Psalm 28 Text

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Listen & Read: Psalm 28

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Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC)
לְדָוִ֡ד 1a By David.
אֵ֘לֶ֤יךָ יְהוָ֨ה ׀ אֶקְרָ֗א 1b To you, YHWH, I cry out;
צוּרִי֮ אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי 1c my rock, do not be deaf to me,
פֶּן־תֶּֽחֱשֶׁ֥ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי 1d lest you be silent to me,
וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר׃ 1e and I become like those who go down to the Pit.
שְׁמַ֤ע ק֣וֹל תַּ֭חֲנוּנַי 2a Hear the sound of my supplications
בְּשַׁוְּעִ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ 2b when I cry to you for help,
בְּנָשְׂאִ֥י יָ֝דַ֗י 2c when I lift up my hands
אֶל־דְּבִ֥יר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ 2d toward your holy inner sanctuary.
אַל־תִּמְשְׁכֵ֣נִי עִם־רְשָׁעִים֮ 3a Do not drag me away with wicked people,
וְעִם־פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן 3b with evildoers,
דֹּבְרֵ֣י שָׁ֭לוֹם עִם־רֵֽעֵיהֶ֑ם 3c those who speak peace with their neighbors
וְ֝רָעָ֗ה בִּלְבָבָֽם׃ 3d but [speak] evil in their hearts.
תֶּן־לָהֶ֣ם כְּפָעֳלָם֮ 4a Give to them that which is according to their deeds
וּכְרֹ֪עַ מַֽעַלְלֵ֫יהֶ֥ם 4b and according to the evil of their practices!
כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יְ֭דֵיהֶם תֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֑ם 4c Give to them that which is according to the work of their hands!
הָשֵׁ֖ב גְּמוּלָ֣ם לָהֶֽם׃ 4d Repay them their dealings!
כִּ֤י לֹ֤א יָבִ֡ינוּ אֶל־פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה 5a Since they do not regard the deeds of YHWH
וְאֶל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו 5b and the work of his hands,
יֶ֝הֶרְסֵ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִבְנֵֽם׃ 5c he will tear them down, and he will not build them up.
בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה 6a Blessed be YHWH!
כִּי־שָׁ֝מַע ק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃ 6b For he has heard the sound of my supplications.
יְהוָ֤ה עֻזִּ֥י וּמָגִנִּי֮ 7a YHWH is my strength and my shield.
בּ֤וֹ בָטַ֥ח לִבִּ֗י וְֽנֶ֫עֱזָ֥רְתִּי 7b In him my heart trusted, and I was helped,
וַיַּעֲלֹ֥ז לִבִּ֑י 7c and my heart exulted,
וּֽמִשִּׁירִ֥י אֲהוֹדֶֽנּוּ׃ 7d and with my song I will praise him.
*יְהוָ֥ה עֹֽז־*לְעַמּוֹ 8a YHWH is the strength of his people,
וּמָ֘ע֤וֹז יְשׁוּע֖וֹת מְשִׁיח֣וֹ הֽוּא׃ 8b and he is the saving refuge for his anointed.
הוֹשִׁ֤יעָה ׀ אֶת־עַמֶּ֗ךָ 9a Save your people
וּבָרֵ֥ךְ אֶת־נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ 9b and bless your possession,
וּֽרְעֵ֥ם וְ֝נַשְּׂאֵ֗ם עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם׃ 9c and shepherd them and carry them forever!

Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.

