Psalm 30 comments

 

Psalm 30:1 ¶  «A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.» I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 2  O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 3  O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4  Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5  For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

 

Extol means to lift up in praise which is contrasted with the Lord lifting up David in saving him from his enemies. Here also in verse 1 we see how a Psalm is linked as synonymous with a Song in the introduction. Remember also Psalm 18.

 

Psalm 18:1  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,» I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

 

Many times after this a Psalm will be called a Song.

 

Some Jewish commentators, because David did not build the Temple himself but Solomon did, suggest that this is a dedication of David’s dynasty to purge it from sin after Absalom’s rebellion. The conspirators were destroyed and the civil war ended. David cried out to God and God delivered him from the grave.

 

Verse 5 can be thought of prophetically of the sorrows of life and the joy of resurrection or the rapture of the church although we must be careful of the order of things in verses 4 and 5 as the church is delivered from God’s wrath upon the earth. This is a hymn of praise and thanksgiving we can remember in times of difficulty.

 

Psalm 30:6 ¶  And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 7  LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8  I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. 9  What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10  Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. 11  Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12  To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

 

At the height of David’s glory and power he declared that he would never be moved from it and in that pride he experienced great trouble. He acknowledged that God had made him what he was and when it seemed like God had turned away from him David was worried. He cried to God what good is it to you if your anointed dies. He pleaded for mercy and God responded favorably. David is one very thankful king.

 

This would be a positive prayer for us to adapt to our situation in times of great stress, coming to God in our humility putting our pride aside.