TRV
Translation
Complete Jewish Bible
ADONAI is strength for [his people], a stronghold of salvation to his anointed.
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD is the strength of His people, a stronghold of salvation for His anointed.
American Standard Version
Jehovah is their strength, And he is a stronghold of salvation to his anointed.
World English Bible Messianic
The LORD is their strength. He is a stronghold of salvation to his anointed.
Geneva Bible (1599)
The Lord is their strength, and he is the strength of the deliuerances of his anointed.
Young's Literal Translation
Jehovah is strength to him, Yea, the strength of the salvation of His anointed is He.
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 28 verses 6–9
6 ¶ Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
8 The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.
9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.
In these verses,
I. David gives God thanks for the audience of his prayers as affectionately as a few verses before he had begged it: Blessed be the Lord, Psa 28:6. How soon are the saints' sorrows turned into songs and their prayers into praises! It was in faith that David prayed (Psa 28:2), Hear the voice of my supplications; and by the same faith he gives thanks (Psa 28:6) that God has heard the voice of his supplications. Note, 1. Those that pray in faith may rejoice in hope. "He hath heard me (graciously accepted me) and I am as sure of a real answer as if I had it already." 2. What we win by prayer we must wear by praise. Has God heard our supplications? Let us then bless his name.
II. He encourages himself to hope in God for the perfecting of every thing that concerned him. Having given to God the glory of his grace (Psa 28:6), he is humbly bold to take the comfort of it, Psa 28:7. This is the method of attaining peace: let us begin with praise that is attainable. Let us first bless God and then bless ourselves. Observe, 1. His dependence upon God: "The Lord is my strength, to support me, and carry me on, through all my services and sufferings. He is my shield, to protect me from all the malicious designs of my enemies against me. I have chosen him to be so, I have always found him so, and I expect he will still be so." 2. His experience of the benefits of that dependence: "My heart trusted in him, and in his power and promise; and it has not been in vain to do so, for I am helped, I have been often helped; not only God has given to me, in his due time, the help I trusted to him for, but my very trusting in him has helped me, in the mean time, and kept me from fainting." Psa 27:13. The very actings of faith are present aids to a dropping spirit, and often help it at a dead lift. 3. His improvement of this experience. (1.) He had the pleasure of it: Therefore my heart greatly rejoices. The joy of a believer is seated in the heart, while, in the laughter of the fool, the heart is sorrowful. It is great joy, joy unspeakable and full of glory. The heart that truly believes shall in due time greatly rejoice; it is joy and peace in believing that we are to expect. (2.) God shall have the praise of it: when my heart greatly rejoices, with my song will I praise him. This must we express our gratitude; it is the least we can do; and others will hereby be invited and encouraged to trust in him too.
III. He pleases himself with the interest which all good people, through Christ, have in God (Psa 28:8): "The Lord is their strength; not mine only, but the strength of every believer." Note, The saints rejoice in their friends' comforts as well as their own; for, as we have not the less benefit from the light of the sun, so neither from the light of Gods' countenance, for others' sharing therein; for we are sure there is enough for all and enough for each. This is our communion with all saints, that God is their strength and ours, Christ their Lord and ours, Co1 1:2. He is their strength, the strength of all Israel, because he is the saving strength of his anointed, that is, 1. Of David in the type. God, in strengthening him that was their king and fought their battles, strengthened the whole kingdom. He calls himself God's anointed because it was the unction he had received that exposed him to the envy of his enemies, and therefore entitled him to the divine protection. 2. Of Christ, his anointed, his Messiah, in the anti-type. God was his saving strength, qualified him for his undertaking and carried him through it; see Psa 89:21; Isa 49:5; Isa 50:7, Isa 50:9. And so he becomes their strength, the strength of all the saints; he strengthened him that is the church's head, and from him diffuses strength to all the members, has commanded his strength, and so strengthens what he has wrought for us; Psa 68:28; Psa 80:17, Psa 80:18.
