Psalm 28: Learning to Trust God’s Love in the Silence

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Title: Psalm 28: Learning to Trust God’s Love in the Silence

Psalm 28 gives voice to one of the hardest experiences of faith—when God seems silent. In this episode, discover how David perseveres in prayer, moves from desperation to praise, and rests in the love of the Shepherd who carries His people forever. Learn how God’s apparent silence is never His absence, and how His steadfast love strengthens us in seasons of waiting.

Episode Highlights

• Silence in prayer does not mean God has abandoned us (vv. 1–2).
• David pleads for mercy, lifting his hands toward God’s presence in faith.
• A prayer for justice reveals God’s holiness and the seriousness of sin (vv. 3–5).
• Fear turns into thanksgiving as David rejoices in God’s strength and deliverance (vv. 6–8).
• God’s help for one believer strengthens the whole people of God.
• The psalm ends with a prayer to the Shepherd who carries His people forever (v. 9).
• Christ fulfills Psalm 28 as our Rock, Redeemer, and Good Shepherd.

Resources and Next Steps

• Join the free Navigator Level of the Lessons for Life Community: https://jameslongjr.org/community
  
  
• Explore full membership and coaching options: https://jameslongjr.org/signupnow
  
  
• Download devotionals, attend live meetups, and access biblical life training to grow emotionally, relationally, and spiritually.

ABOUT JAMES and LESSONS FOR LIFE

Are you seeking hope, wisdom, and practical solutions to life’s challenges? Dr. James Long, Jr., pastor, counselor, and professor with over 30 years of experience, helps people discover God’s solutions to emotional, relational, and spiritual challenges. Each episode of Lessons for Life points you to the peace and freedom found in Jesus Christ.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everyone, it's James Long Jr and welcome to
Lessons for Life.
We are in our CounselingThrough the Psalms series.
Do me a favor and grab yourBible and a journal and turn
with me to Psalm chapter 28.
Psalm 28 is where we're goingto begin our journey together
today.
Now, one of the hardest seasonsin faith is when we cry out to

(00:21):
God and hear nothing in return.
The silence of heaven can feellike abandonment.
We begin to wonder if ourprayers are wasted, if God is
ignoring us or if we are nodifferent from those who live
without him.
Psalm 28 gives voice to thosewho struggle and reminds us that
God's apparent silence is neverhis absence.

(00:41):
So, if we're going to overviewor summarize Psalm 28, I want
you to know that Psalm 28unfolds in three movements A cry
for God to hear and rescue thepsalmist from sharing the fate
of the wicked verses 1 through 5.
A burst of praise for God'sstrength and deliverance verses
6 through 8.
And a closing prayer for God'songoing care, God's ongoing care

(01:04):
for his people verse 9.
Though the psalm begins indesperation, it ends with
confidence and joy, showing ushow to persevere in prayer until
faith rises into praise.
Well, let's look at this firstsection, a plea for God's mercy,
in verses 1 through 2.
Now David begins by saying this1-2.
Now David begins by saying thisTo you O Lord, I call my rock,

(01:25):
be not deaf to me, lest if yoube silent to me, I become like
those who go down to the pit.
So this is not a casual prayer.
It's an urgent life or deathsituation.
Without God's answer, Davidfeels that there's no difference
between those who perishwithout hope.
He lifts his hands towards themost holy place, approaching God

(01:47):
on the basis of his mercy andhis atonement.
And for us this pictures whatwe do when we access God through
the Lord Jesus Christ'sfinished work, not our
worthiness.
We see that in Hebrews, chapter10, verses 19 through 22.
It is that we come to Godthrough the work of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
The second section, here inverses three through five, is a

(02:09):
prayer for separation andjustice.
David prays not to be draggedaway with the wicked, those who
speak peace with their lips butplot evil in their hearts.
He asks God to repay themaccording to their deeds, not
out of personal vengeance, butbecause they have shown no
regard for the work of the Lord.

(02:29):
This disregard for the way ofthe Lord leads to their ultimate
downfall.
He says a little bit later onhe says he will tear them down.
Wow, he will tear them down andnever build them up again.
This section raises animportant tension how do
believers pray for justice andjudgment today?
David's prayer is notvindictive, but it roots in

(02:51):
God's righteousness.
Even Jesus taught us to prayyour kingdom come, your will be
done.
Matthew 6, verse 10, whichincludes both salvation for the
repentant and judgment for thepersistent evil.
To pray for God's justice is tolong for a world where sin and
violence do not prevail.
Verses 6-8 give us a praise forGod's strength and deliverance.

(03:14):
The psalm takes a dramatic turn.
The one who feared and silencednow rejoices in God's response.
Faith now begins withdesperation, but now burst out
into thanksgiving.
David's heart leaps for joy andhis praise becomes public.
You remember he said here Igive thanks to him in song.
Now notice the shift from mystrength in verse seven to the

(03:39):
strength of his people in verseeight.
Watch what he says here.
He says "the Lord is mystrength and my shield.
In Him I put my trust.
I am helped, my heart exaltsand with my song I give thanks
to Him.
The Lord is the strength of Hispeople.
He is the saving refuge for theanointed".
Now what you notice there isthat it's God's strength.

(03:59):
Now, personal deliveranceexpands into communal confidence
.
God's help for one believerstrengthens the faith for the
whole people of God.
Now, in verse 9, we see ashepherd for his people.
Verse 9 it says the Psalmcloses with this prayer that

(04:24):
widens beyond David's personalneed.
You can see that he says saveyour people and bless your
heritage.
He talks about being a shepherdand carrying them.
Here we glimpse into the tenderheart of God as a shepherd.
Now, unlike the wicked who aredragged off into judgment, God's
people are carried in his arms.
He not only delivers them, buthe sustains them, he blesses

(04:47):
them, he shepherds his flockforever.
And now we have Christ-centeredhope.
Psalm 28 finds its fullestanswer in the person and work of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is the rock on whom ourlives are built.
Matthew 7, verses 24 and 25.
He bore the judgment our sinsdeserve so that we would not be
dragged away with the wicked.

(05:07):
Romans 8, verse 1.
And he is our good shepherd,who laid down his life for his
sheep and carries us close tohis heart.
We see that in John, chapter 10, and we see that in Isaiah,
chapter 40, verse 11.
And because he was forsaken onthe cross, we will never be
abandoned.
Even when heaven feels silent,he is not abandoning us.

(05:28):
Now I want you to consider someof the doctrinal truths that we
find here in Psalm, chapter 28.
Because this is so important tobe able to understand that God
is teaching us rich theology.
First, we see that God hearsthe cries of his people even
when silence seems to linger.
We saw that in verses one andtwo.
But remind yourself of Luke,chapter 18, verses one through

(05:49):
eight.
That's a great passage to lookup.
A second thing I want you toconsider is that the Lord will
separate the righteous from thewicked in judgment.
We saw that in verse 3 through5, but you'll also see that in
Matthew, chapter 25, verses 31to 46.
We also see that God is thestrength, the shield and
salvation of his people verses 7through 8 here.

(06:10):
But in Ephesians, chapter 6,verses 16 through 17,.
We see that.
We also see worship is fittingresponse for answered prayer.
We see that in verse 6 and 7,but we also see that in
Colossians, chapter 3, verse 16.
And then, finally, I want youto see that God is the eternal
shepherd for his people.
We see that in verse 9, but wealso see that in John 10, verses

(06:35):
27-29.
Now, if we're going to live thispsalm today, I want you to
remind yourself to persevere inprayer, even when God seems
silent.
Silence is not abandonment.
It is often a call for a deeperlevel of trust.
Like David, we can lift ourhands towards the throne of
grace, confident that the mercyflows from the sacrifice of our

(06:56):
Lord, Jesus Christ, and we canrest assured that evil will not
prevail forever.
God will deal with the wickedand carry his people to safety.
This hope will free us, and itfrees us to keep praying, to
keep trusting and to keeprejoicing.
Well, let's reflect and respond.
Several things I would like youto think about.

(07:16):
Maybe grab your journal forthis.
One of the first thing I wantyou to consider is this when
have you felt God was silent toyour prayers, and then how did
you respond to it?
Secondly, I want you to thinkabout this how does the psalm
encourage you to persevere inprayer rather than to give up?
Third, in what areas of yourlife do you need to trust God as

(07:41):
your strength and your shield?
This is so important.
Fourth, how might you givepublic thanks to God for
answered prayers, as David didhere in Psalm 28?
Fourth Next what does it meanto you personally that God is
your shepherd, who will carryyou forever?
I want you to really dig deepinto this psalm and I want you

(08:04):
to take it from informational totransformational.
Start to look at it in yourlife.
Let's pray here, Father.
There are times where yourvoice seems silent to us.
It feels like our prayers arebouncing off the ceiling and it
feels as though you may not belistening.
Father, all those things arefeelings.
They're not reality.
So I pray that you would remindus that you always are near us.

(08:28):
I pray that you would remind usthat you never abandon us.
I pray that you would remind usthat there's not even a
molecule in this universe thatyou're not in control of.
So help us to trust yoursovereign control, your absolute
control.
Help us to trust in yourinfinite wisdom.
Help us to trust in yourperpetual love for us and
perpetual presence for us, andhelp us to bring glory and honor

(08:49):
and majesty to your name.
In Jesus' name we pray Amen,Amen.
So I want you to think ofyourself as being carried
forever by a loving shepherd,this shepherd who carries his
sheep and carries them toprotection.
Psalm 28 reminds us that Godmay seem distant for a time, but

(09:09):
he never abandons his people.
He hears, he saves and hecarries us as a shepherd forever
and ever and ever.
That's amazing.
Well, if this has been helpfulto you, I would ask you to
consider joining our freenavigator level of our Lessons
for Life community atjameslongjrorg slash community,

(09:32):
or you can explore fullmembership and coaching options
at jameslongjrorg slash.
Sign up now.
You can access journals, lifemeetups and biblical training
that will help you to growemotionally, relationally and
spiritually.
So, before we close, I want youto remind yourself that when
silence feels heavy and thewicked seem strong, remind

(09:54):
yourself that you're beingcarried forever by the shepherd
of your soul, the Lord JesusChrist.
Thank you for being with us.
Until next time, be blessedeveryone.
Take care.