Psa 30:6 | KingComments | STEP | In this section we hear the story of distress and salvation. It begins with an emphatic “now as for me, I” ( ). David tells of a period in his life that he describes as “I will never be moved”. During that period he said or thought that he would not waver forever. There is no notion in his mind of the possibility of a change in those circumstances. Is this naiveté that necessitated God’s discipline, bringing him close to death? Does he resemble Nebuchadnezzar here who also once experienced such a period of pride and was punished by God for his pride ( )? It is not easy to answer that question. There is a difference between David and Nebuchadnezzar. David says in that he owed his prosperity, his carefree rest, to God’s favor, for He had made his “mountain to stand strong”. By this David seems to mean his kingdom, which had the firmness of a mountain. With Nebuchadnezzar, it was clearly only pride. Also God’s people are later addressed by God about their prosperity, but God adds that they don’t want to listen (cf. ). With David it is different. In him it is clear that he saw God’s hand in his prosperity. It is also possible that he had forgotten this and acknowledges it afterwards, here, as the real reason for his prosperity, after he had suffered God’s discipline. Whatever way we are to interpret his prosperity, the lesson for us is that we should not put our trust in the prosperity we may have, but in God. If we have no worries, if we are healthy and have everything we need, if our children and grandchildren are doing well, then we are experiencing a period of ‘prosperity’, of ‘carefree rest’. The thought can then arise that we ‘will never be moved’. This notion does not have to mean that we are completely apart from God, as it does not seem to be the case here with David either. We realize that we owe it to Him and say to Him: ‘Lord, through Your favor we have this unwavering rest. My mountain stands strong.’ ‘My mountain’ we can then apply to the ‘little kingdom’ we may have, an area we control and the management of which we are doing well. Our gaze has become more focused on our prosperity and peace as something that cannot be moved, than on the Lord. The Lord, in His grace, makes David aware of this by hiding His face from him. The result is that David “was dismayed” (cf. ). This is also evidence that David is not really apart from the Lord. He cannot live without Him. However, his attention was focused more on his prosperity than on Him Who had given it to him. That is a dangerous situation that can be the beginning of a different course and therefore of a different end. With David, hiding God’s face has the desired effect of God: he starts calling to Him ( ). He realizes again that he is dependent on God. In the time of prosperity he will also have prayed, but possibly more thoughtlessly. For example, we can pray “give us this day our daily bread” because there is a real lack of daily bread. If we have everything, and even have a supply for several days, we can also pray this, but the danger becomes great that it has no meaning. We can also apply this to health and sickness. David seems to have been felled by an illness, and by such a serious one that death was imminent. How then all prosperity becomes relative. He begins to pray, to call to God, to plead with God. David points out to God in his prayer that he cannot praise Him if he will die ( ). The dust to which he returns when he dies has no voice. Surely then that means no profit to God, does it? What God will profit from is being praised for His salvation. That will also result in a declaration of His faithfulness to the world. At this point in his prayer, David makes an urgent appeal to God to listen to him and to be gracious to him ( ). At the brink of death, everyone knows that he can do nothing himself. Then he needs grace from God and God as Helper. He feels the need for God to support and guide him from moment to moment.

‏ Psalms 30:6

Call to the LORD

In this section we hear the story of distress and salvation. It begins with an emphatic “now as for me, I” (Psa 30:6). David tells of a period in his life that he describes as “I will never be moved”. During that period he said or thought that he would not waver forever. There is no notion in his mind of the possibility of a change in those circumstances. Is this naiveté that necessitated God’s discipline, bringing him close to death? Does he resemble Nebuchadnezzar here who also once experienced such a period of pride and was punished by God for his pride (Dan 4:4-5 ; 29-31)?

It is not easy to answer that question. There is a difference between David and Nebuchadnezzar. David says in Psa 30:7 that he owed his prosperity, his carefree rest, to God’s favor, for He had made his “mountain to stand strong”. By this David seems to mean his kingdom, which had the firmness of a mountain. With Nebuchadnezzar, it was clearly only pride.

Also God’s people are later addressed by God about their prosperity, but God adds that they don’t want to listen (cf. Jer 22:21). With David it is different. In him it is clear that he saw God’s hand in his prosperity. It is also possible that he had forgotten this and acknowledges it afterwards, here, as the real reason for his prosperity, after he had suffered God’s discipline.

Whatever way we are to interpret his prosperity, the lesson for us is that we should not put our trust in the prosperity we may have, but in God. If we have no worries, if we are healthy and have everything we need, if our children and grandchildren are doing well, then we are experiencing a period of ‘prosperity’, of ‘carefree rest’. The thought can then arise that we ‘will never be moved’.

This notion does not have to mean that we are completely apart from God, as it does not seem to be the case here with David either. We realize that we owe it to Him and say to Him: ‘Lord, through Your favor we have this unwavering rest. My mountain stands strong.’ ‘My mountain’ we can then apply to the ‘little kingdom’ we may have, an area we control and the management of which we are doing well. Our gaze has become more focused on our prosperity and peace as something that cannot be moved, than on the Lord.

The Lord, in His grace, makes David aware of this by hiding His face from him. The result is that David “was dismayed” (cf. 2Sam 12:1-13). This is also evidence that David is not really apart from the Lord. He cannot live without Him. However, his attention was focused more on his prosperity than on Him Who had given it to him. That is a dangerous situation that can be the beginning of a different course and therefore of a different end.

With David, hiding God’s face has the desired effect of God: he starts calling to Him (Psa 30:8). He realizes again that he is dependent on God. In the time of prosperity he will also have prayed, but possibly more thoughtlessly. For example, we can pray “give us this day our daily bread” because there is a real lack of daily bread. If we have everything, and even have a supply for several days, we can also pray this, but the danger becomes great that it has no meaning.

We can also apply this to health and sickness. David seems to have been felled by an illness, and by such a serious one that death was imminent. How then all prosperity becomes relative. He begins to pray, to call to God, to plead with God.

David points out to God in his prayer that he cannot praise Him if he will die (Psa 30:9). The dust to which he returns when he dies has no voice. Surely then that means no profit to God, does it? What God will profit from is being praised for His salvation. That will also result in a declaration of His faithfulness to the world.

At this point in his prayer, David makes an urgent appeal to God to listen to him and to be gracious to him (Psa 30:10). At the brink of death, everyone knows that he can do nothing himself. Then he needs grace from God and God as Helper. He feels the need for God to support and guide him from moment to moment.