Intro: Prayer is an essential part of the Christian life. We are to bring every concern or trial before our holy Abba and invite his help and support. In the early verses of Psalm 28, David is crying out to the Lord. He begins with prayer and he asks God to hear his fervent cry and treat him differently than those around him who are acting wickedly. He asks for mercy and he plants his faith as he trusts in God. What happens as a result of his prayer? God answers David’s prayer by becoming his strength and wraparound shield. Offering faith-driven prayers to God will always be our best line of defense when we face the spiritual assaults and various trials that will come against our faith.
In our passage today, David’s prayers turn into ecstatic and passionate praise. Praise is the Christian’s response to the love of God; we were created to praise the Lord with our words and with our very lives. David’s response is praise from the depths of his experience; God has arrived to bring help for his present need. When you are tempted to give up on God’s love, start praising the Lord for his goodness and watch as his love begins to wrap around you and his strength to rise up within you. We are in a fight for our faith and trust in God; so, begin with prayer, so you can end with praise.
Psalm 28:7-9 (TPT) My Strength
7
Yahweh is my strength and my wraparound shield.
When I fully trust in you, help is on the way.
I jump for joy and burst forth with ecstatic, passionate praise!
I will sing songs of what you mean to me!
8
You will be the inner strength of all your people,
Yahweh, the mighty protector of all,
and the saving strength for all your anointed ones.
9
Save your people whom you love, and bless your chosen ones.
Be our shepherd leading us forward,
forever carrying us in your arms!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the many experiential lessons you have been bringing into the lives of your children. Even though we pour our hearts out to you in prayer, we trust you will cause praise to rise from the depths of our experiences. Bring your children beauty for ashes, Lord, as you deal with the wickedness surrounding us in the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.