Psalm 28

My Strength

Davidic.

Lord, I call to You;
my rock, do not be deaf to me.(A)
If You remain silent to me,
I will be like those going down to the Pit.(B)
Listen to the sound of my pleading
when I cry to You for help,
when I lift up my hands
toward Your holy sanctuary.(C)

Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with the evildoers,
who speak in friendly ways with their neighbors
while malice is in their hearts.(D)
Repay them according to what they have done—
according to the evil of their deeds.
Repay them according to the work of their hands;
give them back what they deserve.(E)
Because they do not consider
what the Lord has done
or the work of His hands,
He will tear them down and not rebuild them.(F)

May the Lord be praised,
for He has heard the sound of my pleading.(G)
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.(H)
Therefore my heart rejoices,
and I praise Him with my song.(I)

The Lord is the strength of His people;[a]
He is a stronghold of salvation for His anointed.(J)
Save Your people, bless Your possession,
shepherd them, and carry them forever.(K)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 28:8 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read strength for them

A Prayer for Help, and Joy in Its Answer

A psalm of David.[a]

28 To you, O Yahweh, I call.
O my rock, do not be deaf to me.
Or else, if you are silent to me,
then I will become like those descending to the pit.
Hear the voice of my supplications
when I cry to you for help,
when I lift up my hands
toward your holy inner sanctuary.
Do not drag me away with the wicked
or with the workers of evil,
who speak of peace with their neighbors,
while evil is in their heart.
Give to them according to their work,
even according to the evil of their deeds.
Give to them according to the work of their hands;
repay them their rightful due.
Because they do not regard the works of Yahweh,
nor the work of his hands,
he will destroy them
and not rebuild them.
Blessed is Yahweh,
because he has heard the voice of my supplications.
Yahweh is my strength and my shield.
My heart trusts him and I am helped.
So my heart rejoices,
and with my song I will give thanks to him.
Yahweh is their strength,
and he is the refuge for the salvation of his anointed one.
Save your people
and bless your heritage.
Shepherd them also and carry them always.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 28:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm