Psalms 28:2

"Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee,

When I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

Draw me not away with the wicked,

And with the workers of iniquity;

That speak peace with their neighbors,

But mischief is in their hearts."

"When I lift up my hands" (Psalms 28:2). "Psalms 28:1-2, here are a prelude to the prayer proper, on the double ground of his helplessness apart from God, and of his lifting up his hands in prayer."[6] David is in such danger that unless God hears him, he will lose his life. "Hands lifted up in prayer can be expressive of prayer in many moods, such as calling down the power of heaven upon others as in Exodus 17:9f."[7] Paul also associated this action with prayer in 1 Timothy 2:8.

"Toward thy holy oracle" (Psalms 28:2). Dummelow identified this as the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle.[8] The ASV marginal reading supports this view, offering as an alternative rendition, "Toward the innermost place of thy sanctuary."

"That speak peace with their neighbors" (Psalms 28:3). The wicked appearing in the prayer here are proved to be so by, "The conflict between their public well-wishing and their inner mischief-planning."[9]

"That speak peace" (Psalms 28:3). Leupold suggested that, "This may well refer to the customary Jewish greetings, "As conveyed by the word Shalom, which means `peace.'"[10] Such a view certainly reflects what the conduct of Absalom must have been. He maintained his usual acceptance around David's palace by such friendly greetings at the same time while he was plotting the overthrow of his father the King.