IV. He concludes with a short but comprehensive prayer for the church of God, Psa 28:9. He prays for Israel, not as his people ("save my people, and bless my inheritance"), though they were so, but, "thine." God's interest in them lay nearer his heart than his own. We are thy people is a good plea, Isa 64:9; Isa 63:19. I am thine, save me. God's people are his inheritance, dear to him, and precious in his eyes; what little glory he has from this world he has from them. The Lord's portion is his people. That which he begs of God for them is, 1. That he would save them from their enemies and the dangers they were exposed to. 2. That he would bless them with all good, flowing from his favour, in performance of his promise, and amounting to a happiness for them. 3. That he would feed them, bless them with plenty, and especially the plenty of his ordinances, which are food to the soul. Rule them; so the margin. "Direct their counsels and actions aright, and overrule their affairs for good. Feed them, and rule them; sets pastors, set rulers, over them, that shall do their office with wisdom and understanding." 4. That he would lift them up for ever, lift them up out of their troubles and distresses, and do this, not only for those of that age, but for his people in every age to come, even to the end. "Lift them up into thy glorious kingdom, lift them up as high as heaven." There, and there only, will the saints be lifted up for ever, never more to sink or be depressed. Observe, Those, and those only, whom God feeds and rules, who are willing to be taught, and guided, and governed, by him, shall be saved, and blessed, and lifted up for ever.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–9. Public domain.
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Eusebius of CaesareaAD 339
PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:16.185
This teaches us that all the wonders of Christ written in the holy Scriptures, done for our salvation, whether teachings or writings, or the mysteries of his resurrection now referred to, were all done by the will and power of the Father defending his own Christ as with a shield in all his marvelous and saving words and works.
JeromeAD 420
BRIEF COMMENTARY ON PSALM 28
Whoever is baptized in Christ is his anointed.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
EXPLANATIONS OF THE PSALMS 28:8
This does not refer to the people which was ignorant of God’s righteousness and tried to establish its own. Rather, it refers to a different people that did not look to itself for its strength but knew instead that the Lord would be its strength as it contends with the devil in the difficulties of this life.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 28
"The Lord is the strength of His people" [Psalm 28:8]. Not that people "ignorant of the righteousness of God, and willing to establish their own." [Romans 10:3] For they thought not themselves strong in themselves: for the Lord is the strength of His people, struggling in this life's difficulties with the devil. "And the protector of the salvation of His Christ." That, having saved them by His Christ after the strength of war, He may protect them at the last with the immortality of peace.
Arnobius the YoungerAD 460
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 28
All that he suffered, he suffered by his own will, as he said, “I have the power to lay down my spirit and to take it back.”And he also said, freely I will confess him. He himself is the strength of his own people because he fulfills his words by his deeds. He said that he was going to suffer and he suffered, that he was going to die and he died, that he was going to arise and he arose from the dead, overcoming weakness of fear and giving strength to a most eager will. Because he is the protector of the salvation of his own anointed, because without a doubt he is “God in Christ, reconciling the World to himself,”27saving his own people by bringing deliverance to spirit and body, and by blessing the nations, his own inheritance, by freeing them from demonic subjection, so that the Son of God, with the Father and Holy Spirit, may extol them and rule forever.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 28:8 serves as a powerful declaration of the Lord's immutable character as the ultimate source of strength and salvation for His people, culminating in a specific emphasis on His protective power for His chosen leader, the king. This verse transitions from David's personal plea to a broader theological affirmation, confidently asserting God's unwavering faithfulness and active deliverance. It portrays God as the secure stronghold for all who trust in Him, particularly extending His saving might to His Anointed One, thereby providing both immediate comfort and profound prophetic insight.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 28:8 employs several significant literary devices that amplify its meaning and theological impact. Parallelism is prominently featured, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the second clause ("and he is the saving strength of his anointed") echoes, intensifies, and expands upon the first ("The LORD is their strength"). This repetition serves to reinforce the central message, emphasizing that God's strength is both universally available to His people and specifically channeled through His divinely chosen leader. The terms "strength" and "saving strength" function as a powerful metaphor, portraying God as an impregnable fortress or stronghold. This metaphor vividly conveys a sense of ultimate security, active defense, and an unyielding refuge against all adversaries, highlighting God's protective nature. Furthermore, the shift from the general "their strength" to the specific "his anointed" can be understood as a form of specification or particularization, narrowing the focus from the general community of believers to its divinely appointed head, thereby underscoring God's comprehensive and layered care for His people through His chosen instruments.