Psalms 28:1

¶ [A Psalm] of David. 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.

A Psalm of David {H1732}. Unto thee will I cry {H7121}, O LORD {H3068} my rock {H6697}; be not silent {H2814} to me: lest, if thou be silent {H2790} to me, I become {H4911} like them that go down {H3381} into the pit {H953}.

By David: ADONAI, I am calling to you; my Rock, don't be deaf to my cry. For if you answer me with silence, I will be like those who fall in a pit.

To You, O LORD, I call; be not deaf to me, O my Rock. For if You remain silent, I will be like those descending to the Pit.

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.

Psalms 28:1 opens with an urgent plea from King David, establishing the tone for a psalm of desperate supplication and profound trust in God amidst distress. This verse encapsulates a foundational human experience: the cry for divine intervention when faced with overwhelming circumstances.

Context

Attributed to David, this psalm likely originates from a period of intense personal danger or national crisis. David, a man after God's own heart, frequently poured out his soul in the Psalms, detailing his struggles, fears, and unwavering faith. The opening verse immediately establishes a direct, intimate address to God, indicating a deep personal relationship and reliance. The "pit" (Hebrew: bor) in this context refers to the grave or Sheol, symbolizing not just physical death but also utter despair, destruction, or separation from God's presence.

Key Themes

  • Urgent Supplication: David's cry, "Unto thee will I cry," signifies a desperate and immediate need for God's attention and response. It's a prayer born of urgency, not casual request.
  • God as a Steadfast Refuge: Calling God "O LORD my rock" (Hebrew: YHWH tsuri) highlights God's unchanging, strong, and reliable nature. This metaphor assures the petitioner of God's unwavering support, even when the world feels unstable. For more on God as a refuge, see Psalms 62:7.
  • Fear of Divine Silence: The plea "be not silent to me" reveals David's profound fear of God's non-response. For David, God's silence would be tantamount to abandonment, leading to a state of spiritual or physical death, metaphorically "like them that go down into the pit." This fear underscores the vital importance of God's active presence and communication. This sentiment is echoed in other psalms, such as Psalms 35:22.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "O LORD my rock" is particularly rich. "LORD" represents the Hebrew divine name YHWH, emphasizing God's covenant relationship and personal accessibility. "My rock" (Hebrew: tsur) is a powerful metaphor for God, conveying His immutability, strength, and the secure foundation He provides. It speaks to God as an unmovable fortress and a place of ultimate safety. The phrase "be not silent" comes from the Hebrew ḥāraš, which can mean to be deaf, to be silent, or to keep quiet. David implores God not to remain inactive or unresponsive, as His silence would imply a lack of care or inability to help, leading to the dreaded fate of those "that go down into the pit" – a common biblical image for the grave or Sheol, the realm of the dead.

Practical Application

Psalms 28:1 offers a timeless model for prayer and faith. In moments of deep distress, when we feel overwhelmed or unheard, we are encouraged to cry out to God, acknowledging Him as our steadfast "rock." This verse reminds us that God's active presence and response are crucial for our spiritual well-being. It validates the human fear of abandonment but also directs us to the only true source of help. When facing trials, we can confidently appeal to the LORD, trusting that His silence is never indifference, and that He hears the cries of His children, ultimately delivering them from despair and destruction, as promised in Psalms 30:3.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 143:7

    ¶ Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

  • Psalms 18:2

    The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, [and] my high tower.

  • Psalms 83:1

    ¶ A Song [or] Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.

  • Proverbs 1:12

    Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

  • Psalms 88:4

    I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man [that hath] no strength:

  • Psalms 88:6

    Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

  • Revelation 20:3

    And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

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