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Psalm 28

From: Short Meditations on the Psalms: Chiefly in Their Prophectic Character

By: John Gifford Bellett

Psalm 28 • 1 min. read • grade level: 9

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The cry of a soul that was beginning to taste the bitterness of desertion—of God’s being “silent” to him. There was something of the touch of the fear of death felt here, and the cry came forth (Psa. 28:1-5¹<<A Psalm of David.>> 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. ²Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. ³Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. ⁴Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. ⁵Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. (Psalm 28:1‑5)).

The answer of God to all this is then anticipated with praise, and suited intercession, embracing all God’s people, as well as the suppliant himself (Psa. 28:6-9⁶Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. ⁷The 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. ⁸The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. ⁹Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever. (Psalm 28:6‑9)).

I observe that the wicked are looked at here very much as the Lord looks at the unbelieving cities, that is, as not moved by the works of the Lord. (Matt. 11:20²⁰Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: (Matthew 11:20). See Psa. 28:5⁵Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. (Psalm 28:5).)

It is interesting to notice here that the Remnant, the godly election in Israel, are so differently treated by the Lord from the unbelieving nation. Jesus was “silent” to them (Mark 14:60-61⁶⁰And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? ⁶¹But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? (Mark 14:60‑61)). That was judgment. Here the Lord answers the godly.

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Short Meditations on the Psalms: Chiefly in Their Prophectic Character

• Psalms, Introduction

• Psalm 28