I will extol you, Yahweh, for you have raised me up, and have not made my foes to rejoice over me.
Yahweh my God, I cried to you, and you have healed me.
Yahweh, you have brought up my soul from Sheol. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
Sing praise to Yahweh, you saints of his. Give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment. His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”
You, Yahweh, when you favored me, made my mountain stand strong; but when you hid your face, I was troubled.
I cried to you, Yahweh. I made supplication to the Lord:
“What profit is there in my destruction, if I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise you? Shall it declare your truth?
Hear, Yahweh, and have mercy on me. Yahweh, be my helper.”
You have turned my mourning into dancing for me. You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness,
to the end that my heart may sing praise to you, and not be silent. Yahweh my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 1. I will extol thee, O Jehovah! As David…
1. I will extol thee, O Jehovah! As David had been brought, as it were, from the grave to the life-giving air, he promises to extol the name of God. It is God who lifts us up with his own hand when we have been plunged into a profound gulf; and therefore it is our duty, on our part, to sing his praises with our tongues. By the foes who, he says, obtained no matter of rejoicing over him, we may understand both domestic and foreign enemies. Although wicked and evil disposed persons flattered him with servile adulation, they at the same time cherished secret hatred against him, and were ready to insult him as soon as an opportunity should occur. In the second verse, he concludes that he was preserved by the favor of God, alleging in proof of this, that when he was at the very point of death he directed his supplications to God alone, and that he immediately felt that he had not done so in vain. When God hears our prayers, it is a proof which enables us to conclude with certainty that he is the author of our salvation, and of the deliverance which we obtain. As the Hebrew word רפא, rapha, signifies to heal, interpreters have been led, from this consideration, to restrict it to sickness. But as it is certain, that it sometimes signifies to restore, or to set up again, and is moreover applied to an altar or a house when they are said to be repaired or rebuilt, it may properly enough mean here any deliverance. The life of man is in danger in many other ways than merely from disease; and we know that it is a form of speech which occurs every where in the Psalms, to say that David was restored to life whenever the Lord delivered him from any grievous and extreme danger. For the sake of amplification, accordingly, he immediately adds, Thou hast brought up my soul from the grave He reckoned that he could not sufficiently express in words the magnitude of the favor which God had conferred upon him, unless he compared the darkness of that period to a grave and pit, into which he had been forced to throw himself hastily, to protect his life by hiding, until the flame of insurrection was quenched. As one restored to life, therefore, he proclaims that he had been marvellously delivered from present death, as if he had been restored to life after he had been dead. And assuredly, it appears from sacred history, how completely he was overwhelmed with despair on every side.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12 He condemneth them of great ingratitude, which do not…
He condemneth them of great ingratitude, which do not praise God for his benefits.
After that Absalom had polluted it with most filthy fornication.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv1–12 Psa 30:1 « A Psalm [and] Song [at] the…
Psa 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.
A Psalm and Song] i.e. A holy hymn, first framed in metre, then sung with men’s voices.
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At the dedication of the house of David] Either when it was newly built, 2Sa 5:11, confer Deu 20:5 Neh 12:27, saying, as he once,
Iamque, meos dedo tibi, Princeps, iure Penates,
Tu mihi ius dederas, posse vocare meos.
God so loveth his people that their walls are ever in his sight, Isa 49:16; they should therefore have holiness to the Lord written upon them, Zec 14:20, sanctified they should be by the word and prayer, 1Ti 4:5. Or else, after he had defiled it by his adultery with Bathsheba, and Absalom had much more defiled it by his abominable incest and other villanies, See 2Sa 20:3.
Ver. 1. I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up] De puteo peccati caenoso, saith Kimchi, out of the miry pit of sin; or out of the ditch of deadly danger, say others. Therefore I will extol thee, that is, I will have high and honourable conceptions of thee. I will also do mine utmost, both by words and deeds, that thou mayest be acknowledged by others to be as thou art, the great and mighty monarch of the whole world.
And hast not made my foes to rejoice over me] Beside all former victories, Absalom and Sheba were lately slain.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12 the dedication of the house, not to note the…
the dedication of the house, not to note the matter of this Psalm or Song; but either,
1. The name of the tune to which this song was sung, which was the same that David used at the dedication of his house; and so this gives us a reason why the word Song is added to that of Psalm, and why this Psalm was called the Song of the dedication. Or,
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2. The time when it was sung; which was at the dedication of David’s house. For such dedications were performed in a very solemn manner, with divers rites and prayers, and praises to God, as the nature of that business required. And it seems probable from the matter of this Psalm, compared with the title, that David had about this time been delivered from some eminent distresses, and particularly from some dangerous sickness; for which he here gives thanks to God, taking advantage of this public and solemn occasion.
The psalmist praiseth God for deliverance out of great danger, Psa 30:1-3; and exhorteth others to do the same, Psa 30:4,5. He acknowledgeth to God that his prayer was heard, and him-self girded with gladness, Psa 30:6-11. He will give thanks to God for ever, Psa 30:12.
Lifted me up; or, drawn up, to wit, out of the deep pit, or waters; to which great dangers and afflictions are frequently compared.
To rejoice over me; which they both desired and confidently expected an occasion to do.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On vv1, 6 It was the laudable practice of the pious Jews,…
It was the laudable practice of the pious Jews, and, though not expressly appointed, yet allowed and accepted, when they had built a new house, to dedicate it to God, Deu 20:5. David did so when his house was built, and he took possession of it (Sa2 5:11); for royal palaces do as much need God's protection, and are as much bound to be at his service, as ordinary houses. Note, The houses we dwell in should, at our first entrance upon them, be dedicated to God, as little sanctuaries. We must solemnly commit ourselves, our families, and all our family affairs, to God's guidance and care, must pray for his presence and blessing, must devote ourselves and all ours to his glory, and must resolve both that we put away iniquity far from our tabernacles and that we and our houses will serve the Lord both in the duties of family worship and in all instances of gospel obedience. Some conjecture that this psalm was sung at the re-dedication of David's house, after he had been driven out of it by Absalom, who had defiled it with his incest, and that it is a thanksgiving for the crushing of that dangerous rebellion. In these verses,
I. David does himself give God thanks for the great deliverances he had wrought for him (Psa 30:1): "I will extol thee, O Lord! I will exalt thy name, will praise thee as one high and lifted up, I will do what I can to advance the interest of thy kingdom among men. I will extol thee, for thou hast lifted me up, not only up out of the pit in which I was sinking, but up to the throne of Israel." He raiseth up the poor out of the dust. In consideration of the great things God has done to exalt us, both by his providence and by his grace, we are bound, in gratitude, to do all we can to extol his name, though the most we can do is but little. Three thing magnify David's deliverance: - 1. That it was the defeat of his enemies. They were not suffered to triumph over him, as they would have done (though it is a barbarous thing) if he had died of this sickness or perished in this distress: see Psa 41:11. 2. That it was an answer to his prayers (Psa 30:2): I cried unto thee. All the expressions of the sense we have of our troubles should be directed to God, and every cry be a cry to him; and giving way, in this manner, to our grief, will ease a burdened spirit. "I cried to thee, and thou hast not only heard me, but healed me, healed the distempered body, healed the disturbed and disquieted mind, healed the disordered distracted affairs of the kingdom." This is what God glories in, I am the Lord that healeth thee (Exo 15:26), and we must give him the glory of it. 3. That it was the saving of his life; for he was brought to the last extremity, dropping into the grave, and ready to go down into the pit, and yet rescued and kept alive, Psa 30:3. The more imminent our dangers have been, the more eminent our deliverances have been, the more comfortable are they to ourselves and the more illustrious proofs of the power and goodness of God. A life from the dead ought to be spent in extolling the God of our life.
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II. He calls upon others to join with him in praise, not only for the particular favours God has bestowed upon him, but for the general tokens of his good-will to all his saints (Psa 30:4): Sing unto the Lord, O you saints of his! All that are truly saints he owns for his. There is a remnant of such in this world, and from them it is expected that they sing unto him; for they are created and sanctified, made and made saints, that they may be to him for a name and a praise. His saints in heaven sing to him; why should not those on earth be doing the same work, as well as they can, in concert with them? 1. They believe him to be a God of unspotted purity; and therefore let them sing to him; "Let them give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness; let them praise his holy name, for holiness is his memorial throughout all generations." God is a holy God; his holiness is his glory; that is the attribute which the holy angels, in their praises, fasten most upon, Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8. We ought to be much in the mention and remembrance of God's holiness. It is a matter of joy to the saints that God is a holy God; for then they hope he will make them holy, more holy. None of all God's perfections carries in it more terror to the wicked, nor more comfort to the godly, than his holiness. It is a good sign that we are in some measure partakers of his holiness if we can heartily rejoice and give thanks at the remembrance of it. 2. They have experienced him to be a God gracious and merciful; and therefore let them sing to him. (1.) We have found his frowns very short. Though we have deserved that they should be everlasting, and that he should be angry with us till he had consumed us, and should never be reconciled, yet his anger endureth but for a moment, Psa 30:5. When we offend him he is angry; but, as he is slow to anger and not soon provoked, so when he is angry, upon our repentance and humiliation his anger is soon turned away and he is willing to be at peace with us. If he hide his face from his own children, and suspend the wonted tokens of his favour, it is but in a little wrath, and for a small moment; but he will gather them with everlasting kindness, Isa 54:7, Isa 54:8. If weeping endureth for a night, and it be a wearisome night, yet as sure as the light of the morning returns after the darkness of the night, so sure will joy and comfort return in a short time, in due time, to the people of God; for the covenant of grace is as firm as the covenant of the day. This word has often been fulfilled to us in the letter. Weeping has endured for a night, but the grief has been soon over and the grievance gone. Observe, As long as God's anger continues so long the saints' weeping continues; but, if that be but for a moment, the affliction is but for a moment, and when the light of God's countenance is restored the affliction is easily pronounced light and momentary. (2.) We have found his smiles very sweet; In his favour is life, that is, all good. The return of his favour to an afflicted soul is as life from the dead; nothing can be more reviving. Our happiness is bound up in God's favour; if we have that, we have enough, whatever else we want. It is the life of the soul, it is spiritual life, the earnest of life eternal.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv1–12 I will extol thee, O Lord,.... Or "lift thee…
I will extol thee, O Lord,.... Or "lift thee up on high" (k). The Lord is high in his name, he is the most High; and in his nature, there is none besides him, nor like unto him; and in place, he dwells in the high and holy place; he is above all, angels and men; he is above all gods; he is the King of kings, and Lord of lords; he cannot be higher than he is: to extol him, therefore, is to declare him to be what he is; to exalt him in high praises of him, which the psalmist determined to do, for the following reasons;
for thou hast lifted me up; or "drawn me up", or "out" (l); from the pit of nature; the low estate of unregeneracy; the pit wherein is no water: the horrible pit, the mire and clay of sin and misery, in which all men, while unconverted, are; and out of which they cannot lift themselves, being without strength, yea, dead in sin: this is God's work; he takes out of this pit, he draws out of it by his efficacious grace; he raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill; and this is an instance of his grace and mercy, and requires a new song of praise: or this may regard some great fall by sin, from which he was restored, through the grace and power of God; or deliverance from great troubles, compared to waters, out of which he was drawn, Psa 18:16; and was lifted up above his enemies; and agrees very well with his being brought to his palace and throne again, upon the defeat of Absalom;
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and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me; as Satan does over unregenerate sinners, when he possesses their hearts, and keeps the house and goods in peace; and as the men of the world do over fallen saints, when forsaken by the Lord, and afflicted by him, and are under the frowns of his providence; but the conspirators against David were not suffered to succeed and rejoice over him, which they otherwise would have done; and for this he praises the Lord.
(k) "superexaltabo te", Cocceius; "elevabo te", Michaelis. (l) "me sursum extraxisti", Cocceius; so Michaelis; "thou hast drawn me up", Ainsworth.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv1, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12 He praises God for delivering him, and exhorts others…
He praises God for delivering him, and exhorts others to praise him, ver. 1-5. Recollects his former security, and his prayer when in trouble, ver. 6-10. And stirs himself up to thankfulness, ver. 11, 12. A Psalm and song, at the dedication of the house of David. Title of the psalm. Song - A psalm to be sung with the voice to an instrument. David - At the dedication of David's house, which was built, 2 Sam. v, 11, and doubtless was dedicated, as God had commanded.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 The psalmist returns thanks to God for deliverance from…
PSALM XXX
The psalmist returns thanks to God for deliverance from great
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danger, 1-3.
He calls upon the saints to give thanks to God at the
remembrance of his holiness, because of his readiness to save,
4, 5.
He relates how his mind stood affected before this great trial
and how soon an unexpected change took place, 6, 7;
mentions how, and in what terms, he prayed for mercy, 8-10;
shows how God heard and delivered him and the effect it had
upon his mind, 11, 12.
NOTES ON PSALM XXX
This Psalm or song is said to have been made or used at the dedication of the house of David, or rather the dedication of a house or temple; for the word David refers not to הבית habbayith, the house, but to מזמור mizmor, a Psalm. But what temple or house could this be? Some say, the temple built by Solomon; others refer it to the dedication of the second temple under Zerubbabel, and some think it intended for the dedication of a third temple, which is to be built in the days of the Messiah. There are others who confine it to the dedication of the house which David built for himself on Mount Sion, after he had taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites; or to the purgation and re-dedication of his own house, that had been defiled by the wicked conduct of his own son Absalom. Calmet supposes it to have been made by David on the dedication of the place which he built on the threshing floor of Araunah, after the grievous plague which had so nearly desolated the kingdom, 2Sa 24:25; 1Ch 21:26. All the parts of the Psalm agree to this: and they agree to this so well, and to no other hypothesis, that I feel myself justified in modelling the comment on this principle alone.
Verse 1. I will extol thee - for thou hast lifted me up] I will lift thee up, for thou hast lifted me up. Thou hast made me blessed, and I will make thee glorious. Thou hast magnified me in thy mercy; and I will show forth thy praise, and speak good of thy name.
I have made some remarks on this Psalm in the Introduction.
In this Psalm we find seven different states of mind distinctly marked: -
1. It is implied, in the first verse, that David had been in great distress, and nearly overwhelmed by his enemies.
2. He extols God for having lifted him up, and having preserved him from the cruelty of his adversaries, Ps 30:1-3.
3. He is brought into great prosperity, trusts in what he had received, and forgets to depend wholly on the Lord, Ps 30:4-6.
4. The Lord hides his face from him, and he is brought into great distress, Ps 30:7.
5. He feels his loss, and makes earnest prayer and supplication, Ps 30:8-10.
6. He is restored to the Divine favour, and filled with joy, Ps 30:11.
7. He purposes to glory in God alone, and to trust in him for ever, Ps 30:12.
As it is impossible for any man to have passed through all these states at the same time; it is supposed that the Psalm, like many others of the same complexion, has been formed out of the memoranda of a diary. See this point illustrated in the Introduction.
