; 32:9
- Psalm 28:9 : Ps. 78:71, 72
- Psalm 28:9 : Isa. 40:11; 46:3; 63:9
28 To you, O Lord, I call;
(A)my rock, be not deaf to me,
lest, if you (B)be silent to me,
I become like those who (C)go down to the pit.
2 (D)Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy,
when I cry to you for help,
when I (E)lift up my hands
(F)toward your most holy sanctuary.[a]
3 Do not (G)drag me off with the wicked,
with the workers of evil,
(H)who speak peace with their neighbors
while evil is in their hearts.
4 (I)Give to them according to their work
and according to the evil of their deeds;
give to them according to the work of their hands;
(J)render them their due reward.
5 Because they (K)do not regard the works of the Lord
or the work of his hands,
he will tear them down and build them up no more.
6 Blessed be the Lord!
For he has (L)heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and (M)my shield;
in him my heart (N)trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my (O)song I give thanks to him.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people;[b]
he is (P)the saving refuge of his anointed.
9 Oh, save your people and bless (Q)your heritage!
(R)Be their shepherd and (S)carry them forever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 28:2 Hebrew your innermost sanctuary
- Psalm 28:8 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts is their strength
Cross references
- Psalm 28:1 : See Ps. 18:2
- Psalm 28:1 : Ps. 35:22; 39:12; 83:1; 109:1
- Psalm 28:1 : Ps. 88:4; 143:7
- Psalm 28:2 : Ps. 140:6
- Psalm 28:2 : Ps. 134:2; 141:2; Lam. 2:19; 1 Tim. 2:8; [Ps. 119:48]
- Psalm 28:2 : Ps. 5:7; 138:2; [1 Kgs. 8:29]
- Psalm 28:3 : [Ps. 26:9; Ezek. 32:20]
- Psalm 28:3 : Jer. 9:8; [Ps. 5:9; 12:2; 55:21; 62:4]
- Psalm 28:4 : Jer. 50:15, 29; Rev. 18:6; [2 Tim. 4:14]
- Psalm 28:4 : [Ps. 137:8]
- Psalm 28:5 : Isa. 5:12; [Job 34:27]
- Psalm 28:6 : ver. 2
- Psalm 28:7 : See Ps. 3:3
- Psalm 28:7 : See Ps. 11:1
- Psalm 28:7 : Ps. 69:30
- Psalm 28:8 : Ps. 140:7; [Ps. 20:6]
- Psalm 28:9 : Deut. 9:29; 32:9
- Psalm 28:9 : Ps. 78:71, 72
- Psalm 28:9 : Isa. 40:11; 46:3; 63:9
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. A cry for mercy (1-5)
David lifted his hands towards heaven and cried to the LORD for mercy. But why? Why would David or anyone need to do that? It was because David realized his sin and weaknesses. David pleads, 'Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil…' He also realized that God was the only one who could help him. If God remained silent, he would be doomed. God will judge the wicked and repay them for what they have done. This is most certainly true! However, David knows and trusts in the LORD. He knows that God is rich in mercy and will answer his prayers. The LORD is his Rock.
2. He helps me (6-9)
The LORD hears the prayers of those who trust him and cry out to him. David's heart was filled with joy as he praised the LORD for the mercy he received. We can depend on the LORD as David did because he is our strength and our shield as well. If we trust him, he will provide the same help for us. All of our sorrow and shame will be replaced with a never-ending joy and delight in the LORD. With a renewed spirit, David prayed for the whole nation to find strength and salvation in God.
Prayer: Lord, we praise you for your great mercy.
One Word: The Lord helps those who trust him
