Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 28

To you I will cry - That is, under the consciousness of the danger to which I am exposed - the danger of being drawn away into the society of the wicked. In such circumstances his reliance was not on his own strength; or on his own resolutions; or on his own heart; or on others. He felt that he was safe only in God, and he therefore appeals to Him in this earnest manner to save him.

O Lord my rock - See the notes at (Psalms 18:2).

Be not silent to me - Margin, “from me.” So the Hebrew. The idea is that of one who will not speak to us, or who will not attend to us. We pray, and we look for an “answer” to our prayers, or, as it were, we expect God to “speak” to us; to utter words of kindness; to assure us of His favor; to declare our sins forgiven.

Lest, if you are silent to me - If you do not answer my supplications.

I become like those who go down into the pit - Like those who die; or, lest I be crushed by anxiety and distress, and die. The word “pit” here refers to the grave. So it is used in (Psalms 30:3); (Psalms 88:4); (Isaiah 38:18); (Isaiah 14:15, 19). The meaning is that if he did not obtain help from God, he despaired of life. His troubles would overwhelm and crush him. He could not bear up under them.

Hear the voice of my supplications - It was not mental prayer that he offered; it was a petition uttered audibly.

When I lift up my hands - To lift up the hands denotes supplication, as this was a common attitude in prayer. (See the notes at 1 Timothy 2:8).

Toward your holy oracle - Margin, as in Hebrew, “toward the oracle of your holiness.” The word “oracle” as used here denotes the place where the answer to prayer is given.

The Hebrew word - דביר debîr - means properly the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle or the temple, the place where God was supposed to reside, and where He gave responses to the prayers of His people: the same place which is elsewhere called the holy of holies. (See the notes at Hebrews 9:3-14).

The Hebrew word is found only here and in 1 Kings 6:5, 1 Kings 6:16, 1 Kings 6:19–23, 1 Kings 6:31; 1 Kings 7:49; 1 Kings 8:6, 1 Kings 8:8; 2 Chronicles 3:16; 2 Chronicles 4:20; 2 Chronicles 5:7, and 2 Chronicles 5:9.

The idea here is that the one who prayed stretched out his hands toward that sacred place where God was supposed to dwell.

So we stretch out our hands toward heaven - the sacred dwelling-place of God. (Compare the notes at Psalm 5:7). The Hebrew word is probably derived from the verb to “speak;” and, according to this derivation, the idea is that God spoke to His people; that He “communed” with them; that He answered their prayers from that sacred recess - His special dwelling-place. (Numbers 7:89).

Draw me not away with the wicked - See the notes at (Psalms 26:9). The prayer here, as well as the prayer in (Psalms 26:9), expresses a strong desire not to be united with wicked people in feeling or in destiny—in life or in death, on earth or in the future world. The reason for the prayer seems to have been that the psalmist, being at this time under a strong temptation to associate with wicked persons, and feeling the force of the temptation, was apprehensive that he might be left to yield to it and become associated with them.

Deeply conscious of this danger, he earnestly prays that he might not be left to yield to the power of the temptation and fall into sin. So the Savior (Matthew 6:13) has taught us to pray, And lead us not into temptation.

None who desire to serve God can fail to see the appropriateness of this prayer. The temptations of the world are so strong; the amusements in which the world indulges are so brilliant and fascinating; those who invite us to partake of their pleasures are often so elevated in their social position, so refined in their manners, and so cultivated by education; the propensities of our hearts for such indulgences are so strong by nature; habits formed before our conversion are still so powerful; and the prospect of worldly advantages from compliance with the customs of those around us is often so great—that we cannot but feel it is proper for us to go to the throne of grace and plead earnestly with God that he will keep us and not allow us to fall into the snare.

This is especially true of those who, before they were converted, had indulged in habits of intemperance or in sensual pleasures of any kind, and who are invited by their old companions in sin to unite with them again in their pursuits. Here all the power of the former habit returns; here often there is a most fierce struggle between conscience and the old habit for victory; here especially those who are thus tempted need the grace of God to keep them; here there is special appropriateness in the prayer, Draw me not away with the wicked.

And with the workers of iniquity - In any form. With those who do evil.

Which speak peace to their neighbours - Who speak words of friendliness. Who seem to be persuading you to do what is for your good. Who put on plausible pretexts. They appear to be your friends; they profess to be so. They use flattering words while they tempt you to go astray.

But mischief is in their hearts - They are secretly plotting your ruin. They wish to lead you into such courses of life so that you may fall into sin, that you may dishonor religion, that you may disgrace your profession, or that they may in some way profit by your compliance with their counsel. So the wicked, under plausible pretences, would allure the good; so the corrupt would seduce the innocent; so the enemies of God would entice his friends, that they may bring shame and reproach upon the cause of religion.

Give them according to their deeds - Deal righteously with them. Recompense them as they deserve.

And according to the wickedness of their endeavours - Their designs; their works; their plans.

Give them after the work of their hands - Reward them according to what they do.

Render to them their desert - A just recompense. This whole verse is a prayer that God would deal justly with them. There is no evidence that there is anything of vindictiveness or malice in the prayer. In itself considered, there is no impropriety in praying that justice may be done to the violators of law. See the general introduction, section 6.

Because they regard not the works of the Lord - What the Lord does in creation; in His providence; through His commands and laws; and by His Spirit. They do not find pleasure in His works; they do not heed the intimations of His will in His providential dealings; they do not listen to His commands; they do not yield to the influences of His Spirit. Nor the operation of his hands. What He is now doing. The sense is essentially the same as in the former part of the sentence.

He shall destroy them - He will pull them down, instead of building them up. They expose themselves to His displeasure, and He will bring deserved punishment upon them.

And not build them up - He will not favor them; He will not give them prosperity. Health, happiness, salvation are to be found only in conformity with the laws which God has ordained. Neither can be found in violating those laws, or in any other method than that which He has ordained. Sooner or later the violation of law, in regard to these things, and in regard to everything, must lead to calamity and ruin.