Thou hast lifted me up] Out of the pit into which I had fallen: the vain curiosity, and want of trust in God, that induced me to number the people. Bishop Horsley translates, Because thou hast depressed me. I thank God for my humiliation and afflictions, because they have been the means of teaching me lessons of great profit and importance.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12 Psa 30:1. Thou hast lifted me up — Hebrew,…
Psa 30:1. Thou hast lifted me up — Hebrew, דליתני, dillitani, evexisti me, Buxtorff. Dr. Waterland renders it, Thou hast drawn me up, namely, out of the deep pit, or waters, to which great dangers and afflictions are frequently compared. “The verb is used, in its original meaning, to denote the reciprocating motion of the buckets of a well; one descending as the other rises, and vice versa; and it is here applied with admirable propriety to point out the various reciprocations and changes of David’s fortunes, as described in this Psalm, as to prosperity and adversity; and particularly that gracious reverse of his afflicted condition, which he now celebrates, God having raised him up to great honour and prosperity: for, having built his palace, he perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom, for his people Israel’s sake, 2Sa 5:21.” — Chandler.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv1–12 I will extol thee - literally, “I will exalt…
I will extol thee - literally, “I will exalt thee;” that is, he would make God first and supreme in his thoughts and affections; he would do what he could to make Him known; he would elevate Him high in his praises.
For thou hast lifted me up - To wit, from the state of danger in which I was Psa 30:2-3. The Hebrew word used here means properly to draw out, as from a well; and then, to deliver, to set free. As God had thus lifted him up, it was proper that he should show his gratitude by “lifting up” or extolling the name of God.
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And hast not made my foes to rejoice over me - Hast not suffered them to triumph over me; that is, thou hast delivered me from them. He refers to the fact that he had been saved from a dangerous illness, and that his enemies had not been allowed to exult over his death. Compare the notes at Psa 41:5.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v1 Psalms 30
Psalms 30
A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David
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1 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.
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;
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.
12 O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Its Contents. For the Title vid. Introduction.19Thanksgiving for Divine deliverance from great peril of death begins the Psalm (Psa_30:1-3), which is followed by an appeal to the congregation to praise the goodness of God, which soon changes the deserved trouble into abiding joy (Psa_30:4-5). This has been shown in the life of the Psalmist, who mentions his false feelings of security and his boasting (Psa_30:6), and his terror when he perceived the loss of the Divine favor, which constitutes the true basis of his power (Psa_30:7). He then states the fact (Psa_30:8), and the manner (Psa_30:9-10) of his prayer and his experience of help (Psa_30:11), in order that he may praise God without intermission, as he vows likewise to do (Psa_30:12). Comp. P. Gerhard’s hymns: “Ich preise dich und singe,” and, “Sollt ich meinem Gott nicht singen,” with the refrain from Psa_30:520
Str. I. Psa_30:1-3. For Thou hast drawn me up.—The Hebrew word is used in Exo_2:16; Exo_2:19 of drawing water from a well and so is figuratively applied, Pro_20:5. But this is not the original idea of the word, according to Hupfeld, but is itself a particular application of the idea of drawn up, which is here rendered by all ancient translators and interpreters (so A. V. lifted me up). This does away at once with the chief point of the hypothesis of Hitzig, that the reference is to the deliverance of the prophet Jeremiah from the slimy cistern (Jeremiah 38). The deep place in question is manifestly stated in Psa_30:3 [as sheol and grave, vid.Psa_6:5; Psa_16:9.—C. A. B.]; and since there is described there, not a great danger in general in a symbolical manner (Calv., Hengst,), or in hyperbolical expressions (De Wette, Hupf.), but the near peril of death, we cannot understand the healing Psa_30:2, which is parallel with the drawing up, of help and salvation in general, but rather of deliverance from sickness. For the reading and the construction of Psa_30:3 b vid. Hupfeld.—Thou hast quickened me from among those that go down to the grave. [Hupfeld: “Hell and grave are ideas usually interchanged and parallel: and מִן, from, is used at first of the place out of which he was drawn, then of the association of those who are there, from which he is taken away.”—C. A. B.]
Str. II. Psa_30:4. And praise His holy memory.—Memory is parallel with name,Exo_3:15; Isa_26:8; Hos_12:6; Psa_97:12; Psa_135:13, yet is not identical with it. The name makes God known, the memory brings God and our duty to Him to remembrance.
Psa_30:5. For a moment (passeth) in His anger, a life in His favor; at even weeping turneth in (literally, passeth the night), and in the morning—shouts of joy.—The figurative character of these pregnant words is misunderstood by Hengst. and Hitzig and applied in the interest of their hypotheses, which however different in other respects, coincide in this, that they make all depend upon the duration of a single day. And it is the more remarkable when Hengstenberg denies the parallelism of the thought in Psa_30:5 b, and translates: for His wrath brings on a (sad) moment, His favor life. At any rate, usage demands that רֶגַע should only be regarded as a designation of time. It is true that חַיִּים includes usually the material contrast with death, in accordance with its Biblical meaning; and so Geier likewise translates delectatur vita=God has pleasure in the life, and not in the death of the sinner: but this destroys the parallelism at once. But Psa_27:4. shows that the idea of time may under certain circumstances, even in this world, appear as the only one. So likewise in Isa_54:7-8, an everlasting grace is contrasted with the moment of anger just as here a lifelong favor. The Vulgate has after the Sept. (which reads רֹגֶז) quoniam ira in indignatione ejus. So Roman Catholic interpreters in their expositions assert that the cause is used instead of the effect, wrath instead of punishment; particularly death.
Str. III. [Psa_30:6. And as for me.—Perowne: “The pronoun with the conjunction thus at the beginning of a clause is always emphatic, and generally stands in opposition to something going before, either expressed or understood. Here there is a tacit opposition between the Psalmist’s present and his former experience. Now he had learnt through the lesson of suffering to trust in God. Before that suffering came, he had begun to trust in himself. ‘I seemed so strong, so secure, I began to think within myself, I shall never be moved; Thou hadst made my mountain so strong. And then Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled’ ”—C. A. B.]
Psa_30:7. Hadst Thou appointed strength to my mountain.—The Vulgate has instead of “to my mountain” decori meo after the Sept. τῷ κάλλει μου, which presupposes the reading חֲדָרִי So likewise the Syriac. The Chald. has: Thou hast placed me on strong mountains, which Hupfeld prefers, and it is certainly better than the interpretation of others: on my strong mountain. The Hebrew verb העמיד with the accusative of the thing and dative of the person leads, however, to the idea of appoint=give, comp. 2Ch_33:8, with 2Ki_21:8. The mountain is not so much a symbol of dignity and greatness, as either of security and of success, or of dominion, especially of the Davidic kingdom (2Sa_6:9; 2Sa_6:12; Mic_4:8).—[Thou didst hide Thy face, I was frightened.—For an explanation of God’s hiding His face vid.Psa_13:1. The A. V. “troubled” is too weak.—C. A. B.]
Str. IV. Psa_30:9. What profit by my blood, by my going down to the grave? can dust praise Thee? can it declare Thy truth?—The mention of blood does not lead necessarily to the idea of a violent death, for the soul is in the blood. [Compare the argument in Psa_6:5, also Psa_88:10; Psa_88:12 and in Hezekiah’s words Isa_38:18-19, which is manifestly based on David’s words. Delitzsch: “His prayer for a prolongation of life was not for the sake of earthly possessions and enjoyment, but for the honor of God. He feared death as the end of the praise of God. For on the other side of the grave no more Psalms would be sung. Psa_6:5. Hades was not overcome in the Old Testament, the heavens not yet opened. In heaven were the בני אלים (Psalms 29. sons of Gods), but not yet the blessed בני אדם (sons of Adam),”21—C. A. B.]
Str. V. Psa_30:11. Thou hast turned my lamenting into dancing for me, didst undo my sackcloth and gird me with joy.—[Hupfeld: “Dancing (dances performed by women accompanied by songs and music at the celebration of a victory as Exo_15:20; Jdg_11:34 : 1Sa_18:6, or at religious feasts Exo_32:19, Jdg_21:21) is here poetical of joy or shouts of joy, thanksgiving and songs, as Jer_31:4; Jer_31:13; Lam_5:15.”—vid. Smith’s Dict. of the Bible, art. “Dance.”—C. A. B.]. Sackcloth is the hairy, tight garment of sorrow and penitence, which was worn on the naked body, sometimes girded on with a cord and sometimes not. The girdles were mostly colored and served at the same time as ornaments, and were often embroidered and partially adorned with costly ornaments. Hence the expression “gird” does not merely pass over into a figurative meaning as of girding with strength,Psa_18:32, but is used at once in the sense of adorn, only that the fundamental meaning ever shines through, as Psa_65:12 : the hills gird themselves with rejoicing.
Psa_30:12. In order that glory may celebrate Thee.—Most interpreters take כבוד here as referring to soul. The only difficulty is the absence of the suffix, for in this connection the reference can only be to the soul of the Psalmist and there is no example of an ellipsis of the suffix (Geier, Rosenm.). And so Hupfeld supplies it at once in the text, which thus becomes like the words of Psa_108:1. Kimchi thinks of the immortal soul in the eternal life as contrasted with the dust, Psa_30:9, which he explains of the corpse and not of the grave. But without regard to this false contrast, the article could not fail, if the soul as such was to be designated. Many others depart from the context and take the abstract for concrete=the noble (Chald.) or indeed; every man who has a wise soul (Aben Ezra). The Syriac has not regarded this word at all as the subject, but as the object: therefore will I sing praise to Thee. But this is against the construction, which is restored by the interpretation: glory=praise, renown, hymn, sings to Thee (Maurer, Olsh., De Wette). In the song of Hezekiah (Isaiah 38.) the last two verses of this Psalm are re-echoed together with many passages from the Book of Job. [Perowne: The sackcloth of his humiliation God had taken off from him, and had clothed him with the garment of praise (Isa_61:3). How should he do otherwise than praise God for ever for His goodness.”—C. A. B.]
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. There is sufficient reason in the exhibitions of grace, helpings and deliverances which God richly bestows upon men, to praise Him continually and thank Him daily. “For as God lifts us by His hand on high from the depths into which we have fallen, so it is again our obligation to lift up our hearts and mouths to His praise” (Calvin). Would that the depth of our feelings might correspond with the depths of misery from which we were drawn up, and the earnestness of our praise and thankfulness with the greatness of our obligation, since we could not even with our highest thankfulness attain to the greatness of God.
2. The Divine grace and help are wonderfully exhibited to every individual, yet it is not something singular and special; therefore the favored one has confidence in the entire congregation, that they will gladly follow his appeal to unite in the song of praise and thanksgiving which he lifts up to God. The one bounty reminds us likewise of others, the particular help of the general salvation, the present deliverance of previous exhibitions of grace shown to other men, so that the pious remembrance of God’s holy Being, as it is made known in His Providence in history, is awakened and sustained and the holy memory of Jehovah forms the subject of the songs of praise of the congregation.
3. It is worthy of particular consideration that whilst we richly deserve the wrath of God and must experience its frightful effects likewise in those sufferings in which we receive the taste of the punishments of our sins, yet the delivering favor of God which giveth life turns directly to the sinner when he is awakened from his security, and is terrified on account of his sins, and is brought in humility to the knowledge of his true condition and implores the grace of God. Thus we perceive that not wrath, but love is the essential disposition of God, and that He has both of these dispositions in Himself. “Alles Ding währt seine zeit, Gottes Lieb’ in Ewigkeit.” (P. Gerhardt.
4. Even pious people have to keep before them the dangers of prosperity and be warned by the example of David, in order that they may not be betrayed in times of prosperity to hurtful confidence in self, and false feelings of security and then descend from their imaginary height, strength and abundance, and lose more than they ever thought it possible to lose. But the security of fools ruins them (Pro_1:32; comp. Deu_8:11-18; Deu_32:15; Hos_13:6). Yet he who has been brought by sufferings to reflection, by falls to awakening and thereby to terror, self-knowledge, prayer, gains not only true help and a new grace and attains to fresh and joyous thankfulness, but gains likewise beyond self, to tell others his history in humble and thankful joy, that they may be warned, instructed and consoled. “David previously fast asleep, suddenly begins to cry out in terror to the Lord. For as iron, when it has become rusty by long disuse, cannot be again used until it is heated again in the fire and beaten with the hammer, so when once carnal security has prevailed, no one can quickly equip themselves for prayer, unless previously beaten and properly prepared by the cross” (Calvin).
5. God in the deliverance of those who seek Him in penitence, declares not only His goodness and His faithfulness, but likewise His truth, which is to be transmitted from father to son (Isa_38:19), from generation to generation (Psa_22:31). Accordingly it is incumbent upon God and is in the interest of God not to be robbed of those servants who have pleasure in never ceasing to praise Him, and who in imploring for the preservation of their life have directed themselves not to earthly things, but to God’s glory and the efficiency of His service with heart, mind and thoughts, in the assurance that this can be accomplished by them only on earth and in this life, so long as death, the world below and hell have not been vanquished.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Our songs of praise and thanksgiving cannot be drawn too deep, nor ascend too high, nor be spread too far, nor last too long.—No misery is so deep that we cannot be drawn out of it by God, but no height is so great that we cannot be cast down from it.—It is not God’s fault if His anger last longer than a moment.—When suffering or joy turns in to us, we do well to inquire whether God has sent us these guests.—It is not indifferent how long we may weep or shout for joy, but more depends upon what they are about, for God determines their duration in accordance with it.—We know not how many moments remain to us in this short, life, therefore it is important, that we should always be found as servants of God, in order that we may be ready through God’s favor to give account at any moment, and that we may praise forever His gracious help in bodily and spiritual things.—In the congregation of God are heard not only the songs of sorrow and of praise of its members, but there may be heard there likewise their penitential prayers and confessions of faith.—The experiences of believers should minister to the salvation of others, therefore they are told and written by them.—To the preaching of the truth of God belongs the preaching of His wrath against the sinner as well as the message of His grace towards the penitent and the narration of His love towards those seeking salvation.—We can have no better wish, than to experience God’s grace our lives long, declare God’s truth daily, praise God’s name forever.
Starke: It is a great benefit, when God prolongs a man’s life until he turns to God in righteousness.—God’s usual way is to cause a constant saving interchange of sorrow and of joy, in order that we may not sink under the burden.—In good days we should think of the uncertainty of success and of our own weakness, and not put our trust in ourselves and be presumptuous.—Children of the world seek to banish their sorrow by earthly pleasures of every kind, but the children of light know that all comes from the hand of the Lord; hence they wait patiently until the Lord Himself shall turn their sorrow into joy.—Osiander: When we are in trouble, carnal security soon falls to the ground and we tremble and shudder for it.—Selnekker: The guilt is man’s, the punishment comes from God. But God delights in the life of man and has not ordained any man to death, but would that all men should turn and live.—Arndt: We have here an earnest warning from the example of the dear David, that we should fear God in good days, and not be secure and rely upon temporal things.—Tholuck: To confess that God is righteous in His chastisements is very difficult for men, but David was always ready to confess this after his failures.—Stiller: This Psalm gives comfort in the sufferings of life, and says first of all, from whom they come, then how long they will endure, and finally what profit they will have.—Guenther: Every one ascends high and has ascended, who lets himself be guided in the way of the Lord.—He who always fares well quickly forgets God, and forgets likewise his poor soul; he then neglects to struggle, he regards himself as safe, even the gracious countenance of God shining upon him in continued success, he too easily takes for God’s good pleasure in his holiness.—Thym: The pious sufferer on the bed of severe sickness: 1) knows thoroughly the weakness of his nature; 2) feels therein the chastisement of the holy God; 3) turns to the Physician who ever helps.
[Matth. Henry: The more imminent our dangers have been, the more eminent our deliverances have been, the more comfortable to ourselves, and the more illustrious proofs of the power and goodness of God A life from the dead ought to be spent in extolling the God of our life.—No one of all God’s perfections carries in it more terror to the wicked nor more comfort to the godly, than His holiness.—Our happiness is bound up in God’s favor; if we have that we have enough, whatever else we want. It is the life of the soul, it is spiritual life, the earnest of life eternal.—Barnes: If we are to offer prayer for the salvation of our children, neighbors, or friends, it is to be done in this world; if we are to admonish and warn the wicked, it is to be done here; if we are to do anything by personal effort for the spread of the Gospel, it is to be done before we die. Whatever we may do in heaven, these things are not to be done there; for when we close our eyes in death, our personal efforts for the salvation of men will cease forever.—Spurgeon: When God’s children prosper one way, they are generally tried another, for few of us can bear unmingled prosperity. Even the joys of hope need to be mixed with the pains of experience, and the more surely so when comfort breeds carnal security and self-confidence.—How high has our Lord lifted us? Lifted us up into the children’s place, to be adopted into the family; lifted us up into union with Christ, “to sit together with Him in heavenly places.” Lift high the name of our God, for He has lifted us above the stars.—Heavenly heart-music is an ascending thing, like the pillars of smoke which rose from the altar of incense.—We die like withered flowers when the Lord frowns, but His sweet smile revives us as the dews refresh the fields. His favor not only sweetens and cheers life, but it is life itself, the very essence of life. Who would know life, let him seek the favor of the Lord.—As in a wheel, the uppermost spokes descend to the bottom in due course, so is it with mortal conditions. There is a constant revolution: many who are in the dust to-day shall be highly elevated to-morrow; while those who are now aloft shall soon grind the earth.—The next best thing to basking in the light of God’s countenance is to be thoroughly unhappy when that bliss is denied us.—C. A. B.]
Footnotes:
[19][The genitive “of David” does hot belong to “the house” but to “A Psalm.” Riehm is probably correct in regarding the שׁיר־חֲנכַֻּת חַכַּיִת as a later liturgical addition to the Title, showing that it was to be used at the feast of Dedication, which was instituted by Judas Maccabeus in 165 B. C. to commemorate the purification of the Temple from its desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes. שִיר is not used in the Title of any other Psalm of the first book. The Psalm would then have a general reference to David’s recovery from sickness corresponding with Psalms 16 and there is no reference to a house of his own or to the temple in the Psalm. But it might very properly be used at the feast of Dedication in subsequent times when once fixed by the circumstances of the Maccabean period. If however the Title is to be regarded as entirely original the house is not the house of David, whether at its reconsecration from the defilement of Absalom (2Sa_20:3), Calvin, Cocc. Geier, et al., or the rebuilding of the citadel of Zion which David regarded as the pledge of the greatness of his empire (Delitzsch, Moll, Perowne et al.), which is better; but to the house of God. And then it does not refer to the temple of Solomon (Chald., Rabbins. Hupf., et al.), but to the dedication of the threshing floor of Araunah (2Sa_24:20, sq.) after the three days’ plague (Rosenm., Venema, Hengst, Keil, Tholuck, Alexander, et al.).—C. A. B.]
[20][Delitzsch: “The call to praise God which in Psalms 29 goes forth to the angels above, in Psalms 30 is directed to the pious here below.”—C. A. B.]
[21][Perowne; “The truth seems to be, that whilst the Faith of the Old Testament saints in God was strong and childlike, their Hope of Immortality was at best dim and wavering, brightening perhaps for a moment, when the heart was rejoicing in God as its portion, and then again almost dying away.”—C. A. B.]
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12 healed me--Affliction is often described as disease (Psa 6:2;…
healed me--Affliction is often described as disease (Psa 6:2; Psa 41:4; Psa 107:20), and so relief by healing.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 1. Lifted me up—The word signifies to draw up,…
1. Lifted me up—The word signifies to draw up, as water from a well, or a man out of a deep pit, and is used to denote any extrication from perilous conditions. See Psa_30:3.
My foes to rejoice over me—Great as David had become in war and in peace, he was never without deadly enemies who would have rejoiced at his downfall, and only waited opportunity to accomplish it. No innocence or prudence can protect a man in power and influence from envy, rivalry, and hatred, nor a godly man from persecution.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 1. I will extol thee] Or, exalt, as the…
1. I will extol thee] Or, exalt, as the word is rendered in Exo_15:2; Psa_34:3; Isa_25:1; &c. The same word is used of God’s exalting men to high estate (1Sa_2:7), or lifting them up out of danger into safety (Psa_9:13; Psa_27:5); and man’s return is to exalt God by proclaiming His supreme exaltedness.
thou hast lifted me up] R.V., thou hast raised me up, a peculiar word, meaning literally, thou hast drawn me up, from the depths of trouble, or the pit of Sheol.
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and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me] His death would have been the occasion for the triumph of his enemies. For the malignant delight of enemies enhancing the bitterness of misfortune see Psa_35:19; Psa_35:24 ff.; Psa_38:16; Lam_2:17.
1–3. Thanksgiving for deliverance from death in answer to prayer.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 (1) Thou hast lifted me up.—The Hebrew word seems…
(1) Thou hast lifted me up.—The Hebrew word seems to mean to dangle, and therefore may be used either of letting down or drawing up. The cognate noun means bucket It is used in Exo_2:19, literally of drawing water from a well; in Pro_20:5, metaphorically of counsel. Here it is clearly metaphorical of restoration from sickness, and does not refer to the incident in Jeremiah’s life (Jer_38:13), where quite a different word is used.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv1–12 THIS psalm is one of thanksgiving from first to…
THIS psalm is one of thanksgiving from first to last, and commemorates a deliverance from a great danger. It is divided into two unequal portions one of five and the ether of seven verses. In the first part, the deliverance is mentioned, and thanks given for it, in the briefest possible way (vers. 1-3), after which the people are called upon to join in praising God, and reminded what cause they have for doing so (vers. 4, 5). In the second part, the circumstances of the deliverance are set out at greater length. First of all, the sin is confessed, which had drawn down God"s anger (ver. 6); then mention is made of the trouble which came (ver. 7); next the psalmist tells us how the trouble was met (ver. 8); he gives us his prayer and expostulation with God (vers. 9, 10); then he relates how, on a sudden, there was relief grief was turned into gladness entreaty into thanksgiving (vers. 11, 12). Finally, in a burst of joy, he promises to continue to praise and thank God for ever.
The title ascribes the psalm to David; and it is generally allowed to possess internal evidence of Davidic authorship. Ewald calls it "a model hymn of thanksgiving, composed in the best age of Hebrew poetry, for recitation in the temple." The particular occasion on which it was written is declared in the title to have been "the dedication of the house," by which (if David was the author) it is impossible to understand anything but the dedication of the altar (with its precinct) on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, after the great plague sent to punish David for numbering the people, as related in 2Sa_24:1-25 1Ch_21:1-28. With this occasion its contents are in perfect harmony. It was probably sung at the thanksgiving service with which David inaugurated his altar. The modern Jews still recite it at their Feast of the Dedication.
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I will extol thee, O Lord; or, "I will exalt thee," as the word is rendered in Psa_34:3 Psa_99:5, Psa_99:9; and elsewhere. For thou hast lifted me up; or, "drawn me up," as a bucket is drawn up out of a well, or a man out of a dungeon. And hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. David had still enemies at the time of his numbering the people, as appears from 2Sa_24:13. Indeed, it was doubtless with some reference to the number of his foes that he wished to know how many followers he could rally to his standard in case of need. If the plague had continued much longer, David"s military strength would have been seriously crippled, and his foes would have rejoiced with reason.
HOMILIES BY C. CLEMANCE Vers. 1-12. A public thanksgiving and recovery from sickness.
This psalm has a remarkable title, A Psalm or Song at the dedication of the house of David." What house is referred to we have no means of knowing, nor is there any very manifest relation between the contents of the psalm and the dedication of any house whatsoever. We can scarcely read the psalm carefully without gathering therefrom that the writer had had a dangerous illness, from which he was not expecting to recover. But his life was mercifully spared; and we may venture to gather also (by comparing the title of the psalm with ver. 3) that his recovery, and the dedication referred to nearly coincided in point of time; and that he piously resolved to avail himself of such dedication service to return thanks for his recovery. This supposition is in itself reasonable, and, so far as we can find, it is not inconsistent with any of the expressions in the psalm itself. We find herein an interesting blending of the psalmist"s inner thoughts and of his pleadings with God. We see from both, how the Old Testament saints were wont to think and pray concerning sickness and death; both in thought and prayer we find here a decided reflection of the incompleteness of revelation under the Mosaic economy, and therefore, as Christians, privileged with fuller light and larger truth, we shall be greatly to blame if we look at either affliction or death as gloomily as the psalmist did. At the same time, the varied stages of experience indicated here are so very frequently passed through, even now, that we may service-ably utilize this psalm for the purposes of studying the dealings of God with his saints in the olden time, and in the present time likewise. There are six stages of experience rehearsed at this dedication service.
I FIRST STAGE: TRANQUILITY. (Ver. 6) "In men tranquillitate" (Buxtorf and Calvin). There had been a time, prior to the experience of trouble here recorded, in which the writer had enjoyed comparative rest for a while. Some such interval of quiet is named in 2Sa_7:1. (see also 2Sa_13:14, 2Sa_13:15) And while he was calm and prosperous, he began to reckon securely on the future. He said, "I shall never be moved." We have no reason to think this was a sinful self-security, as one expositor intimates; for in the text we are told that David attributed his ease to God"s good grace and favour. But, not unnaturally, he took it for granted that such quiet would last. God had made his "mountain" of prosperity to stand so firmly that it did not then seem as if he would again be seriously disturbed. Note: There is not only a sinful self-security into which the saints may fall for a while, but there is also a thoughtless assumption which may fasten on us in times of ease, that things will remain calm and smooth. There is danger in this, however, if not sin. And it is more than likely that God will send us something to disturb our treacherous calm. Hence
II SECOND STAGE: TROUBLE. (Ver. 7, latter part.) The references in the psalm show us what this trouble was; we can scarcely question that it was some dangerous illness, in which his life was very seriously threatened (cf. vers. 2, 3, 8, 9). And he attributed this illness to, or at least he associated it with, the "hiding of God"s face." There is no necessary connection between these two. If, indeed, spiritual pride and a careless walk have sullied our life, there will be a time of mental darkness and serious spiritual depression afterwards. And not only so; but there are some diseases in which equanimity is so perturbed that spiritual distress may attend on bodily weakness through unhingement of the nervous system; and, subjectively, the effect may be as if God"s face were hidden. The connection of bodily suffering with mental gloom was not understood in David"s time, nor indeed till very recently. In the lives of Brainerd and other saints of their day, it is clear that a morbid introspection led them to associate the depression caused by fluctuating bodily health with corresponding spiritual ill. But we ought now to understand better both the laws of health and the love of God. So far from bodily affliction being a sign of "the hiding of God"s face," God himself is never nearer, and his love is never more tender, than in our times of suffering and distress. A dear friend who was seriously ill said to the writer one day, "Oh! I"m so weak, I cannot think, I cannot even pray!" We replied, "Your little Ada was very ill some time ago, was she not?" "Very." "Was she not too ill to speak to you?" "Yes." "Did you love her less because she could not speak to you?" No! I think I loved her more, if there was any difference. " "Just so" was God"s reply. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him." We must never associate trouble and sickness per se with "the hiding of God"s face." (f2) But David"s trouble, and his views thereof, led to the
III THIRD STAGE: PRAYER. And the prayer was woeful indeed. He thought he was going down to the grave to Sheol (Hebrew), to Hades (LXX), i.e. to the dim and drear underworld of the departed. There are three views of the state immediately after death, which is intended by the terms above named, which carry with them no moral significance, unless such moral significance is conveyed by the connection in which they stand.
"Sheol" denotes the realm of departed souls, looked at as the all-demanding world. "Hades" denotes the realm of departed souls, looked at as the unknown region. To the pagan world, Hades was all dark, and no light beyond. To the Hebrews it was a dim, shadowy realm, with light awaiting the righteous in the morning. (cf. Psa_17:15 Psa_49:14) To the Christian it is neither dark nor dim, but something "very far better" it is being" with Christ" Hence it follows that such a moan as that in ver. 9 would be utterly out of place now; "dying" to a believer is not "going down to the pits" and ought not to be thought of as such. The tenth verse can never be inappropriate. But note:
1. Times of anxiety and trouble often bring out agonizing prayer.
2. We may pour forth all our agonies before God. We speak to One who will never misunderstand, and who will do for us "above all that we ask or think." Hence we are not surprised to see the psalmist at a
IV FOURTH STAGE: RECOVERY. (Ver. 11; also ver. 1, "Thou hast lifted me up;" ver. 2, "Thou hast healed me.") The psalmist was restored, and permitted again to sing of recovering mercy. Note: Whatever means may be used in sickness, it is only by the blessing of God thereon that they are efficacious. Therefore he should be praised for his goodness and loving-kindness therein.
V FIFTH STAGE: THANKSGIVING AND PRAMS. (Ver. 5) When the trouble is over, what seemed so prolonged a period before dwindles in the review to" a moment." There is a beautiful antithesis, moreover, in the fifth verse, which our Revisers have too cautiously put in the margin, "His anger is but for a moment; his favour is for a lifetime." Bishop Perowne says, seems here to be used of duration of life, though it would be difficult to support the usage." But even if the word may not be used of the duration of life, surely it is used of life in reference to its continuousness, as in Psa_21:5 and Psa_63:5; and so is in complete antithesis to "a moment." We should render the text, "For a moment in his anger, life in his favour." (Even here, however, we must beware of always associating sickness with the anger of God.) How gloriously true it is, "He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever"! (Psa_103:9, 10 Isa_57:16-18) We may not only praise God that our joys vastly outnumber our sorrows, but also that ofttimes our sorrows become the greatest mercies of all. Thus we are brought in thought to the
VI SIXTH STAGE: VOW. (Ver. 12, "O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.") Many illustrations are to be found in the Word of God, of vows following on the reception of special mercies from him. (Gen_28:20-22 1Sa_1:11 Psa 116:, Psa_132:2) Note: At each instance of signal mercy in life, there should be as signal a repetition of our consecration vows. C.
HOMILIES BY W. FORSYTH Vers. 1-12. God"s chastening hand.
It is written, "No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby". (Heb_12:11) This psalm teaches how we may reap much good from the chastening of sickness.
I The first thing is to ACKNOWLEDGE GOD"S HAND. The heathen may be in doubt; they may question whether it is "a chance" or the doing of God when great evil comes; (1Sa_6:9) but it ought not to be so with us. Behind the things seen, and all the causes we can trace, we should see the hand of God. "Thou hast lifted me up." What a blessed change this thought effects! It is like light breaking in on the darkness, and the sense of a loving presence bringing hope to our hearts in trouble.
II Again, we should CONFESS GOD"S MERCY. However bad our case may he, it might be worse. "Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins?" (Lam_3:39; cf. Mic_7:9) Besides, there are alleviations. We meet with kindness and sympathy; we are cheered by the ministry of loving friends; we have the teaching and experiences of other sufferers open to us in books; above all, we have the consolations of our holy religion.
III Again, it is meet that we should SEEK TO KNOW GOD"S WILL. He does not act from passion or caprice. He has a purpose, and his purpose must be worthy of himself, as well as benign and gracious toward us. We know as a general truth that "the will of God is our sanctification". (1Th_4:3) But we should inquire, besides, as to what special end God may have in view in the particular trial that has come to us. It may be he wishes to teach us the brevity of life. "Work, therefore, while it is called to-day". (Joh_9:4) Or his object may be to humble our hearts and to quicken our sympathies with others. "Look not, therefore, on your own things, but look also on the things of others". (Php_2:4) Or his purpose may be to loosen us from earthly things, and to bind us more closely to himself as our Saviour and our God. "Little children, keep yourselves from idols". (1Jn_5:21) In any case, like Job, let us say, "That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more". (Job_34:32; cf. Jos_7:6)
IV Again, we should pray that we may be able to SURRENDER OURSELVES WHOLLY TO GOD. "The hardest, the severest, the last lesson which man has to learn upon this earth is submission to the will of God. It is the hardest lesson, because to our blinded eyesight it often seems a cruel will. It is the severest, because it can be only taught by the blighting of much that has been most dear; it is the last lesson, because when a man has learned that, he is fit to be transplanted from a world of wilfulness to a world in which one will alone is loved and done. All that saintly experience ever had to teach resolves itself into this the lesson how to say affectionately, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt" (F. W. Robertson). When we have learned this lesson, then we are able to see with thankfulness and joy that God"s holiness and love are one (ver. 4). Besides, we have reached a height which, looking before and after, we recognize the gracious dealings of God with us all through, and are able to say that it was good for us to have been afflicted (vers. 6-12). Perhaps, like the psalmist, we may have been falling into carnal security. We have said to ourselves, "I shall never be moved." Our presumption has brought upon us chastisement. We presumed upon our health, and God sent sickness; we presumed upon our friends and lovers, and God has put them far from us; we presumed upon our reputation and worldly comforts, and God has brought us low; we presumed upon our religious faith and privileges, and God has hid his face from us, and taught us that we must rely only on himself. Our trials have moved us to prayer (vers. 8-10); our prayer has brought us help and comfort from God (ver. 11), and now with renewed hope and joy we can sing God"s praise (ver. 12). W.F.
HOMILIES BY C. SHORT Vers. 1-5. The mercy of God.
This psalm composed after recovery from some chastisement for sin, which had very nearly proved fatal. He praises God for lifting him up out of it, and calls upon others of a similar experience to join him in his thanksgiving.
I HE CELEBRATES WITH JOY THE MERCY OF GOD TO HIM.
1. His recovery had put an end to the malicious exultation of his foes. (Ver. 1) Wicked men rejoice in the downfall and calamity of the good; they accept it as a sign of hypocrisy and of the approaching downfall of goodness and the good cause. And this was why the psalmist rejoiced that in his case they had been disappointed. We sympathize in the success of the cause that is dearest to our heart the good with the good; the bad with the bad.
2. God had healed him of the sin which caused the chastisement. (Ver. 2) What the instance of the sin was may be seen in the sixth verse overweening presumption and pride, produced by prosperity. It was that which threatened his safety, his very life; and it imperils the safety of all who are guilty of it. "Pride goeth before destruction," etc. His faults nothing as compared to virtues. And in being healed of the sin he was restored and lifted back to life.
3. God had removed also the chastisement of his sin. (Ver. 3) It would not have been good to remove the chastisement till it had wrought repentance and brought him humility and trust and watchfulness. God always removes the sin before he takes away the chastisement.
II HE USES HIS OWN EXPERIENCE AS A LESSON OF TRUST TO OTHERS. (Vers. 4, 5)
1. Sympathy with men and gratitude to God both teach us to do this. Others who were then suffering what he had suffered were encouraged to trust in the goodness of God. But the special ground for praise here insisted on is:
2. That the dark experiences of the righteous are transient, like the tears of a might; but their bright experiences as quickly return as the morning after the night. (Ver. 5) Long-continued sorrow kills; joy is the life-giver which God sends when sorrow has brought us low The sorrow of the world worketh death, but godly sorrow life. S.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain On vv1–12 Title. A Psalm and Song at the Dedication of…
Title. A Psalm and Song at the Dedication of the House of David; or rather, A Psalm; a Song of Dedication for the House. By David. A song of faith since the house of Jehovah, here intended, David never lived to see. A Psalm of praise, since a sore judgment had been stayed, and a great sin forgiven. From our English version it would appear that this Psalm was intended to be sung at the building of that house of cedar which David erected for himself, when he no longer had to hide himself in the Cave of Adullam, but had become a great king. If this had been the meaning, it would have been well to observe that it is right for the believer when removing, to dedicate his new abode to God. We should call together our Christian friends, and show that where we dwell, God Dwells, and where we have a tent, God has an altar. But as the song refers to the temple, for which it was David's joy to lay by in store, and for the site of which he purchased in his later days the floor of Ornan, we must content ourselves with remarking the holy faith which foresaw the fulfilment of the promise made to him concerning Solomon. Faith can sing
"Glory to thee for all the grace
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I have not tasted yet."
Throughout this Psalm there are indications that David had been greatly afflicted, both personally and relatively, after having, in his presumption, fancied himself secure. When God's children prosper one way, they are generally tried another, for few of us can bear unmingled prosperity. Even the joys of hope need to be mixed with the pains of experience, and the more surely so when comfort breeds carnal security and self confidence. Nevertheless, pardon soon followed repentance, and God's mercy was glorified. The Psalm is a song, and not a complaint. Let it be read in the light of the last days of David, when he had numbered the people, and God had chastened him, and then in mercy had bidden the angel sheathe his sword. On the floor of Ornan, the poet received the inspiration which glows in this delightful ode. It is the Psalm of the numbering of the people, and of the dedication temple which commemorated the staying of the plague.
Division. In Ps 30:1-3, David extols the Lord for delivering him. Ps 30:4-5 he invites the saints to unite with him in celebrating divine compassion. In Ps 30:6-7 he confesses the fault for which he was chastened, Ps 30:8-10 repeats the supplication which he offered, and concludes with commemorating his deliverance and vowing eternal praise.
Ver. 1. I will extol thee. I will have high and honourable conceptions of thee, and give them utterance in my best music. Others may forget thee, murmur at thee, despise thee, blaspheme thee, but "I will extol thee, "for I have been favoured above all others. I will extol thy name, thy character, thine attributes, thy mercy to me, thy great forbearance to my people; but, especially will I speak well of thyself; "I will extol thee, "O Jehovah; this shall be my cheerful and constant employ. For thou hast lifted me up. Here is an antithesis, "I will exalt thee, for thou hast exalted me." I would render according to the benefits received. The Psalmist's praise was reasonable. He had a reason to give for the praise that was in his heart. He had been drawn up like a prisoner from a dungeon, like Joseph out of the pit, and therefore he loved his deliverer. Grace has uplifted us from the pit of hell, from the ditch of sin, from the Slough of Despond, from the bed of sickness, from the bondage of doubts and fears: have we no song to offer for all this? How high has our Lord lifted us? Lifted us up into the children's place, to be adopted into the family; lifted us up into union with Christ, "to sit together with him in heavenly places." Lift high the name of our God, for he has lifted us up above the stars. And hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. This was the judgment which David most feared out of the three evils; he said, let me fall into the hand of the Lord, and not into the hand of man. Terrible indeed were our lot if we were delivered over to the will of our enemies. Blessed be the Lord, we have been preserved from so dire a fate. The devil and all our spiritual enemies have not been permitted to rejoice over us; for we have been saved from the fowler's snare. Our evil companions, who prophesied that we should go back to our old sins, are disappointed. Those who watched for our halting, and would fain say, "Aha! Aha! So would we have it!" have watched in vain until now. O happy they whom the Lord keeps so consistent in character that the lynx eyes of the world can see no real fault in them. Is this our case? let us ascribe all the glory to him who has sustained us in our integrity.
Title. "A Psalm and Song, "etc. It is thought that when these two words of Psalm and Song are both put in the title of a Psalm, it is meant that the sound of instruments was to be joined with the voice when they were sung in the Temple, and that the voice went before when it is said Song and Psalm, and did come after when it is said Psalm and Song. John Diodati.
Title. At the dedication of it. (tybh tknx) The original word (Knx) signifies initiari, egkainizein, rei novae primam usurpationem. So Cocceius, to initiate, or the first use that is made of anything. It was common, when any person had finished a house and entered into it, to celebrate it with great rejoicing, and keep a festival, to which his friends are invited, and to perform some religious ceremonies, to secure the protection of heaven. Thus, when the second temple was finished, the Priests and Levites, and the rest of the captivity, kept the dedication of the house of God with joy, and offered numerous sacrifices. Ezr 6:16. We read in the New Testament Joh 10:22, of the feast of the dedication appointed by Judas Maccabaeus, in memory of the purification and restoration of the temple of Jerusalem, after it had been defiled and almost laid in ruins by Antiochus Epiphanes; and celebrated annually, to the time of its destruction by Titus, by solemn sacrifices, music, songs, and hymns, to the praises of God, and feasts, and everything that could give the people pleasure, for eight days successively. Josephus Ant. 1:7. Judas ordained, that "the days of the dedication should be kept in their season, from year to year, with mirth and gladness." 1 Mac 4:59. And that this was customary, even amongst private persons, to keep a kind of religious festival, upon their first entrance into a new house, appears from the order of God De 20:5, that no person who had built a new house should be forced into the army, "if he had not dedicated the house, "i.e., taken possession of it according to the usual ceremonies practised on such occasions; a custom this that hath more or less prevailed amongst all nations. Thus the Romans dedicated their temples, their theatres, their statues, and their palaces and houses. Suet. Octav. c. 43. p 13; c. 31. p 9. Samuel Chandler.
Title. The present Psalm is the only one that is called a shir, or song, in the first book of the Psalms, i.e., Psalms 1-41. The word (ryv) shir is found in the titles of Psalms 45, 46, 48, 65, 68, 75, 83, 87, 88, 92, 108, 120, 134. Psalm 18 is entitled, "a shirah (or song) of deliverance from his enemies, "and the present shir may be coupled with it. Christopher Wordsworth.
Title. As by offering the first fruits to God they acknowledged that they received the increase of the whole year from him, in like manner, by consecrating their houses to God, they declared that they were God's tenants, confessing that they were strangers, and that it was he who lodged and gave them a habitation there. If a levy for war, therefore, took place, this was a just cause of exemption, when any one alleged that he had not yet dedicated his house. Besides, they were at the same time admonished by this ceremony, that every one enjoyed his house aright and regularly, only when he so regulated it that it was as it were a sanctuary of God, and that true piety and the pure worship of God reigned in it. The types of the law have now ceased, but we must still keep to the doctrine of Paul, that whatsoever things God appoints for our use, are still "sanctified by the word of God and prayer." 1Ti 4:4-5. John Calvin.
Whole Psalm. Calmet supposes it to have been made by David on the dedication of the place which he built on the threshing floor of the Araunah, after the grievous plague which had so nearly desolated the kingdom. 2Sa 24:25 1Ch 21:26. All the parts of the Psalm agree to this: and they agree to this so well, and to no other hypothesis, that I feel myself justified in modelling the comment on this principle alone. Adam Clarke.
Whole Psalm. In the following verses I have endeavoured to give the spirit of the Psalm, and to preserve the frequent antitheses.
I will exalt thee, Lord of hosts,
For thou'st exalted me;
Since thou hast silenced Satan's boasts,
I will therefore boast in thee.
My sins had brought me near the grave,
The grave of black despair;
I looked, but there was none to save,
Till I looked up in prayer.
In answer to my piteous cries,
From hell's dark brink I am brought:
My Jesus saw me from the skies,
And swift salvation wrought.
All through the night I wept full sore,
But morning brought relief;
That hand, which broke my bones before,
Then broke my bonds of grief.
My mourning he to dancing turns,
For sackcloth joy he gives,
A moment, Lord, thine anger burns,
But long thy favour lives.
Sing with me then, ye favoured men,
Who long have known his grace;
With thanks recall the seasons when
Ye also sought his face.
C. H. S.
Ver. 1. I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up. I will lift thee up, for thou hast lifted me up. Adam Clarke.
Ver. 1. Thou hast lifted me up. (yntyld) The verb is used, in its original meaning, to denote the reciprocating motion of the buckets of a well, one descending as the other rises, and vice versa; and is here applied with admirable propriety, to point out the various reciprocations and changes of David's fortunes, as described in this Psalm, as to prosperity and adversity; and particularly that gracious reverse of his afflicted condition which he now celebrates, God having raised him up to great honour and prosperity; for having built his palace, he "perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake." 2Sa 5:12. Samuel Chandler.
Title. House dedication, and how to arrange it.
Whole Psalm. In this ode we may see the workings of David's mind before, and under, and after, the affliction.
1. Before the affliction: Ps 30:6.
2. Under the affliction: Ps 30:7-10.
3. After the affliction: Ps 30:11-12.
William Jay.
Ver. 1. (first clause). God and his people exalting each other.
Ver. 1. (second clause). The happiness of being preserved so as not to be the scorn of our enemies.
Ver. 1. The disappointment of the devil.
Meditations upon the XXX Psalme of David. By Sir RICHARD BAKER. (See Page 10.)
In Chandler's Life of David (Vol. II., pp. 8-15), there is an Exposition of Psalm 30.
Psalms 30:2*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 I will extol Thee, O Lord; for Thou hast…
Psa_30:1-12
I will extol Thee, O Lord; for Thou hast lifted me up.