SpeakerStructure Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC) Addressee
Superscription
 לְדָוִ֡ד 1a By David.
David
On the edge of the Pit
 אֵ֘לֶ֤יךָ יְהוָ֨ה ׀ אֶקְרָ֗א 1b To you, YHWH, I cry out;
distress, fear
YHWH
צוּרִי֮ אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי 1c my rock, do not be deaf to me,
פֶּן־תֶּֽחֱשֶׁ֥ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי 1d lest you be silent to me,
וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר׃ 1e and I become like those who go down to the Pit.
שְׁמַ֤ע ק֣וֹל תַּ֭חֲנוּנַי 2a Hear the sound of my supplications
בְּשַׁוְּעִ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ 2b when I cry to you for help,
בְּנָשְׂאִ֥י יָ֝דַ֗י 2c when I lift up my hands
אֶל־דְּבִ֥יר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ 2d toward your holy inner sanctuary.
אַל־תִּמְשְׁכֵ֣נִי עִם־רְשָׁעִים֮ 3a Do not drag me away with wicked people,
abhorrence
וְעִם־פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן 3b with evildoers,
דֹּבְרֵ֣י שָׁ֭לוֹם עִם־רֵֽעֵיהֶ֑ם 3c those who speak peace with their neighbors
וְ֝רָעָ֗ה בִּלְבָבָֽם׃ 3d but [speak] evil in their hearts.
תֶּן־לָהֶ֣ם כְּפָעֳלָם֮ 4a Give to them that which is according to their deeds
וּכְרֹ֪עַ מַֽעַלְלֵ֫יהֶ֥ם 4b and according to the evil of their practices!
כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יְ֭דֵיהֶם תֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֑ם 4c Give to them that which is according to the work of their hands!
הָשֵׁ֖ב גְּמוּלָ֣ם לָהֶֽם׃ 4d Repay them their dealings!
כִּ֤י לֹ֤א יָבִ֡ינוּ אֶל־פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה 5a Since they do not regard the deeds of YHWH
The people
וְאֶל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו 5b and the work of his hands,
יֶ֝הֶרְסֵ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִבְנֵֽם׃ 5c he will tear them down, and he will not build them up.
In a strong refuge
 בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה 6a Blessed be YHWH!
joy
כִּי־שָׁ֝מַע ק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃ 6b For he has heard the sound of my supplications.
יְהוָ֤ה עֻזִּ֥י וּמָגִנִּי֮ 7a YHWH is my strength and my shield.
בּ֤וֹ בָטַ֥ח לִבִּ֗י וְֽנֶ֫עֱזָ֥רְתִּי 7b In him my heart trusted, and I was helped,
וַיַּעֲלֹ֥ז לִבִּ֑י 7c and my heart exulted,
וּֽמִשִּׁירִ֥י אֲהוֹדֶֽנּוּ׃ 7d and with my song I will praise him.
*יְהוָ֥ה עֹֽז־*לְעַמּוֹ 8a YHWH is the strength of his people,
confidence
וּמָ֘ע֤וֹז יְשׁוּע֖וֹת מְשִׁיח֣וֹ הֽוּא׃ 8b and he is the saving refuge for his anointed.
הוֹשִׁ֤יעָה ׀ אֶת־עַמֶּ֗ךָ 9a Save your people
YHWH
וּבָרֵ֥ךְ אֶת־נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ 9b and bless your possession,
וּֽרְעֵ֥ם וְ֝נַשְּׂאֵ֗ם עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם׃ 9c and shepherd them and carry them forever!

Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Expanded Paraphrase
לְדָוִ֡ד אֵ֘לֶ֤יךָ יְהוָ֨ה ׀ אֶקְרָ֗א צוּרִי֮ אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר׃ 1 A psalm written By David. In a time of great affliction at the hands of my enemies, to the point of being near death, I prayed the following prayer: To you and no one else, YHWH, I cry out; my rock who protects me from danger, when I ask you for protection do not be deaf to me, but instead, hear my prayer, lest you be silent to me, and since you are the only one who can save me from death, I become like those who die prematurely and go down to the Pit, the place of the dead.
שְׁמַ֤ע ק֣וֹל תַּ֭חֲנוּנַי בְּשַׁוְּעִ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ בְּנָשְׂאִ֥י יָ֝דַ֗י אֶל־דְּבִ֥יר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ 2 Hear the sound of my supplications when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands in prayer toward your holy inner sanctuary, the place where your presence dwells, thereby demonstrating that I am relying exclusively on you, not on any other gods.
אַל־תִּמְשְׁכֵ֣נִי עִם־רְשָׁעִים֮ וְעִם־פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן דֹּבְרֵ֣י שָׁ֭לוֹם עִם־רֵֽעֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝רָעָ֗ה בִּלְבָבָֽם׃ 3 I am crying out for just treatment. I know you judge rightly both the righteous and the wicked. The deceitful wicked, who are my enemies, deserve to be dragged away. But, Do not drag me away and condemn me to death along with wicked people, with evildoers, those who speak peace with their neighbors but [speak] evil in their hearts, who pretend to care for the well-being of their neighbors but secretly wish harm upon them. But I care for the well-being of my neighbors, for your people. I am not like the wicked. So I ask that you do not take away my life with the wicked when you judge them.
תֶּן־לָהֶ֣ם כְּפָעֳלָם֮ וּכְרֹ֪עַ מַֽעַלְלֵ֫יהֶ֥ם הָשֵׁ֖ב גְּמוּלָ֣ם לָהֶֽם׃ 4 When you hold judgment, Give to them, that is, the wicked, that which is according to their deeds and according to the evil of their practices! Give to them that which is according to the work of their hands! Repay them their dealings and demonstrate your justness in also repaying me for my dealings! Bring back on them what they deserve, for your judgment is fair!
כִּ֤י לֹ֤א יָבִ֡ינוּ אֶל־פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה וְאֶל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו יֶ֝הֶרְסֵ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִבְנֵֽם׃ 5 The wicked pursue evil and treat YHWH with contempt. Since they treat YHWH with contempt and do not regard the deeds of YHWH and the work of his hands, he will tear them down (i.e., he will destroy them), and he will not build them up. In other words, their destruction will be permanent. By contrast, YHWH promised me that he would build me a house (=a dynasty) that would last forever. YHWH will judge me favorably and save me from the fate of the wicked.
בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה כִּי־שָׁ֝מַע ק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃ 6 YHWH has answered my prayer! So now, I say, Blessed be YHWH! For he has heard the sound of my supplications. He has been faithful to his covenant.
יְהוָ֤ה עֻזִּ֥י וּמָגִנִּי֮ בּ֤וֹ בָטַ֥ח לִבִּ֗י וְֽנֶ֫עֱזָ֥רְתִּי וַיַּעֲלֹ֥ז לִבִּ֑י וּֽמִשִּׁירִ֥י אֲהוֹדֶֽנּוּ׃ 7 YHWH is my strength and my shield to protect me. In him alone my heart trusted, and because he is faithful to his covenant I was helped. YHWH does not forsake those who trust him. Therefore, because I trusted in him, he delivered me from my affliction, and my heart exulted, and now, as an expression of my joy, with my song I will praise him.
וּמָ֘ע֤וֹז יְשׁוּע֖וֹת מְשִׁיח֣וֹ הֽוּא׃ 8 YHWH is not only my strength, but YHWH is also the strength of his people, and he is the saving refuge for me, his anointed king.
הוֹשִׁ֤יעָה ׀ אֶת־עַמֶּ֗ךָ וּבָרֵ֥ךְ אֶת־נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ וּֽרְעֵ֥ם וְ֝נַשְּׂאֵ֗ם עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם׃ 9 As the king, I am responsible for interceding on the people's behalf. So now, having experienced YHWH's salvation for myself, I pray to YHWH, Save your people who are are also afflicted by enemies. You are the strength and protection of your people. When I was in deep distress, afflicted by enemies to the point of being near death, I cried out to you, and you heard me and answered me, and you delivered me from my enemies. Since you were neither deaf nor silent to me, I did not become like those who go down to the Pit. And, unlike the wicked, I survived. I did not share their fate of permanent destruction. You granted me life so that I would have a long life, and my dynasty would extend forever and ever just as you promised me it would. Blessed are you, YHWH, for you helped me in my distress, and I now ask that you would bless your possession, Israel, whom you chose to be your own people, the sheep of your pasture, and shepherd them. Lead, feed, shelter, and protect them, and pick them up out of their afflictions and carry them to safety forever!

Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.

  Participant Color-Coding

There are 4 participants/characters in Psalm 28:

David
"YHWH's anointed"

YHWH
"My rock"
"My strength"
"My shield"
"Saving refuge"

The people
"YHWH's possession"

Enemies
"Wicked people"
"Evildoers"
"those who speak peace with their neighbors but [speak] evil in their hearts"

  • David (the psalmist): Psalm 28 is traditionally attributed to David, and he is named as the author in the superscription. Others have argued that Psalm 28 was written by Jeremiah[1] or Josiah,[2] but these proposals have not gained traction. A number of historical events may have prompted David's lament, e.g., David's flight from Absalom,[3] a time of war,[4] duplicitous behavior from enemies,[5] and even illness or despair.[6] The setting of the psalm remains vague which contributes to the psalm's wide-ranging application. What can be known for certain is that the psalmist cried out to God for help, and God heard the sound of his cries.
  • "YHWH's anointed": Scholars have debated whether מְשִׁיחוֹ (his [YHWH’s] anointed) refers to a king or to YHWH’s chosen people. We prefer the view of most scholars that the מָשִׁיחַ refers to a king. David, the speaker, is probably referring to himself at this point. See The Identity of the "Anointed" in Ps 28:8b for a detailed discussion.
  • YHWH is referred to as the psalmist's rock, strength, shield, saving refuge, and the strength of his people. Throughout, YHWH is depicted as the one in whom the psalmist can take refuge and find protection (cf. Pss 61:2-4; 62: 6-8; 91:2; 144:1-2; etc.).
  • The people referred to in the psalm are most likely Israel because they are described as "YHWH's possession" (Deut 4:20, 9: 26, 29; Exod 34:9; cf. also Barnes 1869, 246).
  • Although they are not named, the enemies in this psalm are referred to as "wicked people" and "evildoers". They are also described as "those who speak peace with their neighbors but [speak] evil in their hearts." That is, they pretend to care for the well-being of their neighbors, but they secretly wish harm upon them. Thus, the enemies are duplicitous, masking their true intentions with friendly speech. Their fate is to be destroyed by YHWH. All of the above descriptors most likely refer to the same group of people.[7]
  • Neighbor (v. 3) is not a participant in this psalm, but it is used to refer to those who have "some level of association" with the psalmist's enemies.[8] The association may be geographical, circumstantial, social, or even personal.[9]
  • In this psalm, the phrase "Those who go down to the Pit" (v. 1) does not represent a participant for it does not function as an agentive subject of a verb. Instead, the phrase represents an outcome which the psalmist wishes to avoid. He recognizes that without God's help he will be unable to escape death. In fact, David employs the same phrase in Ps 30:3 to acknowledge that God has saved him from death: "O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit" (Ps 30:3, ESV. See participant analysis of Ps 88 in which the phrase "those who go down to the Pit" is part of the participant set list).


Hebrew Verse English
לְדָוִ֡ד 1a By David.
אֵ֘לֶ֤יךָ יְהוָ֨ה׀אֶקְרָ֗א 1b To you, YHWH, I cry out;
צוּרִי֮ אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַ֪שׁ מִ֫מֶּ֥נִּי 1c my rock, do not be deaf to me,
פֶּן־תֶּֽחֱשֶׁ֥ה מִמֶּ֑נִּי 1d lest you be silent to me,
וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי עִם־י֥וֹרְדֵי בֽוֹר׃ 1e and I become like those who go down to the Pit.
שְׁמַ֤ע ק֣וֹל תַּ֭חֲנוּנַי 2a Hear the sound of my supplications
בְּשַׁוְּעִ֣י אֵלֶ֑יךָ 2b when I cry to you for help,
בְּנָשְׂאִ֥י יָ֝דַ֗י 2c when I lift up my hands
אֶל־דְּבִ֥יר קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃ 2d toward your holy inner sanctuary.
אַל־תִּמְשְׁכֵ֣נִי עִם־רְשָׁעִים֮ 3a Do not drag me away with wicked people,
וְעִם־פֹּ֪עֲלֵ֫י אָ֥וֶן 3b with evildoers,
דֹּבְרֵ֣י שָׁ֭לוֹם עִם־רֵֽעֵיהֶ֑ם 3c those who speak peace with their neighbors
וְ֝רָעָ֗ה בִּלְבָבָֽם׃ 3d but [speak] evil in their hearts.
תֶּן־לָהֶ֣ם כְּפָעֳלָם֮ 4a Give to them that which is according to their deeds
וּכְרֹ֪עַ מַֽעַלְלֵ֫יהֶ֥ם 4b and according to the evil of their practices!
כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יְ֭דֵיהֶם תֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֑ם 4c Give to them that which is according to the work of their hands!
הָשֵׁ֖ב גְּמוּלָ֣ם לָהֶֽם׃ 4d Repay them their dealings!
כִּ֤י לֹ֤א יָבִ֡ינוּ אֶל־פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה 5a Since they do not regard the deeds of YHWH
וְאֶל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו 5b and the work of his hands,
יֶ֝הֶרְסֵ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִבְנֵֽם׃ 5c he will tear them down, and he will not build them up.
בָּר֥וּךְ יְהוָ֑ה 6a Blessed be YHWH!
כִּי־שָׁ֝מַע ק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃ 6b For he has heard the sound of my supplications.
יְהוָ֤ה׀עֻזִּ֥י וּמָגִנִּי֮ 7a YHWH is my strength and my shield.
בּ֤וֹ בָטַ֥ח לִבִּ֗י וְֽנֶ֫עֱזָ֥רְתִּי 7b In him my heart trusted, and I was helped,
וַיַּעֲלֹ֥ז לִבִּ֑י 7c and my heart exulted,
וּֽמִשִּׁירִ֥י אֲהוֹדֶֽנּוּ׃ 7d and with my song I will praise him.
יְהוָ֥ה עֹֽז־לְעַמּוֹ 8a YHWH is the strength of his people,
וּמָ֘ע֤וֹז יְשׁוּע֖וֹת מְשִׁיח֣וֹ הֽוּא׃ 8b and he is the saving refuge for his anointed.
הוֹשִׁ֤יעָה׀אֶת־עַמֶּ֗ךָ 9a Save your people
וּבָרֵ֥ךְ אֶת־נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ 9b and bless your possession,
וּֽרְעֵ֥ם וְ֝נַשְּׂאֵ֗ם עַד־הָעוֹלָֽם׃ 9c and shepherd them and carry them forever!


  1. ↑ Hitzig 1836, 72
  2. ↑ Ewald 300, 1880.
  3. ↑ Delitzsch 1883, 441; Perowne 1871, 259; Lange 1872, 204; Keil and Delitzsch 1900, 362.
  4. ↑ Briggs and Briggs 1906, 245.
  5. ↑ Craigie 2004, 237.
  6. ↑ Kidner 1973, 122.
  7. ↑ Cf. Berry 1915, 211; Mays 1994, 134; Broyles 1999, 148; VanGemeren 2008, 289; etc.
  8. ↑ SDBH.
  9. ↑ SDBH.