Psalm 28 lament psalm written by David giving us an example of how to pray for people under the threat of a national Judgement. In this psalm we see the heart in a few different aspects: the evil heart (Psalm 28:3), the trusting heart (Psalm 28:7), and the rejoicing heart (Psalm 28:7).
1. To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit.
2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.
4 Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve.
5 Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.
6 Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people,a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
9 Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.
SECTION
1 Personal Crisis
II Personal Confidence
III Reassurance in light of confidence
IV Request in face of Crisis
QUESTIONS:
What do the wicked do?
What does David ask God to do to the wicked?
How does David describe the Lord?
bible-studys.org
The voice of God can be a frightening thing to hear, but is much better than thinking that He will not speak to me at all. The best place to hear his voice, is somewhere alone with Him. He speaks to us in many ways, sometimes through the bible and other times in visions and dreams. Then there are those special times when you hear the voice of God in your ear. There is a knowing beyond a shadow of doubt, when it is God speaking.
Sometimes when we see terrible crimes against society and against God, we feel a righteous anger. We are jealous for God. It truly hurts my heart, when I hear someone cursing and using the name of the Lord. In this psalm, David is not saying he hates the people, but rather he hates their evil deeds. He says that the punishment God has in store for these sins is just.
Explainingthebook.com
Supplication is a specific kind of prayer. It’s a plea for mercy when you know your need is great and urgent and there’s nothing you can do to change your situation. David is desperately seeking the Lord to do what only God can do.
David points to one thing in particular that is bothering him regarding these people. They say one thing… but speak another. They do one thing with their mouth… but with their heart they are doing the exact opposite. They portray to those around them that everything is fine. But inwardly they are planning evil schemes against those who are unsuspecting and trusting. Both God and David recognize this kind of activity as wickedness – as iniquity. David expresses holy anger regarding these people and petitions the Lord concerning them in verse 4.
We can learn about how to respond to living in a nation where the sin of its people calls for God’s righteous judgement. David called for the punishment of the sin of unrepentant people who do evil to others. Even though we want to see people come to faith through Jesus, there’s a point when their wicked influences hurt too many innocent people by their actions. But we also should remember to beg God to not allow those who are righteous in Jesus to be swept away in the punishment that surely falls on a nation bent on wickedness. David achieves a balance in his prayer concerning National Judgement that we should emulate. And he’s assured that though God will send punishment to this wicked nation, David will escape that judgement because his faith and trust is in God.
westpalmbeachchurchofchrist.com
What David shows us is the need for persistence in prayer. Verse 2 describes this persistence as he continues to plead to God. This is another aspect that can be lacking in our prayer life. It’s hard to convince ourselves to continue to plead to God for the thing we desire when we have not seen an answer. In Luke 18 Jesus told a parable to His disciples to show them that they should always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1). We look at God as the Almighty and all-knowing God. Therefore, we think we only have to ask once and that’s enough. But Jesus said to be persistent and not lose heart. David does this very thing in this psalm.
His first request is that he not be numbered with the evildoers and the wicked. David is saying that his prayers should not be treated like the wicked and the evildoers. This implies that the wicked don’t have their prayers answered. Notice how David describes those who are wicked, “Who speak in friendly ways with their neighbors, while malice is in their hearts.” He’s describing the hypocrite.
David declares that evil shouldn’t prosper and the righteousness must be vindicated. He’s showing a confidence that God will do just that. God will not allow evil to continue to prosper forever or the righteous to continue to suffer injustice. Therefore, we place our hope in God.
What is your first reaction to answered prayer? David shows us what our first reaction ought to be: thanksgiving and praise. We must immediately be grateful and thankful to God for responding to our cries and pleadings. Unfortunately we don’t always remember to give thanks. Sometimes we think that we got out of our jam by ourselves or that we provided ourselves with the solution. In Luke 17:17-18 when ten lepers were cleansed only one, who was a Samaritan, came back and gave thanks. It’s hard to believe, yet how many times are we the other nine lepers? Too often we go on our way rejoicing, forgetting to see what God has done for us and giving Him the praise He deserves. Let’s be more persistent in prayer and careful to give thanks for answered prayer.
You and I have every reason to trust in God. I am greatly disappointed when I see the world and even Christians blame God for letting them down. How has God ever let us down? Sometimes we have misunderstood what is happening. Job didn’t realize that Satan was the one behind the evil that had struck him. He failed to realize that his trial was a learning experience and that he was in the midst of a battle between the spiritual forces of good and evil. We are also in a spiritual battle. God is on our side and has never let us down. Our trust in God will be put to the test. We will find out if we trust God as much as we think we do or are we merely “fair weather friends” to God. Will we completely trust our lives to Him even when the times are tough? Will we be shaken or will we be strong?