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A Psalm of deliverance
The title of this psalm is apparently a composite, the usual Psalm of David having been enlarged by the awkward insertion of A Song at the Dedication of the House, which probably indicates its later liturgical use, and not its first destination. Its occasion was evidently a deliverance from grave peril; and, whilst its tone is strikingly inappropriate if it had been composed for the inauguration of temple, tabernacle, or palace, one can understand how the venerable words, which praised Jehovah for swift deliverance from impending destruction, would be felt to fit the circumstances and emotions of the time when the Temple, profaned by the mad acts of Antiochus Epiphanes, was purified and the ceremonial worship restored. Never had Israel seemed nearer going down to the pit; never had deliverance come more suddenly and completely. The intrusive title is best explained as dating from that time and indicating the use then found for the song. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)
A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David
It was doubtless very different from the cottage he occupied when he was a shepherd. But there was no impropriety in this change. As a king he was obliged to do many things from a regard to his station rather than from personal choice. Yet he was godly there as in his former abode. Hence, entering his new house, he consecrates it to God. Let it be our concern that our dwelling may be the house of God while we live, and the gate of heaven when we die. David was a poet, and he here elaborates his deliverance from a dangerous disease.
I. Davids mind before his affliction--he had thought and said, 1 shall never be moved. Hence the need of affliction.
II. under it. He cried to the Lord.
III. after the affliction Renewed consecration to God. Hence his vow to build a house for the Lord. (W. Jay.)
Mercies remembered
St. James says, Is any merry? let him sing psalms--that is, in everything acknowledge God. A true saint in prosperity gives God thanks for His mercies. Therefore when all are in prosperity, it is easy to distinguish the true from the false, because they take directions outwardly and manifestly different. The Church in her joy praises God, the world in its joy praises man. This psalm is a beautiful specimen of church music considered in its highest character, as aiming at the praise of God. It was sung in immediate connection with the dedication of the house of David. Such a dedication was, amongst Israel, deemed a thing of great solemnity and importance (Deu_12:1-32.). And now, entering in his new abode, David looks back upon the mercies of God.
I. that his enemies had not been allowed to rejoice over him. He had many enemies, and there are few of us who are without them. If we are in good reputation and esteem, we have reason to thank God as David did.
II. Gods healing grace. Thou hast healed me. Who has not such mercy to record?
III. the many deliverances he had experienced. Thou hast brought up my soul from the grave. And such deliverance, both of body and soul, we have known. And on such an occasion as entering a new home, how good it is, as did David, to remember Gods mercies in the past.
IV. and we should seek to associate others in our praise. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His; and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness. It is His holiness which is the security of yours. And His anger, how momentary that compared with his life-long favour!
V. the answer to his prayer. Thou hast turned, etc. (H. MNeile, D. D.)
Christian elevation
Though believers in Christ may not be lifted up like the psalmist in a temporal point of view, yet they are all, like him, lifted up in a spiritual point of view.
1. Above all danger from the wrath to come.
2. To the enjoyment and possession of spiritual life.
3. To a place in Gods graciously adopted family.
4. Above all fatal evil from enemies, whether of a temporal or spiritual description.
5. To the hope of a safe death, a blessed resurrection, and a joyful eternity. (T. Adam.)
The first and the final stage in true worship
I. The first stage--gratitude.
1. He points to Gods mercy as having come to him in various ways.
(1) As an extrication from difficulties.
(2) As a protection from enemies.
(3) As a restoration to health.
(4) As preservation of life.
2. The gratitude from which true worship springs implies the beliefs
(1) That the favours received are utterly undeserved.
(2) That they were intended to serve us.
II. The final stage--adoration.
1. On account of the holiness of Gods character. In heaven His character attracts all eyes, absorbs all thoughts, transports all souls, inspires all anthems. Let us aspire to this highest stage of worship.
2. On account of the eternal flow of His love. Suffering is always--
(1) Brief.
(2) Preliminary. (Homilist)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Expositor's Bible 1887 · Public Domain On v1 Psalms 30
Psalms 30
THE title of this psalm is apparently a composite, the usual "Psalm of David" having been enlarged by the awkward insertion of "A Song at the Dedication of the House," which probably indicates its later liturgical use and not its first destination. Its occasion was evidently a deliverance from grave peril; and, whilst its tone is strikingly inappropriate if it had been composed for the inauguration of temple, tabernacle, or palace, one can understand how the venerable words, which praised Jehovah for swift deliverance from impending destruction, would be felt to fit the circumstances and emotions of the time when the Temple, profaned by the mad acts of Antiochus Epiphanes, was purified and the ceremonial worship restored. Never had Israel seemed nearer going down to the pit; never had deliverance come more suddenly and completely. The intrusive title is best explained as dating from that time and indicating the use then found for the song.
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It is an outpouring of thankfulness, and mainly a leaf from the psalmists autobiography, interrupted only by a call to all who share Jehovahs favour to help the single voice to praise Him (Psa_30:4-5). The familiar arrangement in pairs of verses is slightly broken twice, Psa_30:1-3 being linked together as a kind of prelude and Psa_30:8-10 as a repetition of the singers prayer. His praise breaks the barrier of silence and rushes out in a flood. The very first word tells of his exuberant thankfulness, and stands in striking relation to Gods act which evokes it. Jehovah has raised him from the very sides of the pit, and therefore what shall he do but exalt Jehovah by praise and commemoration of His deeds? The song runs over in varying expressions for the one deliverance, which is designated as lifting up, disappointment of the malignant joy of enemies, healing, rescue from Sheol and the company who descend thither, by restoration to life. Possibly the prose fact was recovery from sickness, but the metaphor of healing is so frequent that the literal use of the word here is questionable. As Calvin remarks, sackcloth (Psa_30:11) is not a sick mans garb. These glad repetitions of the one thought in various forms indicate how deeply moved the singer was, and how lovingly he brooded over his deliverance. A heart truly penetrated with thankfulness delights to turn its blessings round and round, and see how prismatic lights play on their facets. as on revolving diamonds. The same warmth of feeling, which glows in the reiterated celebration of deliverance, impels to the frequent direct mention of Jehovah. Each verse has that name set on it as a seal, and the central one of the three (Psa_30:2), not content with it only, grasps Him as "my God," manifested as such with renewed and deepened tenderness by the recent fact that "I cried loudly, unto Thee, and Thou healedst me." The best result of Gods goodness is a firmer assurance of a personal relation to Him. "This is an enclosure of a common without damage: to make God mine own, to find that all that God says is spoken to me" (Donne). The stress of these three verses lies on the reiterated contemplation of Gods fresh act of mercy and on the reiterated. invocation of His name, which is not vain repetition, but represents distinct acts of consciousness, drawing near to delight the soul in thoughts of Him. The psalmists vow of praise and former cry for help could not be left out of view, since the one was the condition and the other the issue of deliverance, but they are slightly touched. Such claiming of God for ones own and such absorbing gaze on Him are the intended results of His deeds, the crown of devotion, and the repose of the soul.
True thankfulness is expansive, and joy craves for sympathy. So the psalmist invites other voices to join his song, since he is sure that others there are who have shared his experience. It has been but one instance of a universal law. He is not the only one whom Jehovah has treated with lovingkindness, and he would fain hear a chorus supporting his solo. Therefore he calls upon "the favoured of God" to swell the praise with harp and voice and to give thanks to His "holy memorial," i.e., the name by which His deeds of grace are commemorated. The ground of their praise is the psalmists own case generalised. A tiny mirror may reflect the sun, and the humblest persons history, devoutly pondered, will yield insight into. Gods widest dealings. This, then, is what the psalmist had learned in suffering, and wishes to teach in song: that sorrow is transient and joy perennial. A cheerful optimism should be the fruit of experience, and especially of sorrowful experience. The antitheses in Psa_30:5 are obvious. In the first part of the verse "anger" and "favour" are plainly, contrasted, and it is natural to suppose that "a moment" and "life" are so too. The rendering, then, is, "A moment passes: in His anger, a life [i.e., a lifetime] in His favour." Sorrow is brief; blessings are long. Thunderstorms occupy but a small part of summer. There is usually less sickness than health in a life. But memory and anticipation beat out sorrow thin, so as to cover a great space. A little solid matter, diffused by currents, will discolour miles of a stream. Unfortunately we have better memories for trouble than for blessing, and the smart of the roses prickles lasts longer in the flesh than its fragrance in the nostril or its hue in the eye. But the relation of ideas here is not merely that of contrast. May we not say that just as the "moment" is included in the "life," so the "anger" is in the "favour"? Probably that application of the thought was not present to the psalmist, but it is an Old Testament belief that "whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth," and Gods anger is the aversion of holy love to its moral opposite. Hence comes the truth that varying and sometimes opposite Divine methods have one motive and one purpose, as the same motion of the earth brings summer and winter in turn. Since the desire of God is to make men partakers of His holiness, the root of chastisement is love, and hours of sorrow are not interruptions of the continuous favour which fills the life.
A like double antithesis moulds the beautiful image of the last clause. Night and morning are contrasted, as are weeping and joy; and the latter contrast is more striking, if it be observed that "joy" is literally a "joyful shout," raised by the voice that had been breaking into audible weeping. The verb used means to lodge for a night, and thus the whole is a picture of two guests, the one coming, sombre-robed, in the hour befitting her, the other, bright-garmented, taking the place of the former, when all things are dewy and sunny, in the morning. The thought may either be that of the substitution of joy for sorrow, or of the transformation of sorrow into joy. No grief lasts in its first bitterness. Recuperative forces begin to tell by slow degrees. "The low beginnings of content" appear. The sharpestcutting edge is partially blunted by time and what it brings. Tender green drapes every ruin. Sorrow is transformed into something not undeserving of the name of joy. Griefs accepted change their nature. "Your sorrow shall be turned into joy." The man who in the darkness took in the dark guest to sit by his fireside finds in the morning that she is transfigured, and her name is Gladness. Rich vintages are gathered on the crumbling lava of the quiescent volcano. Even for irremediable losses and immedicable griefs, the psalmists prophecy is true, only that for these "the morning" is beyond earths dim dawns, and breaks when this night which we call life, and which is wearing thin, is past. In the level light of that sunrise, every raindrop becomes a rainbow, and every sorrow rightly-that is. submissively-borne shall be represented by a special and particular joy.
But the thrilling sense of recent deliverance runs in too strong a current to be long turned aside, even by the thought of others praise; and the personal element recurs in Psa_30:6, and persists till the close. This latter part falls into three well-marked minor divisions: the confession of self-confidence, bred of ease and shattered by chastisement, in Psa_30:6-7; the prayer of the man startled into renewed dependence in Psa_30:8-10; and the closing reiterated commemoration of mercies received and vow of thankful praise, which echoes the first part, in Psa_30:11-12.
In Psa_30:6 the psalmists foolish confidence is emphatically contrasted with the truth won by experience and stated in Psa_30:5. "The law of Gods dealings is so, but I-I thought so and so." The word rendered "prosperity" may be taken as meaning also security. The passage from the one idea to the other is easy, inasmuch as calm days lull men to sleep, and make it hard to believe that "tomorrow shall" not "be as this day." Even devout hearts are apt to count upon the continuance of present good. "Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God." The bottom of the crater of Vesuvius had once great trees growing, the produce of centuries of quiescence. It would be difficult to think, when looking at them, that they would ever be torn up and whirled aloft in flame by a new outburst. While continual peril and change may not foster remembrance of God, continuous peace is but too apt to lull to forgetfulness of Him. The psalmist was beguiled by comfort into saying precisely what "the wicked said in his heart". {Psa_10:6} How different may be the meaning of the same words on different lips! The mad arrogance of the godless mans confidence, the error of the good man rocked to sleep by prosperity and the warranted confidence of a trustful soul are all expressed by the same words; but the last has an addition which changes the whole: "Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." The end of the first mans boast can only be destruction; that of the thirds faith will certainly be "pleasures for evermore"; that of the seconds lapse from dependence is recorded in Psa_30:7. The sudden crash of his false security is graphically reproduced by the abrupt clauses without connecting particles. It was the "favour" already celebrated which gave the stability which had been abused. Its effect is described in terms of which, the general meaning is clear, though the exact rendering is doubtful. "Thou hast [or hadst] established strength to my mountain is harsh, and the proposed emendation (Hupfeld, Cheyne, etc.), "hast set me on strong mountains," requires the addition to the text of the pronoun. In either case, we have a natural metaphor for prosperity. The emphasis ties on the recognition that it was Gods work, a truth which the psalmist had forgotten and had to be taught by the sudden withdrawal of Gods countenance, on which followed his own immediate passage from careless security to agitation and alarm. The word "troubled" is that used for Sauls conflicting emotions and despair in the witchs house at Endor, and for the agitation of Josephs brethren when they heard that the man who had their lives in his hand was their wronged brother. Thus alarmed and filled with distracting thoughts was the psalmist. "Thou didst hide Thy face," describes his calamities in their source. When the sun goes in, an immediate gloom wraps the land, and the birds cease to sing. But the "trouble" was preferable to "security," for it drove to God. Any tempest which does that is better than calm which beguiles from Him; and, since all His storms are meant to "drive us to His breast," they come from His "favour."
The approach to God is told in Psa_30:8-10, of which the two latter are a quotation of the prayer then wrung from the psalmist. The ground of this appeal for deliverance from a danger threatening life is as in Hezekiahs prayer, {Isa_38:18-19} and reflects the same conception of the state of the dead as Psa_6:5. If the suppliant dies, his voice will be missed from the chorus which sings Gods praise on earth. "The dust" (i.e., the grave) is a region of silence. Here, where life yielded daily proofs of Gods "truth" (i.e., faithfulness), it could be extolled, but there dumb tongues could bring Him no "profit" of praise. The boldness of the thought that God is in some sense advantaged by mens magnifying of His faithfulness, the cheerless gaze into the dark realm, and the implication that to live is desired not only for the sake of lifes joys, but in order to show forth Gods dealings, are all remarkable. The tone of the prayer indicates the imperfect view of the future life which shadows many psalms, and could only be completed by the historical facts of the Resurrection and Ascension.
Concern for the honour of the Old Testament revelation may, in this matter, be stretched to invalidate the distinctive glory of the New, which has "brought life and immortality to light":
With quick transition, corresponding to the swiftness of the answer to prayer, the closing pair of verses tells of the instantaneous change which that answer wrought. As in the earlier metaphor weeping was transformed into joy, here mourning is turned into dancing, and Gods hand unties the cord which loosely bound the sackcloth robe, and arrays the mourner in festival attire. The same conception of the sweetness of grateful praise to the ear of God which was presented in the prayer recurs here, where the purpose of Gods gifts is regarded as being mans praise. The thought may be construed so as to be repulsive, but its true force is to present God as desiring hearts love and trust, and as "seeking such to worship Him," because therein they will find supreme and abiding bliss. "My glory," that wonderful personal being, which in its lowest debasement retains glimmering reflections caught from God, is never so truly glory as when it "sings praise to Thee," and never so blessed as when, through a longer "forever" than the psalmist saw stretching before him, it "gives thanks unto Thee."
William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v1 “This psalm was composed after recovery from a sickness…
INTRODUCTION
“This psalm was composed after recovery from a sickness which had very nearly proved fatal. The singer begins with an inscription of praise to God for His great goodness, and calls upon all who, like himself, had known the loving-kindness of Jehovah, to join him in his thanksgiving. Thence he passes (Psa_30:6.) to a recital of his own experience, his pleading with God in his affliction, and God’s answer to his prayer. According to the inscription, the psalm was composed “at the dedication of the house.” But what house? Some would understand the dedication of the spot on which the Temple afterwards stood, and which David purchased of Araunah (2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21). Others conjecture that by “the dedication of the house,” is meant a purification and reconsecration of David’s palace which Absalom had defiled (2Sa_20:3). But, perhaps, if the inscription be trustworthy, it refers to the house which David built in his new city of Zion, and the building of which he seems to have regarded as a pledge of the security and prosperity of his kingdom (2Sa_5:11-12). We must, however, still suppose that he had suffered just before from a sickness, about which the history is silent.”—Perowne.
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THOUGHTS ON RECOVERY FROM SICKNESS
I. God’s hand in sending sickness (Psa_30:1-5). Sickness is common. No house is exempt, no age safe from its ravages. Sooner or later it comes to all. But we err, if we think it a chance, or the result of mere second causes. The psalmist saw in it the hand of God. “Thou hast lifted me up” (as a bucket from a well, Exo_2:16; Exo_2:19). How changed is sickness, when we recognise that it is sent of God. He does not act from caprice or passion. There is a “need be” (1Pe_1:6). It is in love, and for our good, that He afflicts. As Jesus took the blind man whom He was about to heal “aside from the multitude” (Mar_7:33), so He takes His people, in sickness, aside from the din and bustle of the world, that in quietness and in solitude, He may speak to their hearts.
II. God’s mercy in alleviating sickness (Psa_30:1). David felt that his case might have been far worse. As we learn from 1Ch_21:12, he was offered his choice of three evils,—war, famine, or pestilence. He shrank from the first. His brave heart could not bear the shame of being driven before his foes. In his strait he left the decision with God. “Let me fall now into the hands of the Lord, for very great are His mercies.” Nor was he disappointed. Though cast down, he was not cast off; though visited with sore affliction, “God had not made his enemies to rejoice over him.” There are alleviations in every sickness. In wrath God remembers mercy. There is restraining mercy. “He stayeth His rough wind in the day of His east wind” (Isa_27:8; cf. Ezr_9:13; Mal_3:17.) There is upholding mercy. Not only is life spared, and the grave deprived of its prey, but inward strength is given. Faith is confirmed; foes who watched for falls and prophesied evil are disappointed. There is comforting mercy. Books are a great help; the love of friends is a great solace. How different to be watched by the kind eyes, and to be ministered to by the gentle hands of those who love us, than to pine in solitude, or to be waited upon by strangers and hirelings! But, above all, there are the comforts of religion. Baxter said, “I have pain, there is no use arguing against sense; but I have peace, I have peace!” Samuel Rutherford said of Jesus, “His sweet presence eateth out the bitterness of sorrow.”
III. God’s loving kindness in restoring from sickness. There are many who have no sense of God’s mercies. They may have stirrings of heart and relentings so long as sickness lasts, but when it is over they go back to their old ways; they are little, if at all, altered for the better by what they have gone through. God is not in all their thoughts. But it is different with true believers. Their grateful cry is, “Thou hast healed me” (Psa_30:2-3). Here recovery from sickness is represented—
1. As granted in answer to prayer. Mark the earnestness and faith of the supplicant. He cries to God as a child to his father. He takes hold of God’s strength, and pleads with Him as his covenant God. “O Lord my God.” Happy sickness that drives the soul to Jesus 1
2. As effected by sovereign love (Psa_30:3). It was the Lord’s doing. Thrice does David say, “Thou hast.” And it was all of grace, and not for any deserving on his part. This thought awakens the liveliest gratitude (Psa_116:1).
3. As designed for the holiest ends (Psa_30:4; Psa_30:6). If he had been brought back, as from the brink of the grave, and his strength restored, it was that he might consecrate himself anew to God, and serve Him with greater love and steadfastness (Psa_119:67): “Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept Thy word” (cf. Isa_38:17-19; Heb_12:7-11; 1Pe_5:10).
Jeremy Taylor says that “God who in mercy and wisdom governs the world, would never have suffered so many sadnesses, and have sent them especially to the most virtuous and the wisest men, but that He intends they should be the seminary of thought, the nursery of virtue, the exercise of wisdom, the trial of patience, the venturing for a crown, and the gate of glory.”
A SONG TO THE LORD
(Psa_30:4-5.)
I. The Singers. “Ye saints of His.” “Beloved,” more literally, “who have obtained mercy of Him.”—Perowne. “His gracious ones.”—Alexander. “His pious ones.”—Murphy. “David would not fill his choir with reprobates, but with sanctified persons who could sing from their hearts. He calls to you, ye people of God, because ye are saints; and if sinners are wickedly silent, let your holiness constrain you to sing. You are His saints, chosen, blood-bought, called, and set apart for God, sanctified on purpose that you should offer the daily sacrifice of praise.”—Spurgeon.
II The Song. Consider:—
1. The Theme (Psa_30:4). “His holiness.” “His holy name,” literally, “His holy memorial,” with reference, no doubt, to the passage in Exo_3:15 : “This is My name for ever, and this is My memorial to all generations.” “God’s name is His revelation of Himself in all His various attributes of love, wisdom, power, holiness, truth, and righteousness. God’s memorial is that great history of redemption which was, so to speak, the setting up of a monument to His glory, on which all these attributes were inscribed.”—Perowne.
2. The Spirit. Devoutness. “Unto the Lord.” Sociality. “Ye saints.” Gratitude. “Give thanks.” Gratitude is a free and joyous affection. It has been well called the memory of the heart.
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy!’ is the song of seraphim and cherubim; let us join it, not dolefully, as though we trembled at the holiness of God, but cheerfully, as humbly rejoicing in it.”—Spurgeon.
3. The occasion (Psa_30:5., cf. 1Ch_21:15). The plague that followed the sin of numbering the people had brought David very low, but the voice that said “It is enough,” lifted him and his up again. The night of death, like that of Egypt, had filled the land with weeping, but the morning of mercy ushered in a day of gratitude and joy for the forgiven king and his people (Psa_30:5). “A reason why God’s saints should praise Him, because He manifests Himself to them in love, not in wrath, or if in wrath, but for a moment. Love rules over all. The literal rendering of the verse is: ‘For, in His anger is (but) a moment, in His favour a life; in the evening, weeping may come in to pass the night; but with the morning (there is) a shout of joy.’ The parallelism is carefully preserved in each member, ‘anger, favour;’ ‘a moment, a life;’ ‘evening, morning;’ ‘weeping, joy.’ We must not repeat the verb ‘pass the night’ with the second clause. Weeping is described in the first under the image of a wayfarer who comes in at evening to lodge for the night. The suddenness and surprise of gladness, on the other hand, in the morning, are beautifully represented by the simple לַבּקָר דִפָה ‘at dawn, a shout of joy,’ without a verb. Just as the sun in Eastern lands, without any long prelude of twilight to announce his coming, leaps in, as it were, in a moment, above the horizon, so does the light of God’s love dispel in a moment the long night and darkness of sorrow. See the beautiful parallel (Isa_54:7-8)”.—Perowne.
LINKS IN THE CHAIN OF LIFE
(Psa_30:6-12.)
I. Prosperity and presumption (Psa_30:6). The pronoun is emphatic. “And as for me.” “There is a tacit opposition between the psalmist’s present and his former experience. Now he had learnt through the lesson of suffering to trust in God. Before that suffering came, he had begun to trust in himself. ‘I seemed so strong, so secure, I began to think within myself, I shall never be moved.’ ”—Perowne. “Prosperity,—the Hebrew word includes the idea of prosperity, and of that self-confidence which it produces.”—Alexander (cf. Deu_8:11-18; Deu_32:15; Hos_13:6; 2Ch_32:25). In itself “prosperity” is not evil but good. It is promised to the righteous (Psa_1:3). It is a token of God’s favour (Gen_26:12-13). But it needs much faith and humility to prevent its becoming a snare. It often leads to pride, self-indulgence, and forgetfulness of God. Thus what is good is perverted to bad uses.
“In prosperity conscience is a pope that gives dispensations to the heart.”—Samuel Rutherford.
“When men are made spiritually faint by dealing in and with the world, Satan sets on them, as Amalek did on the faint and weak of the people that came out of Egypt.”—Owen.
“Little knows
Any, but God alone, to value right
The good before him, but perverts best things
To worst alone, or to their meanest use.”
—Milton.
II. Presumption and chastisement (Psa_30:7). God’s love is shown in divers ways. He treats His children according to their special requirements, but His ends are ever the same. Prosperity, when it leads to presumption, is a sore evil. It needs sharp treatment. Speaking is not enough (Jer_22:2). Another method must be adopted. “Thou didst hide Thy face.” There is no greater affliction than this. The loss of health and prosperity is bad, the estrangement of friends is worse, but the withdrawal of God, as if in anger, is worst of all. The light of God’s face is salvation (Psa_44:3). Zion’s strength was nothing, all the glory of Israel was gone if God departed. No wonder the psalmist says “I was troubled,” “ ‘agitated,’ ‘terrified,’ ‘perplexed.’ ”—Alexander.
Let us thank God for chastisement. It is for our good. We presume upon our health, and God sends sickness. We presume upon our friends, and God takes them from us. We presume upon our reputation and worldly goods, and God lets us be put to shame. We presume upon our frames and feelings in religion, and God suffers us to be tried with doubts and to walk in darkness. So in many ways, God teaches us humility, and shuts us up to Himself as the supreme and abiding good.
“Certainly virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.”—Bacon.
III. Chastisement and prayer (Psa_30:8-10). “Is any among you afflicted, let him pray.” The two things are naturally connected.
Consider David’s prayer.
1. It is earnest (Psa_30:8). “I cried unto the Lord.” His whole soul went out in a cry (cf. 1Ch_21:16-17).
2. It is argumentative (Psa_30:9). Like Job, he reasons with the Almighty (Job_23:4; cf. Isa_33:18-19). “What profit is in my blood;” in my death. “Shall the dust praise Thee?” “To thank God for His mercy, and to show the truth of His grace, form the chief end for which He leaves His people here for a season. The dust cannot do this, and the spirit is not here.”—Murphy.
3. It is disinterested. He does not seek prolonged life for his own sake, but in order to serve and praise God. He felt that his life would be more useful than his death (cf. Php_1:23-25).
It is a blessed thing when Enastisement thus leads the soul to cast itself on God, and to acquiesce in His will.
“Nearer my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee,
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me.”
IV. Prayer and deliverance (Psa_30:11). His prayer has been answered. Here he acknowledges the greatness of his deliverance.
1. It was the Lord’s doing. “Thou hast,” &c. “Turned” (cf. Joh_16:20), not “exchanged for,” but “turned into.”
2. It was complete. “Beating the breast was a token of mourning. Dancing was an expression of pious joy (2Sa_6:14). So sackcloth was the garb of mourning (1Ch_21:16). ‘Girded me with gladness.’ New garments are the wonted symbol of salvation” (Isa_61:3).—Murphy. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psa_1:5).
V. Deliverance and praise (Psa_30:12). “The sackcloth of his humiliation God had taken away off him, and had clothed him with the garment of praise. How should he do otherwise than praise God for ever for His goodness.”—Perowne. “To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee.” The soul is the noblest part, the glory of man, and God’s deliverances are worthy of the highest efforts of the soul, in gratitude and praise. How often have God’s saints realised the truth of all these things in their experience (Psa_103:3; Psa_116:1). When we bow our hearts to God as our Father in Heaven, and say Thy will be done, we can confidently end with the triumphant song “Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever.”
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Sermon Bible 1900 · Public Domain On v1 The things of this Psalm are of continual interest.…
Psa 30:5
The things of this Psalm are of continual interest. They do not belong to any one time or any one type of experience. Some of the notes in it are suitable to home and family, and individuals through all the years of their history. Eminently so is this fifth verse, which tells us of the bitter and the sweet, the dark and the light, which run, in various distribution, along human lives.
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I. The underlying doctrine of the text is the great doctrine or fact that "God is love," that love runs through all, rules over all, explains all. The literal translation is this: "For in His anger is but a moment. In His favour is life. In the evening weeping may come in to pass the night, but with the morning there is a shout of joy."
II. Here, however, it may be objected that all this does not give us much help for our dark times, because it only speaks of the rapid and constant changes which come as life goes on. This, we know, it may be said, but is not this part of the trial? What we want is a decisive change for the better, that shall continue, and of this the passage does not seem to assure us. Yes, it does. It lies deep in the very terms that are used. (1) "Anger" is a strong but transient emotion. Favour is a calm, continuous, steady sentiment. (2) Take two other contrasted terms—"a moment," a "life." The anger is a thing of a moment; the favour is a thing that will live through life, and not die in death.
III. It is the design of the passage to teach us that one of these is more than the other, that the favour is more than the anger, the morning of joy more than the night of weeping. There is a balance of good in the world, using the word "good" in the lowest sense. Men are busy, men are happy, far more happy, at least, than miserable. Some few are miserable utterly; all are more or less unhappy at times and for a little. The dark time is for a moment. The brighter times stretch on, and flow into each other, and go far to fill up the life.
A. Raleigh, The Way to the City, p. 79.
References: Psa 30:5.—Spurgeon, Morning by Morning, p. 134; R. D. B. Rawnsley, Sermons in Country Churches, 1st series, p. 118, and 3rd series, p. 120; J. E. Vaux, Sermon Notes, 1st series, p. 66. Psa 30:6.—Spurgeon, Morning by Morning, p. 70.
Psa 30:6-8
The words of the text describe three states which are, or have been, or will be all ours.
I. The first state is thus described: "In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Lord, by Thy favour Thou hast made my mountain to stand strong." We are in prosperity, and we say within ourselves that we shall never be moved. Our common temper is to calculate on our comforts continuing; we act just as if they were sure to do so; we give ourselves up to the things around us; our hearts are hardened, and we think not of God nor of His judgments.
II. The second state which the Psalmist describes will surely be ours; God will hide His face from us, and we shall be troubled. It is but too possible to lose our earthly good things, and yet gain no hope of heavenly things. It may be that our hearts will be hardened, that we shall have no desire to turn to God, though our earthly idols may be broken. Then God’s face is indeed hidden, and for ever.
