Psalm 28

1 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.

2 Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help,  when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary [innermost sanctuary].

David begins his lament with an urgent plea to a God that appears to be deaf. Perhaps David has been calling out for some time or perhaps he’s just frustrated with the lack of immediate response. The situation is dire, for he will become like those who go down to the pit if the LORD does not answer him. In other words, his life will be over -- not necessarily literally, but at least forever changed in a bad way. David never identifies his specific trial in this psalm so it is applicable to everyone. In the most general sense he is complaining about the wicked although he never states that they are attacking him, so perhaps it’s just the general state of things. Two observations about David’s praying. First, it is verbal, spoken out loud and passionate. I doubt very seriously that David is praying silently here when he speaks of calling, crying, and pleading. These are typically not the way one expresses things to God internally. Second, his praying involves the lifting of his hands toward the innermost sanctuary of the tabernacle. David is not allowed to enter the most holy place because he is not the high priest, but this is where the ark of the covenant was, the throne of God on earth. David’s hand lifting is a model to us of a very ancient posture of prayer, the body echoing the actions of the heart, lifting up prayers to God. Honestly, most of my prayers are internal and conversational. In great trauma or need I’ll go to my knees and voice it outloud, but how much different it might be if I communicated with God the way that I communicate with others. If I was forced to use specific words and not just thoughts flashing through my mind. David directs his words and hands toward a place as if God were really there listening. It’s appropriate for us to do the same. Direct your prayers and orient your body toward a place when you pray. Maybe it’s an empty chair, or in some traditions, an icon. Make your prayers real acts of conversation -- verbal, spoken out loud, and passionate.

3 Do not drag me off with the wicked, with the workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts.

4 Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward.

5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more.

David pivots from his prayer for God to listen to his cry and pay attention to his uplifted hands (hey, I’ve got a question here!) to a specific request that he not suffer the same fate as the wicked workers of evil who are two-faced with their neighbors. They speak peace with their neighbors while working evil against them. This could be in the marketplace where the seller talks up his product and jacks up the price when he knows that it is faulty. As long as he makes money he’s okay with harming his neighbor. David prays for justice to be done, that they would receive what they deserve according to the work of their hands. Here we have a clear contrast between the work of David’s hands (vs. 2) which were lifted up in prayer and the hands of the wicked, used to harm their neighbor. Because the wicked do not regard the works of the LORD’s hands, the LORD will tear them down (with his hands). Three sets of hands here in four verses. What are you doing with your hands today? Lifting them to the LORD or using them to harm others? Remember you don’t have to directly use your hands to harm another. It could be what your hands do on your computer, virtually taking you to places where you become complicit in the real degradation of others (pornography). It could be what your hands do not do, sitting on them and doing nothing when you could do something about an injustice. Closing your eyes to the suffering of others while you breathe a prayer, thank you that it’s not happening to me, not here. Be sure that the universe is programmed for justice. God is on the throne and he is the final arbiter, not you. He will reward each person according to what you have done. Is it possible that you are the two-faced neighbor? Is it possible that it is your hands that are working evil? We assume that we are with the psalmist, and we can gleefully cheer on God’s justice against the wicked. James tells us to look in the mirror of God’s word and make some changes. Show me today where I am duplicitous. Show me where I push things forward to my advantage over others. Show me the evil that my hands have done so that I may repent and lift my hands again toward your most holy place. 

6 Blessed be the LORD! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

David shifts abruptly to exuberant praise, confident that the LORD has heard his pleas for mercy. There is no indication that his situation has changed, just his level of confidence in God’s ability and willingness to  strengthen him through it. He declares that the LORD is his strength and shield. His heart trusts in the LORD and he is helped. As a result he gives thanks to the LORD in song and his heart is lifted. What does it mean to be strengthened by the LORD? Is there a supernatural infusion of energy? Does his shield prevent you from being wounded in any way? Proverbs 18:10 says that the name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are saved. We are strengthened and shielded when we run to the LORD and trust in his goodness and power. This doesn’t mean that we will be shielded immediately from all harm. We are in the midst of a global pandemic and good, faithful people are dying. Yet all around them are people of faith who are strengthened by the presence and promises of an all-powerful, eternal being whose promises are believed. This is a reality. Our God is with us, and he shields us from the lies of the enemy and of the world, lies that tell us that this is all there is. Lies that leave us hopeless and alone. May our hearts be strengthened by faith today in the God who hears, strengthens and shields. May we find our hearts warmed and lifted so that we can sing a song of thanksgiving. Keep singing through the storm. 

8 The LORD is the strength of his people; [their strength] he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

9 Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever.

David’s prayer moves from the individual to the community. He affirms that the LORD himself is the strength of his people, and he is the saving refuge of the king (which of course is David himself). In Nehemiah 8:10 the people are told that the joy of the LORD is their strength. What sets apart people of faith from others is their ability to gain strength from their faith and joy in the LORD. Their convictions about the way the world is (worldview) and their understanding of how God interacts with them and the world, gives them a rootedness in reality that provides them strength to withstand anything. And when they can’t stand, in the next verse, David prays that the LORD would be their shepherd just as He is David’s shepherd (Psalm 23:1) and carry them forever. He prays that God would save them and bless them as the LORD’s heritage. A heritage is a legacy, an estate, an inheritance. The LORD has everything in the universe (Psalm 24:1) by virtue of his making everything. What he cannot have against our will is our affection and our loyalty. David’s prayer for God’s people is a subtle reminder to the LORD of this truth -- his people have given themselves to him in faith and with David they have pledged their loyalty to Him. David asks that the LORD shepherd them in return for their trust. They are the LORD’s inheritance, his legacy, his reputation. In the 23rd Psalm the shepherd leads and guides the psalmist, but here the shepherd carries his people forever, and we probably see in our mind’s eye the image of Jesus carrying a sheep on his shoulders. I used to carry my children on my shoulders when they were tired or when they wanted to get a better view. It was no problem for me to do so, and they must have felt absolutely safe in my arms. I was delighted in doing it because I loved them and wanted them safe and happy. I imagine that the LORD has the same delight in carrying us on his shoulders -- keeping us safe, resting us when we are tired, and giving us a new perspective and a broader view of the world. Jesus, lift me on your shoulders today so that I might rest in your strength and see the world as you do.