Psalm 28 1

Psalm 28:1 kjv

Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

Psalm 28:1 nkjv

A Psalm of David. To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: Do not be silent to me, Lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.

Psalm 28:1 niv

Of David. 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.

Psalm 28:1 esv

To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.

Psalm 28:1 nlt

I pray to you, O LORD, my rock.
Do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you are silent,
I might as well give up and die.

Psalm 28 verses

Psalm 28 1 Meaning

Psalm 28:1 is a fervent and urgent cry from a troubled individual to the Lord, seeking immediate divine attention and intervention. The psalmist expresses deep fear that if God remains silent or unresponsive, the outcome will be utterly devastating, leading to the same fate as those who have perished and descended into the grave. It is a desperate plea for God, his steadfast "Rock" and source of strength, to hear and act, lest the psalmist faces spiritual or physical destruction, equating to separation from the realm of the living and active worship.

Psalm 28 1 Context

Psalm 28 is a Davidic psalm, typically categorized as a lament and a prayer for justice. The psalm begins with an earnest cry for help and moves through expressions of confidence in God, a plea for divine judgment upon the wicked, and ends with renewed praise and trust in the Lord. Verse 1 sets the urgent tone for the entire psalm, immediately immersing the reader in the psalmist's deep distress. Historically, David often faced existential threats from enemies, rebellious factions (like Absalom), or foreign powers. The "pit" (Hebrew: bor) can represent both physical death and the despair of Sheol, the common grave of all humanity, implying a state of utter hopelessness and separation from God's living community and blessings. The psalmist's desperate plea reflects an ancient understanding where a vibrant relationship with God was intertwined with life, and separation meant spiritual death and eventual oblivion, as the dead were perceived as unable to praise or connect with God (Ps 6:5). The cry to the living God for a response contrasts sharply with the contemporary pagan idols who "have mouths but cannot speak, eyes but cannot see" (Ps 115:5), unable to hear or deliver their devotees.

Psalm 28 1 Word analysis

• To You, O Lord, I call;

  • To You: אֵלֶיךָ (Elai-cha). This emphatic opening immediately places God as the exclusive recipient and focus of the cry. It highlights singular devotion and reliance.
  • O Lord: יְהוָה (Yahweh). This is God's covenant name, signifying His personal, relational, and unchanging nature. Using this name reflects a deep, intimate understanding and appeal to the faithful covenant-keeping God.
  • I call: אֶקְרָא (Eqra). From the root קרא (qara), meaning "to call," "to cry out," "to proclaim." It implies an urgent, earnest, and often desperate plea for help or attention. It's not a casual prayer but a distress call.

• my Rock, do not be deaf to me,

  • my Rock: צוּרִי (Tzuri). From צוּר (tzur), meaning "rock," a powerful metaphor for God's steadfastness, strength, stability, refuge, and defense. The possessive "my" emphasizes a personal relationship and reliance on God as a sure foundation in uncertain times.
  • do not be deaf to me: אַל-תֶּחֱרַשׁ מִמֶּנִּי (Al-techěraš mimmenni). Literally "do not be silent from me" or "do not keep silence concerning me." The Hebrew חרשׁ (charesh) can mean "to be silent," "to be deaf," "to ignore." It conveys the fear of God's unresponsive silence, implying a perceived inability or unwillingness to hear and act. This phrase expresses the psalmist's gravest fear: that God might remain passive and non-committal to his distress.

• Lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.

  • Lest, if You are silent to me: פֶּן-תֶּחֱשֶׁה מִמֶּנִּי (Pen-techěšeh mimmenni). The Hebrew word חשה (chasheh) primarily means "to keep silence," "to be still." The repetition of the concept of God's silence (first charesh, then chasheh) intensifies the urgency and profound dread of a lack of divine response. It describes the state of God's inaction, which the psalmist fears.
  • I become like those who go down to the pit: נִמְשַׁלְתִּי עִם-יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר (Nimshaltí im-yorědey vor).
    • I become like: נִמְשַׁלְתִּי (Nimshaltí) implies being likened to, compared to, or joining.
    • those who go down to the pit: יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר (yorědey vor). יורד (yored) means "going down." בור (bor) refers to a pit, dungeon, cistern, or grave. In this context, it invariably means the grave or Sheol, the underworld where the dead are gathered. This phrase paints the ultimate consequence of God's silence: spiritual and physical death, cessation of existence among the living, and being counted among the forgotten, unable to worship God.

Psalm 28 1 Bonus section

The double emphasis on God's "silence" (חרשׁ and חשה) is a significant rhetorical device, conveying the depth of the psalmist's anxiety and the ultimate terror of God's non-communication. This contrasts sharply with the God of Israel who "speaks" through His word, promises, and direct answers, setting Him apart from the mute and powerless deities worshipped by surrounding nations. The psalmist understands that if God remains silent, He ceases to be effectively "God" to the supplicant in their immediate need, rendering His power inert in their experience. The "Rock" imagery further suggests that if the foundation is silent, it is as good as gone or unstable. The transition from active "call" (אקרא) to passive "become like" (נמשלתי) demonstrates the powerlessness experienced when God does not respond, a profound theological point regarding human agency in relation to divine response. The expectation is that because God is the Rock, He must therefore not be silent.

Psalm 28 1 Commentary

Psalm 28:1 encapsulates the core of lament theology: a distressed individual brings their raw anguish directly before a God whom they paradoxically identify as their unwavering strength and only hope. The intense fear of God's silence highlights a profound spiritual truth – for the believer, divine responsiveness is synonymous with life itself. If God, the ultimate Rock, remains unmoved and unhearing, the psalmist's world collapses into the oblivion of death, rendering him incapable of praising or relating to God. This plea underscores not just a desire for physical preservation, but for the continuity of a relationship with the living God, without which life holds no true meaning or purpose. It is a testament to the essential dependency of humanity on God's active, personal engagement, echoing the foundational truth that life and flourishing flow from Him alone.For practical usage, this verse models a cry for help when:

• Feeling utterly abandoned or unheard by God in difficult times.
• Facing situations that threaten to overwhelm or lead to spiritual despair.
• Acknowledging God as the only dependable source of strength and rescue.