Ps 28 2 Hear my cry for mercy
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your Most Holy Place.
When we pray to God we can be sure that He will speak. He will counsel us and lead us in the right path. God will give us wisdom. When the Psalmist says that we have a face to face relationship it is the attitude God has toward us displayed with a smiling face. He uses metaphors to show that God lowers Himself to our level in relating to us. God has a smiling face, speaks to us on our level and understands our weaknesses. Anytime the Psalmist experiences the troubles of this world , he describes them as God being silent.

Even though we trust in the covenant that God will never leave us or forsake us the Psalmist describes his fears and his troubles to God. If God is in control and fully able to protect us then He would expect us to accept it without complaint. But God encourages us to describe our feelings and our pains to Him. God promises to preserve our lives but here the Psalmist prays that God will not condemn him with the wicked.28 3 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.

If God does not answer our prayers then we would experience the silence of the wicked. We cannot trust in our own ability to overcome the troubles of this world. The Psalmist expresses his dependence by asking not to treat him like the wicked. We can express a positive or negative petition. When we suffer in this life we may not have the strength to hold ourselves up We can be sure that God will carry us.  9 Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.