III. But the Psalmist goes on to say, "I cried to Thee, O Lord, and unto the Lord I made supplication." God had not so hidden His face from him as to refuse his prayers, or to make him unwilling to utter them. His troubles, whatever was their nature, were a wholesome chastening to him, and no more; they did but awaken him in time from his proud security. But the point to be observed is that we cannot reckon on troubles having this wholesome effect. The sorrow, indeed, is sure to come; but there is a sorrow which worketh death as well as a sorrow which leadeth to repentance.
T. Arnold, Sermons, vol. iii., p. 250.
References: Psa 30:6-8.—Archbishop Thomson, Lincoln’s Inn Sermons, p. 310. Psa 30:9-12.—S. Baring-Gould, Village Preaching for a Year, 1st series, vol. i., p. 289.
Psa 30:11-12
I. The text describes certain changes in the lives and experience of godly men. Sackcloth was the attire of the leper, the ascetic, the penitent, and the mourner, sometimes, too, of the prophets of God. Sackcloth represents a condition of affliction. Beautiful raiment was worn on festive and joyous occasions. Here the joy which the wearing of such attire would betoken is used to represent the raiment itself, and the raiment is employed to represent prosperity. There is in human life and experience the turning of mourning into dancing, the putting off of sackcloth and girding with gladness. They whose life has been redeemed from destruction will understand this.
II. The text points to God as the Author of these changes. (1) Mourning and sackcloth are contrary to the nature of God. (2) They are contrary to the disposition of God. (3) There is nothing in the Divine nature answering to temper in man, by which the nature and disposition of God are made to sympathise with mourning and sackcloth. (4) God has the right and the power to turn our mourning into dancing.
III. The text speaks of praise as the end and object of these changes. Praise is higher than prayer. It is Divine. There is nothing in the Divine consciousness which corresponds to our prayers; but in God’s self-appreciation there is that which is in harmony with our praises. While God’s creatures praise Him, they are unfallen; and in the degree that the spirit of praise is restored in them their redemption is being wrought out.
S. Martin, Comfort in Trouble, p. 37.
Psa 30:12
I. The first reason for the Easter joy is the triumph and satisfaction enjoyed by our Lord Himself. We sympathise reverently with the awful sorrow of our adorable Lord and Friend; and thus we enter, in some far-off way, into the sense of triumph, unspeakable and sublime, which follows beyond it. It is His joy which inspires ours; it turns our heaviness into joy, and puts off our sorrow, and girds us with gladness.
II. Easter joy is inspired by the sense of confidence with which Christ’s resurrection from the dead invigorates our grasp of Christian truth. The understanding, be sure, has its joy, no less than the heart; and a keen sense of intellectual joy is experienced when we succeed in resting truth, or any part of it, on a secure basis. Akin to the joy of students and workers is the satisfaction of a Christian when he steadily dwells on the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord’s resurrection is a foundation on which all truth in the Christian creed—that is, distinctively Christian, and not merely theistic—really rests. It is beside the empty tomb of the risen Jesus that Christian faith feels itself on the hard rock of fact; here we break through the tyranny of matter and sense, and rise with Christ into the immaterial world. Here we put a term to the enervating alternation of guesses and doubts which prevails elsewhere, and we reach the frontier of the absolutely certain.
III. We may hope to meet our friends, not as formless, unrecognisable shades, but with the features, the expressions, which they wore on earth. Christ’s resurrection is the model as well as the warrant of our own. Nay, more, "all men shall rise with their bodies." And if they whom we call the dead know anything of what is passing here on earth, then we may believe that the Easter festival is for them too, in whatever measure, an occasion of rejoicing, and that the happiness of the Church on earth is responded to from beyond the veil.
H. P. Liddon, Easter Sermons, vol. i., p. 196.
Reference: Psa 31:4.—Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 234.
The Sermon Bible, ed. William Robertson Nicoll (1888–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
F. W. Grant 1903 · Public Domain On v1 Whatever else changes, an unchanging God.
Whatever else changes, an unchanging God.
A psalm (a song of dedication of the house) of David.
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For the title here we seem to have no explanation in the history of David; nor can we therefore decide from it whether the house" be that of Jehovah or David’s own. The Septuagint and many commentators accept the last of these applications as the true one; but the king himself does not appear in the psalm, and the "glory" spoken of in the closing verse, as well as the general reference to Israel’s last deliverance, speaks strongly for the former.
The psalm has twelve verses, and its normal structure would be therefore 4 x 3; but in fact, the second section loses one of its verses to the third, which is thus increased. The reason of this I cannot clearly give.
1. The psalmist begins with a song of praise to Jehovah for His effectual help. He had lifted him up, and had not allowed his foes to rejoice over him. Moreover it was the answer of God to his cry of distress when smitten, and death was before him; nay, when all seemed over with him. He was already numbered with those going down to the pit, and only the God of resurrection could have brought him up. This we can easily understand as applying to the deliverance of the remnant of the Jews: it exactly describes it. They are saved at the last moment of distress, when their enemies seem to have them in their grasp, and hope is gone. The whole language shows moreover that this condition of theirs is understood and acknowledged to be the effect of sin. The "pit," though it refers to death, is death in the anger of God; and this is plainly stated in the fifth verse. Thus this deliverance is a true salvation.
2. This thanksgiving to Jehovah is followed by testimony for Him; as it will indeed be in the day which is here anticipated. Delivered Israel will be His great witnesses upon the earth; and their deliverance abundant blessing to the Gentiles. But as Judah’s deliverance precedes that of the ten tribes, who are afterwards joined to them, and is also out of more extreme distress, it is possible that the "godly ones" here addressed are these tribes of Israel. They are exhorted to sing psalms to Jehovah, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.
Holiness had to bring them low in order to raise them up; and they can now rejoice, and bid others rejoice, in that very dealing of God with them, so severe as it might seem, but so effectual, which had wrought in bringing them to repentance, and so to God. He had acted but in consistency with Himself; and this is always a necessity for blessing for any.
Now the cloud had passed, the wrath was gone; after all, it was but for a moment indeed, and in His favor following there had come, in the fullest sense, "life." This is stated here as a principle of widest application to all those who turn, in like manner, to Him. "Weeping may lodge with us at even-tide," and a night of darkness and distress succeed; but God’s order is, first evening and then the morning; and for the morning is prepared, instead of sorrow, "a song of joy."
God works for eternity; man is the creature of time. Thus it is sure that man will misconceive Him as long as he clings to his own thoughts. Faith alone brings rest and deliverance; and brings it at once in proportion to its simplicity. Alas, how frequently is the soul even of the saint at issue with Him! and this is what of necessity brings darkness over it. When the conflict of will passes, the morning is at hand. Then we realize for what God works, that it is for His eternity; that night is but the womb of nature out of which the day is born, with its multitudinous voices and its golden fruits.
3. And now the heart of the subject is reached. It is perfectly simple, and yet how difficult to learn in full practical application, where it must be learned: "And I in my prosperity had said, I never shall be moved: Jehovah, in Thy favor Thou hadst made my mountain to stand strong." How hard it is to have a mountain standing strong, and not put our confidence in it! And if the heart refers this to the favor of God, all the more may it be a snare, a false confidence which comes in between it and immediate confidence in the Lord. And how hard it is to resign this (real or supposed) "favor," thus attached to what makes something of us! Privileges, circumstances, experiences, we cling to, only to find them fail us in the day of trial, -everything allowed to be shaken, that that which cannot be shaken may remain. When the eye is turned away to Christ, then in the joy of Him who bare our sins, brought up out of death, we can in a deeper way than Israel here say, "Thou hast brought my soul out of Sheol: Thou hast quickened me from among those going down to the pit." As sinners, in a work done for sinners, we find an immovable foundation, and can no more say, "Thou hidest Thy face," for that to the soul hid in Christ is gone through -He has endured it, -and God can no more hide His face from His Beloved, nor from those who in that Beloved find unchangeable acceptance.
In this psalm, no doubt, all this is not made plain, nor could yet be; nor can we attribute such knowledge to the Jewish remnant until, brought through their deep distress, they have looked upon Him whom they have pierced, their rejected and crucified Messiah. But the prophets prophesied with a knowledge far beyond their own, and we can find in them, as Peter assures us. more than they could understand; while yet there could for them also be thus furnished principles and truths upon which faith could stay itself, whatever the dispensation. Here it is to Jehovah, Jehovah the Unchangeable, Himself, that His people are turned, even by the very hiding of His face. What good in a mountain if that Face were hidden? In fact, it is gone: it cannot abide, if He abide not. But must not He abide who is Jehovah the Abiding? and has He not known, all through, the sin, the folly, the vanity, of the creature? Can it be pleasure to Him, or profit, or glory, to exact the just sentence of death from so frail a being? Will the dust -even though He has said, "Unto dust thou shalt return," -really declare His truth? Will He be satisfied with the curse upon one who, be he what he may, clings to Him for blessing?
Here it is not the death of Christ that is pleaded, as we see, while yet it is the death of Christ which justifies, and how much more than justifies, the plea that the Spirit of God here puts into the heart of the suppliant. Can He desire man’s death, who has given up His Son to death to redeem him? Yet God has found thus a way of making death itself a wonderful display, not of His truth simply, but of the love which is His Nature. He has got thus a ground upon which He can show and justify unchanging grace towards one who finds in his very sins his title to the Saviour of sinners. Thus God manifests how safe the plea is, that rests upon what is in Himself. For Israel the end will fully show this; to us it is already fully shown. Would then that for every Christian, "my mountain" were no more the confidence, but Christ the unclouded confidence of the soul! that "Thou hiddest Thy face" were referred wholly to that one darkness which in its endurance has rent the veil of the sanctuary for us, and set God in the light for evermore!
4. Now comes at last the experience which shows that the plea is good. Faith is not to be made to conform to experience; for we cannot be trusted thus to read experience right, and God in Christ transcends all possible experience: but experience will at last surely approve faith; and so it is in this case. The cry for grace and help to Jehovah is answered at last by that which turns mourning into dancing, takes off the sackcloth garment, and girds the loins for glad activity in praise.
The expression, "that glory may psalm to Thee," is not to be reduced to the commonplace of most expositors: another psalmist has declared that "surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land" (Psa 85:9). This is the display of God Himself in the midst of Israel, in the very time to which we have now reached. This will bear blessed witness to what He is, waking up all nature in accompaniment of praise. This is what glory psalming to Him may well mean. The whole land -the whole earth in measure -responds in harmony, as an instrument to the skilled fingers of the player. Alas, it has found none hitherto to bring out its dormant capacities. Now it awakes, to be silent no more.
We can understand then how this psalm is "for the dedication of the house," -the sanctuary which the end of Daniel’s seventy weeks will see anointed to Jehovah. The end of salvation is that God and man may be at last together.
F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible (4th ed., 1903) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Alexander MacLaren 1905 · Public Domain On vv5–6
Psalms
THE TWO GUESTS
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Psa 30:5.
A word or two of exposition is necessary in order to bring out the force of this verse. There is an obvious antithesis in the first part of it, between ‘His anger’ and ‘His favour.’ Probably there is a similar antithesis between a ‘moment’ and ‘life.’ For, although the word rendered ‘life’ does not unusually mean a lifetime it may have that signification, and the evident intention of contrast seems to require it here. So, then, the meaning of the first part of my text is, ‘the anger lasts for a moment; the favour lasts for a lifetime.’ The perpetuity of the one, and the brevity of the other, are the Psalmist’s thought.
Then, if we pass to the second part of the text, you will observe that there is there also a double antithesis. ‘Weeping’ is set over against ‘joy’; the ‘night’ against the ‘morning.’ And the first of these two contrasts is the more striking if we observe that the word ‘joy’ means, literally, ‘a joyful shout,’ so that the voice which was lifted in weeping is conceived of as now being heard in exultant praise. Then, still further, the expression ‘may endure’ literally means ‘may come to lodge.’ So that Weeping and Joy are personified. Two guests come; one, dark-robed and approaching at the fitting season for such, ‘the night.’ The other bright, coming with all things fresh and sunny, in the dewy morn. The guest of the night is Weeping; the guest that takes its place in the morning is Gladness.
The two clauses, then, of my text suggest substantially the same thought, and that is the persistence of joy and the transitoriness of sorrow. The one speaks of the succession of emotions in the man; the other, of the successive aspects of the divine dealings which occasion these. The whole is a leaf out of the Psalmist’s own experience. The psalm commemorates his deliverance from some affliction, probably a sickness. That is long gone past; and the tears that it caused have long since dried up. But this shout of joy of his has lasted all these centuries, and is like to be immortal. Well for us if we can read our life’s story with the same cheery confidence as he did his, and have learned like him to discern what is the temporary and what the permanent element in our experience!
I. Note, first, the proportion of joy and sorrow in an ordinary life.
The Psalmist expresses, as I have said, the same idea in both clauses. In the former the ‘anger’ is contemplated not so much as an element in the divine mind, as in its manifestations in the divine dealings. I shall have a word or two, presently, to say about the Scriptural conception of the ‘anger’ of God and its relation to the ‘favour’ of God; but for the present I take the two clauses as being substantially equivalent.
Now is it true-is it not true?-that if a man rightly regards the proportionate duration of these two diverse elements in his life, he must come to the conclusion that the one is continuous and the other is but transitory? A thunderstorm is very short when measured against the long summer day in which it crashes; and very few days have them. It must be a bad climate where half the days are rainy. If we were to take the chart and prick out upon it the line of our sailing, we should find that the spaces in which the weather was tempestuous were brief and few indeed as compared with those in which it was sunny and calm.
But then, man looks before and after, and has the terrible gift that by anticipation and by memory he can prolong the sadness. The proportion of solid matter needed to colour the Irwell is very little in comparison with the whole of the stream. But the current carries it, and half an ounce will stain miles of the turbid stream. Memory and anticipation beat the metal thin, and make it cover an enormous space. And the misery is that, somehow, we have better memories for sad hours than for joyful ones, and it is easier to get accustomed to ‘blessings,’ as we call them, and to lose the poignancy of their sweetness because they become familiar, than it is to apply the same process to our sorrows, and thus to take the edge off them. The rose’s prickles are felt in the flesh longer than its fragrance lives in the nostrils, or its hue in the eye. Men have long memories for their pains as compared with their remembrance of their sorrows.
So it comes to be a piece of very homely, well-worn, and yet always needful, practical counsel to try not to magnify and prolong grief, nor to minimise and abbreviate gladness. We can make our lives, to our own thinking, very much what we will. We cannot directly regulate our emotions, but we can regulate them, because it is in our own power to determine which aspect of our life we shall by preference contemplate.
Here is a room, for instance, papered with a paper with a dark background and a light pattern on it. Well, you can manoeuvre your eye about so as either to look at the black background-and then it is all black, with only a little accidental white or gilt to relieve it here and there; or you can focus your eye on the white and gold, and then that is the main thing, and the other is background. We can choose, to a large extent, what we shall conceive our lives to be; and so we can very largely modify their real character.
‘There’s nothing either good or bad
But thinking makes it so.’
They who will can surround themselves with persistent gladness, and they who will can gather about them the thick folds of an everbrooding and enveloping sorrow. Courage, cheerfulness, thankfulness, buoyancy, resolution, are all closely connected with a sane estimate of the relative proportions of the bright and the dark in a human life.
II. And now consider, secondly, the inclusion of the ‘moment’ in the ‘life.’
I do not know that the Psalmist thought of that when he gave utterance to my text, but whether he did it or not, it is true that the ‘moment’ spent in ‘anger’ is a part of the ‘life’ that is spent in the ‘favour.’ Just as within the circle of a life lies each of its moments, the same principle of inclusion may be applied to the other contrast presented here. For as the ‘moment’ is a part of the ‘life,’ the ‘danger’ is a part of the love. The ‘favour’ holds the ‘anger’ within itself, for the true Scriptural idea of that terrible expression and terrible fact, the ‘wrath of God,’ is that it is the necessary aversion of a perfectly pure and holy love from that which does not correspond to itself. So, though sometimes the two may be set against each other, yet at bottom, and in reality, they are one, and the ‘anger’ is but a mode in which the ‘favour’ manifests itself. God’s love is plastic, and if thrown back upon itself, grieved and wounded and rejected, becomes the ‘anger’ which ignorant men sometimes seem to think it contradicts. There is no more antagonism between these two ideas when they are applied to God than when they are applied to you parents in your relations to a disobedient child. You know, and it knows, that if there were no love there would be little ‘anger.’ Neither of you suppose that an irate parent is an unloving parent. ‘If ye, being evil, know how,’ in dealing with your children, to blend wrath and love, ‘how much more shall your Father which is in heaven’ be one and the same Father when His love manifests itself in chastisement and when it expands itself in blessings!
Thus we come to the truth which breathes uniformity and simplicity through all the various methods of the divine hand, that howsoever He changes and reverses His dealings with us, they are one and the same. You may get two diametrically opposite motions out of the same machine. The same power will send one wheel revolving from right to left, and another from left to right, but they are co-operant to grind out at the far end the one product. It is the same revolution of the earth that brings blessed lengthening days and growing summer, and that cuts short the sun’s course and brings declining days and increasing cold. It is the same motion which hurls a comet close to the burning sun, and sends it wandering away out into fields of astronomical space, beyond the ken of telescope, and almost beyond the reach of thought. And so one uniform divine purpose, the ‘favour’ which uses the ‘anger,’ fills the life, and there are no interruptions, howsoever brief, to the steady continuous flow of His outpoured blessings. All is love and favour. Anger is masked love, and sorrow has the same source and mission as joy. It takes all sorts of weathers to make a year, and all tend to the same issue, of ripened harvests and full barns. O brethren! if we understand that God means something better for us than happiness, even likeness to Himself, we should understand better how our deepest sorrows and bitterest tears, and the wounds that penetrate deepest into our bleeding hearts, all come from the same motive, and are directed to the same end as their most joyful contraries. One thing the Lord desires, that we may be partakers of His holiness, and so we may venture to give an even deeper meaning to the Psalmist’s words than he intended, and recognise that the ‘moment’ is an integral part of the ‘life,’ and the ‘anger’ a mode of the manifestation of the ‘favour.’
III. Lastly, notice the conversion of the sorrow into joy.
I have already explained the picturesque image of the last part of my text, which demands a little further consideration. There are two figures presented before us, one dark robed and one bright garmented. The one is the guest of the night, the other is the guest of the morning. The verb which occurs in the first clause of the second half of my text is not repeated in the second, and so the words may be taken in two ways. They may either express how Joy, the morning guest, comes, and turns out the evening visitant, or they may suggest how we took Sorrow in when the night fell, to sit by the fireside, but when morning dawned-who is this, sitting in her place, smiling as we look at her? It is Sorrow transfigured, and her name is changed into Joy. Either the substitution or the transformation may be supposed to be in the Psalmist’s mind.
Both are true. No human heart, however wounded, continues always to bleed. Some gracious vegetation creeps over the wildest ruin. The roughest edges are smoothed by time. Vitality asserts itself; other interests have a right to be entertained and are entertained. The recuperative powers come into play, and the pang departs and poignancy is softened. The cutting edge gets blunt on even poisoned spears by the gracious influences of time. The nightly guest, Sorrow, slips away, and ere we know, another sits in her place. Some of us try to fight against that merciful process and seem to think that it is a merit to continue, by half artificial means, the first moment of pain, and that it is treason to some dear remembrances to let life have its way, and to-day have its rights. That is to set ourselves against the dealings of God, and to refuse to forgive Him for what His love has done for us.
But the other thought seems to me to be even more beautiful, and probably to be what was in the Psalmist’s mind-viz. the transformation of the evil, Sorrow itself, into the radiant form of Joy. A prince in rags comes to a poor man’s hovel, is hospitably received in the darkness, and being received and welcomed, in the morning slips off his rags and appears as he is. Sorrow is Joy disguised.
If it be accepted, if the will submit, if the heart let itself be untwined, that its tendrils may be coiled closer round the heart of God, then the transformation is sure to come, and joy will dawn on those who have done rightly-that is, submissively and thankfully-by their sorrows. It will not be a joy like what the world calls joy-loud-voiced, boisterous, ringing with idiot laughter; but it will be pure, and deep, and sacred, and permanent. A white lily is fairer than a flaunting peony, and the joy into which sorrow accepted turns is pure and refining and good.
So, brethren! remember that the richest vintages are grown on the rough slopes of the volcano, and lovely flowers blow at the glacier’s edge; and all our troubles, big and little, may be converted into gladnesses if we accept them as God meant them. Only they must be so accepted if they are to be thus changed.
But there may be some hearts recoiling from much that I have said in this sermon, and thinking to themselves, ‘Ah! there are two kinds of sorrows. There are those that can be cured, and there are those that cannot. What have you got to say to me who have to bleed from an immedicable wound till the end of my life?’ Well, I have to say this-look beyond earth’s dim dawns to that morning when ‘the Sun of Righteousness shall arise, to them that love His name, with healing in His wings.’ If we have to carry a load on an aching back till the end, be sure that when the night, which is far spent, is over, and the day which is at hand hath broken, every raindrop will be turned into a flashing rainbow when it is smitten by the level light, and every sorrow rightly borne be represented by a special and particular joy.
Only, brother! if a life is to be spent in His favour, it must be spent in His fear. And if our cares and troubles and sorrows and losses are to be transfigured hereafter, then we must keep very near Jesus Christ, who has promised to us that His joy will remain with us, and that our sorrows shall be turned into joys. If we trust to Him, the voices that have been raised in weeping will be heard in gladness, and earth’s minor will be transposed by the great Master of the music into the key of Heaven’s jubilant praise. If only ‘we look not at the things seen, but at the things which are not seen,’ then ‘our light affliction, which is but for a moment, will work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory’; and the weight will be no burden, but will bear up those who are privileged to bear it.
Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. R. Dummelow 1909 · Public Domain On v1 Title.—(RV) 'A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of…
Title.—(RV) 'A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House; a Psalm of David.' There is no obvious connexion between the contents of this Ps. and its title. It is a thanksgiving for recovery from an illness which had threatened to be fatal, and in itself may very well have been written by David. But it is difficult to find in his life an occasion corresponding to the title, though the dedication of David's own palace, or of the site of the Temple, has been suggested. It is more likely that the words, 'A Song at the Dedication of the House,' were inserted into the title at a later time, when the Ps. was adopted for use at the dedication of Solomon's Temple, or of the second Temple, or at the re-dedication of the latter after it had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes (the origin of the Feast of Dedication mentioned in Joh_10:22. See Intro, to Daniel). The Ps. opens with praise for the writer's restoration 1 (Psa_30:1-5), tells next of his troubles and his prayer (Psa_30:6-10), and concludes with another thanksgiving (Psa_30:11-12).
1. Lifted.. up] RV 'raised up,' from sickness.
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3. The grave] RV 'Sheol,' which, like the pit, means the state of the dead.
4. At the remembrance of his holiness] RV 'to his holy name.' For 'remembrance' or 'memorial' in the sense of 'name' see Psa_9:6.
5. In his favour is life] better, 'his favour is for a lifetime,' in contrast to 'his anger.. a moment.'
Endure for a night] RV 'tarry for the night' as a passing stranger.
7. Hast made] RV 'hadst made,' referring to the time of health and prosperity. My mountain] would be a figure for stability, but the reading is doubtful. Possibly it should be, 'hadst made me to stand upon strong mountains.' Thou didst hide thy face] a sudden change of experience, by which the Psalmist was shaken out of his self-confidence, and taught his entire dependence on God. 9. This v. shows how little the future life counted for in ordinary OT. thought. The pit] see Psa_30:3. The dust] is the dead body.
11. Sackcloth] the garb of sadness.
12. My glory] my soul.
J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv3, 12 Heb. "Sheol," (See Scofield "Hab 2:5").
grave
Heb. "Sheol," (See Scofield "Hab 2:5").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Arno C. Gaebelein 1922 · Public Domain On v1 Psalm 30
Psalm 30
A Psalm of Praise
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1. Praise for deliverance (Psa 30:1-5)
2. Past experience (Psa 30:6-12)
Psa 30:1-5. The inscription says that the Psalm was written by David as a song of dedication of the house. It probably means the house of the Lord mentioned in 1Ch 22:1. The Psalm must be looked upon as expressing prophetically the praise of the nation for the deliverance and when that greater house of the Lord will be on the earth (Eze 40:1-49, etc.) David’s experience, of course, stands in the foreground. It is generally assumed that David was sick unto death and that the Lord raised him up. But this foreshadows the experience of the remnant of Israel. They approached the pit, while their foes were ready to rejoice over them, but the Lord intervened, and they were saved and healed. Then the singing begins (verse 4). Weeping had endured for a night, the dark night of tribulation, but joy came with the morning, that blessed morning for which all is waiting, when the day breaks and the shadows flee away.
Psa 30:6-12. This is a rehearsal of the experiences through which they passed. Mourning for them is turned into dancing; the sackcloth is taken off and the garments of joy and gladness are put on. Then His glory will be manifested and will sing His praise throughout Israel’s land and the whole earth will be filled with His glory.
Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v1 A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.
A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.
A psalm and song, literally, "a psalm song," a composition to be sung with musical accompaniment, at the dedication of the house of David, of his palace on the hill of Zion, this festivity taking place shortly after he had recovered from a severe illness.
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v. 1. I will extol Thee, O Lord, lifting up high the praises of Jehovah, exalting Him greatly; for Thou hast lifted me up, drawing him out of the deep well or pit of his illness and distress, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me, as they would have had occasion to do if he had succumbed to the disease and its attending troubles.
v. 2. O Lord, my God, I cried unto Thee, with aloud and earnest call, and Thou hast healed me, given him back his health after he had been in peril of death.
v. 3. O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul from the grave, restoring him when his soul had almost reached the realms of the dead; Thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down to the pit, quickening him from among those who go down to the grave, so that it was his good fortune to be saved while many others had to die.
v. 4. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, in psalms of joy, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness, praising His holy memory by keeping His name before their hearts and minds always.
v. 5. For His anger endureth but a moment, passing by very rapidly on account of the urging of His mercy; in His favor is life, His loving kindness lasts a lifetime. Weeping may endure for a night, that is, the night may be passed in weeping, but joy cometh in the morning, for His mercies are new every morning, and His compassions fail not. David, indeed, has a confession to make,
v. 6. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved, he had begun to trust in himself, as even believers will be in danger of doing if all things are in their favor. He even tried to explain his self-assurance to himself,
v. 7. Lord, by Thy favor Thou hast made my mountain to stand strong, given him a safe and impregnable place. Being specially favored by the Lord, David had begun to feel fleshly security. However, he was soon brought back to his senses. Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled; when it seemed that God had withdrawn His favor from him, David became frightened; he realized once more that it is necessary at all times to work out one’s own salvation with fear and trembling. He did not despair, however.
v. 8. I cried to Thee, O Lord, as all believers should do in a similar position; and unto the Lord I made supplication, appealing to Him for mercy. Cf Psa 6:5; Psa 88:10; Psa 38:18.
v. 9. What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit? Of what use would he be to Jehovah in the grave? Shall the dust praise Thee? namely, himself, when turned to dust. Shall it declare Thy truth? This he considered the main purpose of his life, to sing praises to God, to make known His faithfulness. Of this praise God would deprive Himself if He would cut off his life at this time.
v. 10. Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me, extending His grace to him: Lord, be Thou my Helper. That had been David’s prayer in his great trouble, and the Lord had heard him.
v. 11. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing, the reference being to the exultant joy of the lute-playing accompanying such leaping for happiness as done by the women celebrating a victory, Exo 15:20; Jdg 11:34; 1Sa 18:6; Thou hast put off my sackcloth, the garment of sorrow and penitence, and girded me with gladness, signifying both strength and rejoicing;
v. 12. to the end that my glory, David’s ransomed soul expressing its thanks through his tongue, as the organ of praise, may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will give thanks unto Thee forever. Such is the joyful prayer of every believer, in grateful remembrance of the Lord’s many mercies upon him during his whole life.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 4, 6, 9, 11 General Information:
General Information:
Parallelism is common in Hebrew poetry. (See: Poetry and Parallelism)
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a song at the dedication of the temple
"This song was sung when the temple was dedicated"
A psalm of David
Possible meanings are 1) David wrote the psalm or 2) the psalm is about David or 3) the psalm is in the style of David's psalms.
you have raised me up
The writer speaks of God rescuing him and keeping him from dying as if God had drawn him up from a deep well. AT: "you rescued me" (See: Metaphor)
brought up my soul from Sheol
Since "Sheol" was the place where dead people go, it refers to death. AT: "kept me from dying" (See: Metonymy)
brought up my soul
Here "my soul" refers to the writer. AT: "brought me up" (See: Synecdoche)
from going down to the grave
The "grave" represents death. AT: "from dying" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
psalm
dedicate
temple
David
exalt
Yahweh
raise
adversary
joy
God
cry
cure
soul
Hades
life
grave
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv1, 4, 6, 8 Ps 30 This individual thanksgiving psalm opens in praise…
Ps 30 This individual thanksgiving psalm opens in praise to the Lord for his salvation (30:1-3), then contrasts God’s favor with his anger (30:4-7), and ends with a transformation from mourning to dancing (30:8-12).
30:title Perhaps David wrote this psalm in advance for the dedication of the Temple, making his own experience representative of the nation’s.
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30:1-3 The psalmist praises God for his triumph over adversity, which he likens to salvation from the grave.
30:1 I will exalt you is a call to lift up the Lord’s name in praise and thanksgiving (34:3; 81:1; 99:5, 9; 107:32; 118:28; 145:1; see Exod 15:1; Isa 25:1). • you rescued me: God pulled the psalmist from death (Ps 30:3). • In his justice and care, God refused to let the psalmist’s enemies triumph (see 26:9; 27:12; 28:3; 31:8).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.