Psalm 28-Rejoicing in Answered Prayer: Trusting God

"Blessed be the Lord,

Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!       

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him."

The Lord is their strength,
And He is the saving refuge of His anointed. (Psalm 28:6-8)  

Praise and thanksgiving to God are an essential element of prayer. The model prayer that Jesus left us begins with a word of "praise": 

"Hallowed be Your Name" (Matthew 6:9).

And Paul tells the Philippians, "in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6), and the Colossians, "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 4:2)

Genuine Thanksgiving in Prayer: A Heart Posture

Thanksgiving, like every other aspect of prayer, should not be a mechanical mouthing of a "thank you" to God, but the expression of words that reflect the thankfulness of our hearts.

Mechanical Prayer

Moreover, we should never think that thanking God for the answer to something we ask for can somehow force God to give it to us, for that changes the prayer from a genuine, sincere request to a demand that assumes we can make God do what we want him to do. Such a spirit in our prayers really denies the essential nature of prayer as dependence on God.

Trusting God in All Circumstances

By contrast, the kind of thanksgiving that appropriately accompanies prayer must express thankfulness to God for all circumstances, for every event of life that he allows to come to us. When we join our prayers with humble, childlike thanksgiving to God "in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18), they will be acceptable to God.

Understanding David's Prayer in Psalm 28:1-7

The passage, Psalm 28:1-7 is a prayer by David, calling on God as his "Rock" for help, and then transitioning to praise as God answers, declaring God as his strength, shield and the source of his joy and thanksgiving, trusting him for deliverance.

The passage moves from desperate prayer for protection and justice against evildoers to joyous praise for God's merciful response, highlighting themes of reliance on God, seeking refuge in Him, and the contrast between the righteous and the wicked. 

God as Our Source of Strength and Protection

God is the ultimate source of our strength and protection (a shield) for believers, and when we trust in Him, He provides help leading to deep joy and heartfelt praise through song. It's a declaration of faith, showing that recognizing God's support in weakness leads to gratitude and worship, transforming fear into confidence and trials into triumph.

Blessed Be Your Name ~ Take a few moments to worship with this powerful song that echoes David's declaration; "Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications" (Psalm 28:6), this worship song invites us to bless God's name in all circumstances. It's a powerful expression of trusting God as our source, and rejoice in His faithfulness, just as David did when God answered his prayer.