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 28:8 stands as a profound theological statement, affirming God's unwavering character as the ultimate and exclusive source of power and salvation. It connects deeply to the theme of God's covenant faithfulness, particularly His steadfast commitment to the Davidic line and, by extension, to His people Israel. The verse masterfully bridges the immediate reality of David's kingship with the broader redemptive plan, serving as a significant foreshadowing of the ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah. It teaches that true strength, security, and deliverance are found exclusively in the Lord, who actively and dynamically intervenes to deliver His people and uphold His chosen leaders. This divine strength is not passive but a powerful, saving force that ensures victory and preservation for all who place their trust and hope in Him, demonstrating His active engagement in the affairs of humanity.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
For believers today, Psalms 28:8 serves as a profound and enduring anchor in a world perpetually characterized by uncertainties, anxieties, and formidable challenges. It powerfully reminds us that our true, inexhaustible, and unwavering source of strength is not found in fleeting human capabilities, precarious worldly resources, or shifting circumstances, but solely in the immutable character and boundless power of the Lord. When we face personal weaknesses, spiritual battles, overwhelming anxieties, or the crushing weight of life's demands, this verse calls us to deliberately shift our gaze from our own limitations to God's limitless might. He is not merely a general source of power, but our "saving strength"—a divine fortress specifically committed to our deliverance from sin, temptation, spiritual adversaries, and the various trials and tribulations of life. Recognizing Jesus Christ as the ultimate "Anointed One" deepens this truth immeasurably, as all God's saving power and redemptive purposes are now perfectly channeled through Him. This verse encourages us to trust implicitly in God's sovereign power and His unfailing commitment to His people, finding our ultimate refuge, our enduring might, and our complete salvation in Him alone.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is "their" in "The LORD is their strength"?
Answer: In the immediate context of Psalm 28, "their" refers to God's people, the righteous, or those who place their trust in Him. David, the psalmist, contrasts his reliance on the Lord with the ultimate fate of the wicked (vv. 3-5). Therefore, "their" encompasses all who belong to God and place their faith in Him, for whom He acts as a protective, sustaining, and delivering power. It speaks to God's covenant relationship with His chosen people.
What is the significance of "his anointed" in this verse?
Answer: "His anointed" (Hebrew: mâshîyach, from which the title "Messiah" derives) primarily refers to the king of Israel, who was consecrated by God through anointing with oil (e.g., 1 Samuel 10:1). In David's time, this would refer to David himself as God's chosen king. This term signifies divine appointment, empowerment, and special protection for leadership. Prophetically, however, it points forward with profound significance to the ultimate "Anointed One," Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who fulfills the Davidic covenant and through whom God's saving strength is perfectly and eternally manifested for all humanity.
How does "saving strength" differ from general "strength"?
Answer: While "strength" (עוֹז, ʻôz) denotes general might, power, and even majesty, "saving strength" (מָעוֹז יְשׁוּעוֹת, mâʻôwz yᵉshûwʻâh) is far more specific, active, and comprehensive. It literally means "fortress of salvations" or "stronghold of deliverances." This compound phrase emphasizes that God's power is not merely latent or general; it is specifically directed towards active, repeated, and comprehensive intervention for rescue and preservation. It signifies that God acts as an impenetrable refuge, consistently providing abundant acts of salvation and deliverance from danger, oppression, sin, and all forms of spiritual and physical harm, ensuring the welfare and victory of His people.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 28:8 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the true and eternal "Anointed One." While the immediate context refers to the king of Israel, the prophetic trajectory of "his anointed" culminates perfectly in the Messiah. Jesus, as the Christ (the Greek equivalent of "Anointed One"), embodies the complete fullness of God's strength and saving power. He is not merely a human king but the divine King, through whom God's ultimate deliverance from the dominion of sin, the power of death, and the grip of evil is achieved. In Christ, God's "saving strength" is fully realized; He is our impregnable fortress of salvation, providing complete, eternal, and comprehensive rescue for all who believe. As believers, we find our strength, our refuge, and our very life in Him, for He declares, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). The salvation promised to God's people and His anointed king in the Old Testament is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus, through whom "there is salvation in no one else" (Acts 4:12). He is the one whom God has anointed "with the oil of gladness more than your companions" (Hebrews 1:9), establishing an eternal kingdom and securing everlasting strength and salvation for all who trust in His name.