Psalm 28

Revised Geneva Translation

28 To You, O LORD, do I cry. O my strength, do not be deaf toward me; lest if You do not answer me, I be like those who go down into the pit.

²Hear the voice of my petitions when I cry to You, when I hold up my hands toward Your Holy Oracle.

³Do not draw me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak friendly to their neighbors when malice is in their hearts.

⁴Reward them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their inventions. Recompense them for the work of their hands. Render them their reward.

⁵For they do not reward the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands. Break them down and do not build them up.

⁶Praised be the LORD, for He has heard the voice of my petitions.

⁷The LORD is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted in Him, and I was helped. Therefore, my heart shall rejoice; and with my song I will praise Him.

⁸The LORD is their strength; and He is the strength of the deliverances of His anointed.

⁹Save Your people and bless Your inheritance. Feed them, also, and exalt them forever. A Psalm of David.

Psalm 28

New Catholic Bible

Psalm 28^[a]

Thanksgiving for Supplications Heard

¹Of David.

To you I call out, O Lord, my Rock;^[b]
    do not turn a deaf ear to my cry.
For if you remain silent,
    I will be like those who go down to the pit.
²Hear my voice in supplication
    as I plead for your help,
as I lift up my hands^[c]
    toward your Most Holy Place.
³Do not snatch me away with the wicked,
    with those whose deeds are evil,
who talk of peace to their neighbors
    while treachery is in their hearts.^[d]
⁴^[e]Repay them as their deeds deserve
    in accordance with the evil they inflict;
repay them for the works of their hands
    and heap upon them what they justly deserve.
⁵Since they have paid no heed to the deeds of the Lord
    or to the works of his hands,
he will strike them down
    and refuse to restore them.
⁶Blessed^[f] be the Lord,
    for he has heard my cry of supplication.
⁷The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    my heart^[g] places its trust in him.
He has helped me, and I exult;
    then with my song I praise him.
⁸The Lord is the strength of his people,
    the refuge where his anointed one^[h] finds salvation.
⁹Save your people and bless your heritage;
    be their shepherd^[i] and sustain them forever.

Footnotes

Psalm 28:1 The psalmist calls upon God and curses his persecutors; such vehemence indicates that he is close to the end of his strength. Deaf for a time, the Lord finally hears his servant; after anguish here is the thanksgiving. The concluding formula transforms the psalm into a prayer for Israel, the “anointed one,” that is, the people consecrated (v. 8) to the service of God. Believers will one day refuse the sentiments of vengeance that spring up here from the experience of the oppressed psalmist; for God could not indistinctly combine honesty with wrongdoing.
In praying this psalm, we should keep in mind that in this life Christ does not normally answer our desire for escape or special privilege. He sends us out and immerses us in the world and its tribulations (see Jn 15:18—16:4; 17:18) after his election has drawn us out of it (see Jn 15:19). Yet we already foresee victory, for the same divine power that raised Christ from the dead will raise us also and lead our humanity into a state of glory (see Eph 1:17-20).
Psalm 28:1 Rock: the Lord is the Rock, who gives strength and sustenance to his people and provides refuge for them (see Ps 18:3 and note). Pit: metaphor for the grave.
Psalm 28:2 Lift up my hands: the usual posture for prayer (see Pss 63:5; 134:2; 141:2). Most Holy Place: the innermost part of the temple, the Holy of Holies, which contained the Ark of the Covenant and was looked upon as the place of God’s presence on earth (see 1 Ki 6:16, 19-23; 8:6-8).
Psalm 28:3 The psalmist prays that the Lord will deliver him from his adversities (see Ps 26:9-12) so that he will not be numbered with the wicked nor judged with them. Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8.
Psalm 28:4 The wicked have not learned to respond to the Lord and his wondrous deeds in redemptive history (the works of his hands). Therefore, they will be judged according to the works of their hands. Justice requires that evil be removed so that its power will be completely voided. See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
Psalm 28:6 The psalmist gives praise to the Lord for having heard his prayer; this will result in righteous judgment and vindication. Blessed: see note on Ps 18:47.
Psalm 28:7 No longer does the psalmist feel threatened to the point of despairing. He is overjoyed and jubilant because he knows that the Lord will come to his aid as his strength (see Ex 15:2) and his shield (see Ps 3:4). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8. With my song I praise him: see note on Ps 7:18.
Psalm 28:8 Anointed one: here the reference seems to be to the entire people of God, which is consecrated to his service (see Ps 105:15; Ex 19:6; Hab 3:13). See also note on Ps 2:2.
Psalm 28:9 Be their shepherd: a theme found also in Ps 80:2; Isa 40:11; Jer 31:10; Ezek 34; Mic 5:4. The Lord answered this prayer by sending the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ (Jn 10:11, 14), who died for his sheep.

Psalm 28

New International Version

Psalm 28

Of David.

¹To 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)
²Hear 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)

³Do 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)
⁴Repay 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)

⁵Because 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.

⁶Praise be to the Lord,^(K)
    for he has heard my cry for mercy.^(L)
⁷The Lord is my strength^(M) and my shield;
    my heart trusts^(N) in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,^(O)
    and with my song I praise him.^(P)

⁸The Lord is the strength^(Q) of his people,
a fortress of salvation^(R) for his anointed one.^(S)
⁹Save your people^(T) and bless your inheritance;^(U)
be their shepherd^(V) and carry them^(W) forever.

Psalm 28

New American Standard Bible

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

28 To You, Lord, I call;
My ^(A)rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You ^(B)are silent to me,
I will become like those who ^(C)go down to the pit.
²Hear the ^(D)sound of my pleadings when I cry to You for help,
When I ^(E)raise my hands ^(F)toward ^[a]Your holy ^(G)sanctuary.
³^(H)Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who practice injustice,
Who ^(I)speak peace with their neighbors,
While evil is in their hearts.
⁴Give back to them ^(J)according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Give back to them according to the work of their hands;
Repay them what is due them.
⁵Because they ^(K)do not regard the works of the Lord
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not build them up.

⁶Blessed be the Lord,
Because He ^(L)has heard the sound of my pleading.
⁷The Lord is my ^(M)strength and my ^(N)shield;
My heart ^(O)trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore ^(P)my heart triumphs,
And with ^(Q)my song I shall thank Him.
⁸The Lord is ^[b]their ^(R)strength,
And He is a refuge of ^(S)salvation to His anointed.
⁹^(T)Save Your people and bless ^(U)Your inheritance;
Be their ^(V)shepherd also, and ^(W)carry them forever.

Footnotes

Psalm 28:2 Lit the innermost place of Your sanctuary
Psalm 28:8 A few mss and ancient versions the strength of His people

Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

New Catholic Bible (NCB)

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 28

Revised Geneva Translation