Reading the Word
Psalm 28:1–5 (ESV)
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. 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.
Understanding and Applying the Word
Have you ever prayed to God? Have you ever felt like he is not listening to your prayers? In this psalm, this is how David felt. He calls on God and pleads with him to not be deaf and silent to him. In other words, he needs God to respond to his prayer.
After the opening plea, David continues to call out to God to show mercy towards him. He understands that God’s judgment will come and asks God not to include him in the judgment that will fall on his enemies. This is the judgment that will fall on the wicked who show the evil in their hearts by their evil deeds. God will hold them responsible and they will answer for their actions.
The Bible tells us that a day of righteous judgment is coming. It will be a day when the all-knowing God holds all of mankind responsible for their sin. The Bible also tells us that all of us are sinful and stand condemned as a result. But God is a merciful and gracious God and has made forgiveness possible for those who will trust in the sacrificial death of his Son, Jesus Christ. Call out to God today and he will show you his mercy.
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