When our prayers seem to go unanswered, will we rely on God all the more? When we don’t feel like God is hearing us, we will continue to pray and not give up? Or are we living for God simply because things are easy and convenient for us? Satan declared to God that if Job lost all he had, he would not continue to serve God. If we serve God only because it’s easy and convenient for us, then a time will come when it is not so easy and we will slip. There will be times when our prayers feel like empty words ringing in our ears and that no other is listening. What we do then is a great test of our faith.
David ends the psalm with a final prayer that God will save His people, bless His possession, and carry them forever. He will be our shepherd. Don’t forget the power of God to carry us through and help us in our times of need.
Sermoncentral.com (shine Thomas 11/11/2013)
Many times when we do not see anything in the natural we cry out in despair. We get disappointed and discouraged. People get confused which eventually leads to doubt, anger and fear. These are all signs of giving up in life. Have you ever felt that God was giving you the “silent treatment”? How should you respond when God seems distant? To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit. Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.”
Men and women throughout the Bible voiced their disappointment when they felt heaven was silent. They couldn’t see anything happening in their lives and were getting fearful and losing hope. When your promises are taking long, don’t give up, never lose your faith. God Is right there with you. He smiles at your faith, but the devil smiles at your fear. God is always at work, even in the background.
Do you know that God created you in your mother’s womb with his very own hands? There is nothing about you that is an accident. There is nothing about you that God is not proud of. Just because you are going through trouble, not hearing from God, or things aren’t working out doesn’t mean that there is something wrong with you. God is at work in your life. He loves you and you are precious to him.
Some of you are saying, “Lord I don’t understand why I am going through this trouble. I don’t know why my life has become like this. I can’t take this any longer.” You feel God is far away and are ready to give up your faith. Every one of us has dreams and goals in our heart. There are promises that we are standing on. Maybe you are believing for a breakthrough in your career, your ministry, your child, etc. Deep down you know God has spoken that promise to you. But because it’s taking so long time and you aren’t seeing any signs from God, you’re getting discouraged. You ask, seek, and knock but God is quiet and you are trying your best to hold on.
The reason many people don’t see God’s promises come to pass is because they get discouraged and give up too soon. Just because you don’t see anything doesn’t mean that God isn’t working for you. He is faithful to his word. If you can open your spiritual eyes, you will see God moving things in your favor. He doesn’t abandon anyone who puts their trust in him. Our breakthrough may not happen on our timetable, but it will happen; he will not let you down. That is what God said in Hebrews 13:5-6 Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, what can mere mortals do to me?”
You need to let that sink down on the inside. God is saying, “I will not fail you. Everything is going to work out. I am in complete control. I know what the medical report says. I know your financial situation. I see the people that are against you. I know how big your dreams are but hear me clearly. I will not fail you. I will not let you down. I will not let that problem overtake you. I will cause you to be the over comer.” Trust in God in days of silence, he will always make a way even though there is no way.
sermoncentral.com (Jason Jones) 11/30/2010
David’s main prayer is a plea for God to spare (v.3). Verses 3-5 deal with the wicked getting what they deserve, but he asks for God not to allow him to be drug down with them. As king he knew that when the people get carried away in sin, God would correct the entire nation sooner or later. And so he prayed that not too many righteous (himself included) would be carried away in their judgment. National disasters, wars, and sickness are no respecter of persons, and are allowed by God for the judgment of the wicked, and the purification of the righteous. Daniel suffered unjustly while in captivity, but God was exalted through this.
It’s OK for us to pray for deliverance from collateral damage. If this world gets caught up in sinful ways and patterns, and God corrects us heavily, there will be many of you who will bear some of the collective suffering who in essence weren’t at fault. Of course, all of us think we are in that number, but also think of yourself as needing correction in general. There is a greater purpose in it for us and the world if God doesn’t deliver. If the world sees you suffering unjustly, or suffering excessively or randomly; and you still proclaim Christ as your hope, portion, and strength, and forgive and bless instead of curse your oppressors; the world will see Jesus in you and you will bring him glory.
David is not enacting judgment, but deferring to God to do it. But the reason for judgment is for evil deeds and disregard of the glory of the Lord, not for personal anger, resentment, or injustice. Also remember that David is praying according to the character of God.
David affirms trust in God either way. If God judges, he will trust. If God chooses not to for whatever reason, he trusts. He says that God heard his plea, but doesn’t say whether or not the enemies were vanquished. He prays later for God to “save your people.” Notice the progression from “trusted” to “rejoices” to “will praise.”
Corporately, when we are under attack, or if we are infested with two-faced, wicked people who are playing the role of the hypocrite and disgracing Christ, we are to come to God and pray for Him to shepherd his people. Let these situations draw you closer to God. And remember Jesus said he is a good shepherd. So He will never fail to feed, protect, lead, love, pick up, carry, and nurture His sheep.
SONG: