Psalms 28:1

“Unto thee will I cry, etc.] This denotes the distress the psalmist was in, fervency and ardour in prayer, resolution to continue in it, and singularity with respect to the object of it; determining to cry to the Lord only; to which he was encouraged by what follows; O Lord my rock; he being a strong tower and place of defence to him, in whom were all his safety, and his trust and confidence, and in whom he had an interest; be not silent to me; or “deaf” f434; persons that do not hear are silent, and make no answer; as the Lord seems to be, when he returns no answer to the cries of his people; when he does not arise and help them; when he seems not to take any notice of his and their enemies,…”

“An earnest cry for divine aid against his enemies, as being also those of God, is followed by the Psalmist's praise in assurance of a favorable answer, and a prayer for all God's people. (Psa 28:1-9) my rock-- (Psa 18:2, Psa 18:31). be not silent to me--literally, "from me," deaf or inattentive. become like them, &c.--share their fate. go down into the pit--or, "grave" (Psa 30:3).”

“Unto thee will I cry - That is, under the consciousness of the danger to which I am exposed - the danger of being drawn away into the society of the wicked. In such circumstances his reliance was not on his own strength; or on his own resolutions; on his own heart; or on his fellowmen. He felt that he was safe only in God, and he appeals to Him, therefore, in this earnest manner, to save him. O Lord my rock - See the notes at Psalms 18:2. Be not silent to me - Margin, “from me.” So the Hebrew. The idea is that of one who will not speak to us, or who will not attend to us. We pray, and we look for an “answer” to our prayers, or, as it were, we expect God to “speak” to us; to utter words of…”

“Ps 28 In this individual lament, the psalmist pleads for justice and mercy. He expresses confidence in the Lord’s strength and faithfulness, and he intercedes for the Lord’s people. 28:1-2 The psalmist urges the Lord to listen; his urgency flows out of the tension between his deep relationship with the Lord and the adversity he faces. 28:1 if you are silent: The psalmist appeals to the Lord to take action (35:22; 50:3; 83:1; 109:1).”

“Unto: Psa 3:4, Psa 5:2, Psa 22:2, Psa 77:1, Psa 142:1 O: Psa 18:2, Psa 42:9; Isa 26:4 \*marg. be: Psa 35:22, Psa 83:1 to: Heb. from I become: Psa 30:9, Psa 69:15, Psa 88:4-6, Psa 143:7; Job 33:28; Pro 1:12; Isa 38:18; Rev 20:3 Psalms 28:2”

“This first half of the Psalm ( Psa 28:1) is supplicatory. The preposition מן in connection with the verbs חרשׁ, to be deaf, dumb, and חשׁה, to keep silence, is a pregnant form of expression denoting an aversion or turning away which does not deign to give the suppliant an answer. Jahve is his צוּר, his ground of confidence; but if He continues thus to keep silence, then he who confides in Him will become like those who are going down ( Psa 22:30), or are gone down ( Isa 14:19) to the pit. The participle of the past answers better to the situation of one already on the brink of the abyss. In the double sentence with פּן, the chief accent falls upon the second clause, for which the first only…”