Psa 30:2 | KingComments | STEP | The psalm is a song of thanksgiving after deliverance from great distress, possibly an illness, similar to the illness of Hezekiah ( ). It is a picture of the inner restoration of the people in the future, followed by songs of praise. Now that the LORD has answered the prayer of the remnant (Psalm 28) and has appeared (Psalm 29), the enemies are defeated (Psalm 30) and David can dedicate his house, which means he can move into his palace ( ). At the same time, the dedication is portrayed as the healing of an illness. For “[a Psalm] of David” see at Psalm 3:1. David extols the LORD because He has “lifted” him “up” from an illness that has brought him close to the pit ( ; cf. ). “Lifted up” is also used for ‘lifted up out of the water’ (cf. ) and thereby saved from drowning. His enemies hoped and rejoiced that he would die of his disease. Through his healing, the LORD deprived them of the opportunity to rejoice over that. He cried out to the LORD his God in great distress and his healing was the answer to his prayer ( ). The exalted God has come down and brought up his “soul from Sheol” ( ). God has kept him alive and thereby set him apart from those who go down to the pit, that is into the grave. He praises God for the contrast that he has been “brought up” and not gone “down to the pit”. David not only thanks God himself, but calls on all God’s “godly ones” to do so together with him ( ). The solo song is to become a choral song. And what is the subject of the praise here? God’s holiness, which here is the holiness of His Name in connection with His faithfulness to the covenant. “Godly ones” are those who are faithful to the covenant – Hebrew chasidim , a term also used today for orthodox Jews. David calls for giving thanks to “His holy name”. Because God is holy, He wants His own to be holy as well. If that lacks, He brings discipline into their lives, causing them to remove what is wrong so that He can have fellowship with them again and make them happy again ( ; ). The anger of God lasts “but for a moment” ( ; cf. ). After that, when the anger has accomplished His purpose, there is enjoying His “favor … for a lifetime”. In the night of trial there is “the weeping” over sins. But after the night of weeping, in the morning there is “a shout of joy” over deliverance. With the days of creation we see the same order: “Then it was evening and it was morning”, and then comes the next day. Each new morning is born out of the night. It is like the opening words of Psalm 22, the psalm of Christ’s suffering, which has in its heading “the hind of the dawn” ( ). This indicates that after suffering, the dawn comes that announces a new day without end. The Lord Jesus wept at night in Gethsemane, for a night of suffering came upon Him. But did He not then rejoice in the resurrection? He came into the midst of His disciples and rejoiced with them. The joy that began then will never end.

‏ Psalms 30:2

Introduction

The psalm is a song of thanksgiving after deliverance from great distress, possibly an illness, similar to the illness of Hezekiah (Isa 38:1-6). It is a picture of the inner restoration of the people in the future, followed by songs of praise.

Song of Thanksgiving

Now that the LORD has answered the prayer of the remnant (Psalm 28) and has appeared (Psalm 29), the enemies are defeated (Psalm 30) and David can dedicate his house, which means he can move into his palace (Psa 30:1a). At the same time, the dedication is portrayed as the healing of an illness.

For “[a Psalm] of David” see at Psalm 3:1.

David extols the LORD because He has “lifted” him “up” from an illness that has brought him close to the pit (Psa 30:1b; cf. Psa 30:3). “Lifted up” is also used for ‘lifted up out of the water’ (cf. Jer 38:7-13) and thereby saved from drowning. His enemies hoped and rejoiced that he would die of his disease. Through his healing, the LORD deprived them of the opportunity to rejoice over that.

He cried out to the LORD his God in great distress and his healing was the answer to his prayer (Psa 30:2). The exalted God has come down and brought up his “soul from Sheol” (Psa 30:3). God has kept him alive and thereby set him apart from those who go down to the pit, that is into the grave. He praises God for the contrast that he has been “brought up” and not gone “down to the pit”.

David not only thanks God himself, but calls on all God’s “godly ones” to do so together with him (Psa 30:4). The solo song is to become a choral song. And what is the subject of the praise here? God’s holiness, which here is the holiness of His Name in connection with His faithfulness to the covenant. “Godly ones” are those who are faithful to the covenant – Hebrew chasidim, a term also used today for orthodox Jews.

David calls for giving thanks to “His holy name”. Because God is holy, He wants His own to be holy as well. If that lacks, He brings discipline into their lives, causing them to remove what is wrong so that He can have fellowship with them again and make them happy again (Heb 12:9-11; 1Pet 1:14-19).

The anger of God lasts “but for a moment” (Psa 30:5; cf. Isa 54:7-8). After that, when the anger has accomplished His purpose, there is enjoying His “favor … for a lifetime”. In the night of trial there is “the weeping” over sins. But after the night of weeping, in the morning there is “a shout of joy” over deliverance.

With the days of creation we see the same order: “Then it was evening and it was morning”, and then comes the next day. Each new morning is born out of the night. It is like the opening words of Psalm 22, the psalm of Christ’s suffering, which has in its heading “the hind of the dawn” (Psa 22:1). This indicates that after suffering, the dawn comes that announces a new day without end.

The Lord Jesus wept at night in Gethsemane, for a night of suffering came upon Him. But did He not then rejoice in the resurrection? He came into the midst of His disciples and rejoiced with them. The joy that began then will never end.