Psalms 28:4

Authorized King James Version

Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
תֵּ֣ן
H5414
Give
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
#2
לָהֶ֣ם
H1992
they (only used when emphatic)
#3
כְּפָעֳלָם֮
H6467
them according to their deeds
an act or work (concretely)
#4
וּכְרֹ֪עַ
H7455
and according to the wickedness
badness (as marring), physically or morally
#5
מַֽעַלְלֵ֫יהֶ֥ם
H4611
of their endeavours
an act (good or bad)
#6
כְּמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה
H4639
them after the work
an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property
#7
יְ֭דֵיהֶם
H3027
of their hands
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v
#8
תֵּ֣ן
H5414
Give
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
#9
לָהֶ֑ם
H1992
they (only used when emphatic)
#10
הָשֵׁ֖ב
H7725
render
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);
#11
גְּמוּלָ֣ם
H1576
to them their desert
treatment, i.e., an act (of good or ill); by implication, service or requital
#12
לָהֶֽם׃
H1992
they (only used when emphatic)

Analysis

The worship and praise theme here intersects with the broader canonical witness to God's character and purposes. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of progressive revelation that finds its culmination in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's consistent character and purposes.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the Israelite monarchy with its court politics and military conflicts. The author writes to address worshipers in the temple and those seeking God in times of distress, making the emphasis on worship and praise particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection