Psalm Studies

PSALM  30

   A psalm. A song of dedication for the temple. To David.

² I will lift You up, Lord,
   for You drew me  [concept is a pit from which water is drawn. A strong Hebrew Piel Preterite form is used here]
   and You did not let my enemies rejoice over me.

³ Lord my God, I called to You,
   and You healed me. [David was apparently very sick. But there is healing and this is the secret: calling the Lord. It is available for us today right now]

⁴ You brought me up Lord, from Sheol my soul; 
   You spared me from going down a pit. [Illness for David is a pit. His soul went down almost to death = Sheol, not a place but a condition of sleep and weakness to participate in normal daily activities. It proves to us the power of God to bring sick people back to normality. It means that healing is not in this or that medicine, but the power of God]

⁵ Sing to the Lord, His kind ones,
   and praise to remember His holiness. [David suggests that the kind ones of the Lord, His faithful remnant, sing to Him and praise while remembering His holiness. His being is holy but also the Sabbath He asked us to keep holy for Him. Says Isaiah 58:13 “If you keep My day Holy by not doing your own things on My Holy day”.

⁶  For a moment [is] in His anger,
   life in His favor;
  in the evening lingers weeping,
   and to the morning [is] rejoicing. [David says that God turns circumstances around. What is a moment of trouble becomes a lifetime of success. What is sadness at night, becomes happiness the following days. He says that unhappiness does not last forever. It has a time limit. God will change the things at the turning point and tears will dry up and become a smile]

⁷ And I,  I said in my security [The double I in the Hebrew is emphasizing wrongful action, taking selfish gain to a higher limit, even to the point of arrogance and mocking],
   “Not will I be shaken unto eternity .” [The phrase is Phoenician and probably a citation from a Phoenician Poem well known in those days. David is using the Phoenician negative particle bal here as “not”].

⁸ Lord in Your favoring
   You made stand firm my mountain of strength
You made hidden Your face ,
   I was troubled (David used a Niphal [passive] participle here with the verb hayah in the first person).

⁹ To You, Lord, I will call; [David is using the future or Imperfect form of the verb here]
   and to the Lord I [will beg] for mercy [Hithpael future]

¹⁰ “What is gained in my blood,
   in the going down unto the pit? [David is listing seriously to the Lord benefits he covenants to do for the Lord if He would heal him. Things he would do for the Lord: praise and proclaim the character of God]
Will the dust praise You? [David says that when he ends as dust, dust cannot praise the Lord so the Lord should make him live]
   Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?

¹¹ Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me;
   Lord, be a help to me” [David needs the Lord’s help and ask for His mercy to himself]

¹² You turned my wailing to dancing for me; 
   You removed my sackcloth and clothed me [with] joy.

¹³ So that it will sing to You honor/respect and will not be silent.
   Lord my God, unto eternity I will praise You. [David says that his healed body is overwhelmed with thankfulness and he pledge to sing to the Lord respect and will not be silent by anyone, skeptic, secularist or atheist for he wish to praise the Lord forever before the grave and after the grave when resurrection will accompany His second coming]

Studies in the Psalm are healing for the soul

koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Visiting Professor

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

16 September 2011