"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him."
— Psalm 28:7 (NIV)
Psalm 28:7 is the "the Lord is my strength and my shield" verse. This page gives the verse, where it sits in Psalm 28, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about trust, Bible verses about a shield, and Bible verses about strength.
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The verse
The King James reads: "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."
"Strength" is 'oz (H5797), might or a strong place. "Shield" is magen (H4043), a soldier's shield. "Trusts" is batach (H982), to rely on, and "helps" is 'azar (H5826). "Leaps for joy" is 'alaz (H5937), to exult. "Song" is shir (H7892), and "praise" is yadah (H3034), to give thanks.
Where it sits in Psalm 28
Psalm 28 is headed "Of David." It opens as a plea: "To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me" (Psalm 28:1), and "Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help" (Psalm 28:2).
The turn comes just before this verse: "Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy" (Psalm 28:6). Right after it, David widens the circle: "The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one" (Psalm 28:8), and he ends, "Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever" (Psalm 28:9).
What the verse is saying
David moves from begging to be heard to singing because he was heard. Strength is what keeps him standing, and a shield is what stands between him and the attack. God is both.
The order matters: trust first, then help, then joy, then a song. David's heart relied on God, God helped, and the same heart that trusted now leaps. Nehemiah later tells a weeping crowd, "the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).
Questions people ask
What does Psalm 28:7 say?
In the NIV it says, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him."
What does "the Lord is my shield" mean?
The Hebrew magen is a soldier's shield. Calling God your shield means he stands between you and what would harm you.
Who wrote Psalm 28?
The heading says "Of David."
What is the context of Psalm 28:7?
David begins by crying out for God to hear him (Psalm 28:1-2). In verse 6 he praises God for hearing, and verse 7 is his song of trust and joy.
What other verses are like Psalm 28:7?
Psalm 18:2 (the Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer), Psalm 46:1 (God is our refuge and strength), and Proverbs 3:5-6 (trust in the Lord with all your heart) are close companions.
