Psalm 28
This is a song that David wrote.
God answers prayer
1 Lord, I am calling to you for help.
You are my safe place, like a high rock.
28:1‘Rock’ is a name for God. You will find it in other psalms too. It means that God is a place where people can be safe.
Please do not refuse to listen to me.
If you do not answer me,
I will be like those who are going down
into the deep hole of death.
2 Hear me when I call out to you for help.
Please be kind to me.
I am lifting up my hands
towards your most holy place.
28:2When they prayed, Jews often lifted their hands up to God. Christians may do the same. Paul wrote, ‘I want people to lift up their hands and pray.’ See 1 Timothy 2:8. The most holy place was the inside part of God's house, where the Covenant Box was. 3 Do not pull me away to punishment,
as you do with wicked people.
Those people do evil things.
They say kind words to their friends,
but really they want to hurt them.
4 Punish them for their sins.
Give back to them what they deserve!
Yes, punish them!
That is the fair thing to do.
5 They do not want to understand
the things that the Lord has done,
or the things that he has made.
The Lord will punish them,
and he will remove them for ever.
6 We should praise the Lord!
He has been kind to me,
when I called to him for help.
7 The Lord makes me strong.
He keeps me safe like a shield.
I trust in him completely,
and he has helped me.
I am very happy,
and I will thank him with my songs.
8 The Lord makes his people strong.
He is a safe and strong place
for the king that he has chosen.
28:8The Hebrew word for the king that God has chosen is ‘Messiah’. Jesus is the special King that God has chosen, God's Messiah. He was a descendant of King David.
9 Lord, save your people!
Bless the people who belong to you!
Take care of your people like a shepherd.
Always carry them in your arms!
