Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 28
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 28
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 28
"Unto thee, O Jehovah, will I call: My rock, be not thou deaf unto me; Lest, if thou be silent unto me, I become like them that go down into the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, When I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. Draw me not away with the wicked, And with the workers of iniquity; That speak peace with their neighbors, But mischief is in their hearts. Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings: Give them after the operation of their hands; Render to them their desert. Because they regard not the works of Jehovah, Nor the operation of his hands, He will break them down and not build them up." — Psalms 28:1-5 (ASV)
David is very earnest in prayer. Observe his faith in prayer; God is my rock, on whom I build my hope. Believers should not rest until they have received some token that their prayers are heard. He prays that he may not be numbered with the wicked. Save me from being entangled in the snares they have laid for me.
Save me from being infected with their sins, and from doing as they do. Lord, never leave me to use such arts of deceit and treachery for my safety, as they use for my ruin. Believers dread the way of sinners; the best are aware of the danger they are in of being drawn aside: we should all pray earnestly to God for his grace to keep us. Those who are careful not to take part with sinners in their sins have reason to hope that they shall not receive their plagues.
He speaks of the just judgments of the Lord on the workers of iniquity (verse 4). This is not the language of passion or revenge. It is a prophecy that there will certainly come a day when God will punish every man who persists in his evil deeds. Sinners shall be reckoned with, not only for the mischief they have done, but for the mischief they designed, and did what they could to effect.
Disregard of the works of the Lord is the cause of the sin of sinners and becomes the cause of their ruin.
"Blessed be Jehovah, Because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. Jehovah is my strength and my shield; My heart hath trusted in him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; And with my song will I praise him. Jehovah is their strength, And he is a stronghold of salvation to his anointed. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: Be their shepherd also, and bear them up for ever. " — Psalms 28:6-9 (ASV)
Has God heard our supplications? Let us then bless His name. The Lord is my strength, to support me and sustain me through all my services and sufferings. The heart that truly believes will in due time greatly rejoice: we are to expect joy and peace in believing. God will have the praise for it: so we must express our gratitude.
The saints rejoice in others' comfort as well as their own; we do not benefit less from the light of the sun, nor from the light of God's countenance, because others also share in them. The psalmist concludes with a short but comprehensive prayer. God's people are His inheritance and precious in His eyes.
He prays that God would save them; that He would bless them with all good, especially the plenty of His ordinances, which are food to the soul; and that He would direct their actions and overrule their affairs for good. Also, that He would lift them up forever—not only those of that age, but His people in every age to come—lift them up as high as heaven.
There, and there only, will saints be lifted up forever, never more to sink or be depressed. Save us, Lord Jesus, from our sins; bless us, You Son of Abraham, with the blessing of righteousness; feed us, You good Shepherd of the sheep, and lift us up forever from the dust, O You who are the Resurrection and the Life.
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