psalm 28 chiastic structure

Read Psalm 28 at Bible Gateway.

Psa 28 Hebrew paragraph divisions:

Psa 28:1a To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock: Do not be silent to me, {n}
Psa 28:1b Lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.
Psa 28:2a Hear the voice of my supplications When I cry to You, {n}
Psa 28:2b When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.
Psa 28:3a Do not take me away with the wicked And with the workers of iniquity, {n}
Psa 28:3b Who speak peace to their neighbors, But evil is in their hearts.
Psa 28:4a Give them according to their deeds, And according to the wickedness of their endeavors; {n}
PSa 28:4b Give them according to the work of their hands; Render to them what they deserve.
Psa 28:5a Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, Nor the operation of His hands, {n}
Psa 28:5b He shall destroy them And not build them up.
Psa 28:6 Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!
Psa 28:7a The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; {n}
Psa 28:7b Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.
Psa 28:8 The Lord is their strength, And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.
Psa 28:9a Save Your people, And bless Your inheritance; {n}
Psa 28:9b Shepherd them also, And bear them up forever. {p}

Psa 28 chiastic structure:

1a) Psa 28:1-2, Hear my supplication, O LORD, lest I become like those who go down to the pit;

1a) Psa 28:1a, To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock;
1b) Psa 28:1b {n} Do not be silent to me;
 central axis) Psa 28:1c, Lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit;
2b) Psa 28:2a, Hear the voice of my supplications;
2a) Psa 28:2b, When I cry to You, {n} When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary;

1b) Psa 28:3a {n} Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity;

1c) Psa 28:3b, Who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts;

central axis) Psa 28:4, “Give them according to their deeds, And according to the wickedness of their endeavors; {n} Give them according to the work of their hands; Render to them what they deserve;”

2c) Psa 28:5a {n} Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, nor the operation of His hands;

2b) Psa 28:5b, He shall destroy them and not build them up;

2a) Psa 28:6-9, He has heard my supplication, He is the saving refuge of His anointed;

1a) Psa 28:6a, Blessed be the LORD;
1b) Psa 28:6b, Because He has heard the voice of my supplications;
1c) Psa 28:7a {n} The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
central axis) Psa 28:7b, Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him;
2c) Psa 28:8a, The LORD is their strength;
2b) Psa 28:8b, And He is the saving refuge of His anointed;
2a) Psa 28:9 {p} Save Your people + bless Your inheritance; {n} Shepherd + bear them up forever.

The C pair: why are the wicked wicked? Why is evil in their hearts? They do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands. They don’t acknowledge their Creator, therefore they don’t acknowledge His right to ruling authority. They don’t acknowledge His responsibility to explain righteousness and sin for humankind, whose plumb line has been terribly skewed by the fallen nature. Neither do they acknowledge their own responsibility to accept His word and His judgments as true and upright, and their own responsibility to obey them and Him.