The Meaning of Psalms 28:5 Explained

Psalms 28:5

KJV: Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

YLT: For they attend not to the doing of Jehovah, And unto the work of His hands. He throweth them down, And doth not build them up.

Darby: For they regard not the deeds of Jehovah, nor the work of his hands: he will destroy them, and not build them up.

ASV: Because they regard not the works of Jehovah, Nor the operation of his hands, He will break them down and not build them up.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Because they regard  not the works  of the LORD,  nor the operation  of his hands,  he shall destroy  them, and not build them up. 

What does Psalms 28:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

David was sure the wicked would fail in their purposes since they did not acknowledge the Lord"s works.

Context Summary

Psalms 28:1-9 - A Prayer And Its Answer
This psalm also probably belongs to the time of Absalom's rebellion. Psalms 28:2-3 resemble Psalms 26:8-9.
God is silent sometimes because He loves us unspeakably, Zephaniah 3:17, r.v., margin; sometimes to test our faith, Matthew 15:23; sometimes because He has already spoken and we have not listened, Matthew 26:62. But let us never go elsewhere for help, 1 Samuel 28:6-7. Let us wait and pray, lifting up our hands in the dark to touch His hands.
These prayers for the punishment of the wicked should be read as predictions. Do not be afraid of evil or of evil-doers. God is "a consuming fire" and destroys all evil. He causes the enemy to be still as a stone until His redeemed have passed over. Therefore there breaks in on the psalmist the ray of hope which finds expression in Psalms 28:6-7. Faith cries, I am helped! Let us rejoice even before the jailer comes to tell us that we are free, Acts 16:25; and let us send out our prayers for all the Church, Psalms 28:9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 28

1  David prays earnestly against his enemies
6  and for the people

What do the individual words in Psalms 28:5 mean?

Because not they do regard unto the works of Yahweh nor the operation of His hands He shall destroy them and not build them up
כִּ֤י לֹ֤א יָבִ֡ינוּ אֶל־ פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת יְ֭הוָה וְאֶל־ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדָ֑יו יֶ֝הֶרְסֵ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִבְנֵֽם

כִּ֤י  Because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יָבִ֡ינוּ  they  do  regard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בִּין  
Sense: to discern, understand, consider.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
פְּעֻלֹּ֣ת  the  works 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: פְּעֻלָּה  
Sense: work, recompense, reward.
יְ֭הוָה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְאֶל־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה  the  operation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
יָדָ֑יו  of  His  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יֶ֝הֶרְסֵ֗ם  He  shall  destroy  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: הָרַס  
Sense: to tear down, break down, overthrow, beat down, break, break through, destroy, pluck down, pull down, throw down, ruined, destroyer, utterly.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִבְנֵֽם  build  them  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.