OUR SERIES OF STUDIES ON PSALM 28 IS JUST BEGINNING, TODAY WE NOTICE VERSE 1:

The first verse, as is true of so many Psalms, is a prayer. Listen to 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.” Psalm 28:1

The verb “cry” is important. “Qara” in Hebrew means “to call out loud!” This is NOT silent prayer! It is urgent prayer, vocally begging God to work.

The LORD as “Rock” is interesting. “Tzsur” means “a block of stone,” or “a wall of granite,” actually a place to hide for safety. I am so glad we do have a “hiding place” in Jesus! Look at Psalm 119:114, spoken directly to God. “Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.”

The request to “be not silent” means “do not hold Thy peace, Lord.” Do not “be still!” Implying that David has gone a while not hearing from God!

And the last clause in the verse … “lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit“ … suggests David will die without God’s intervention! “Going down into the pit” (spelled “bor” and meaning “well, dungeon, cistern”) is an Old Testament way of talking about death, the grave.

Here is a man who feels it a NECESSITY that he speak with God!

He is “dying” to hear from Heaven!

“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.”

Yes, this is what James would call “effectual fervent prayer!”

And I predict, God will answer the Psalmist’s plea!

Yours too, for that matter.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell