Psalm 30: Praising God in Adversity and Prosperity

I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. —Psalm 30:1, 2

 

 

 

 

 

It is difficult to assign Psalm 30 to a specific time during the life of David.

It may have been written following a serious illness.

It might have taken place at the dedication of the altar on the future temple site in Jerusalem. It could easily be applied to the time following the end of the pestilence outbreak, recorded in 2 Samuel 24:25, when David’s repentance, confession, and offerings on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite brought the pestilence to an end.

Psalm 30 is intensely private. It expresses thanks to God for saving the psalmist from danger or illness. Verse 2 specifically mentions the Lord healing David.

Verse 3 speaks of a personal illness so severe that the sufferer is looking into the abyss of death. Verse 5 suggests while God is angry, He expresses mercy and cuts short His justice. “God’s anger is very short in the case of one who sins, repents, confesses, and prays for mercy (vs. 8–10). “. . . Unlike His wrath, His favor is enduring; it lasts throughout men’s lives (see Ps. 16:11).” The contrasting words used in verse 5 are powerful: anger turns into favor, a moment turns into life, night turns into morning, and weeping turns into joy.

It seems David had lost sight of the fact that God’s favor had created his success (vv. 6, 7). Upon falling ill, David realized he had separated from God (v. 7).

Should he die, how would that profit God (v. 9)? Suffering finally causes him to realize help comes only from the Lord (v. 10). The contrasting words found in verse 11 shadow those found in verse 5: mourning turns into dancing, and sackcloth turns into gladness.

David has learned an important lesson.

During the remainder of his life, he “purposes in his heart to thank God in all the activities of his life. He has learned the lesson of adversity that will fit him to survive prosperity.” “When all my labors and trials are o’er, / And I am safe on that beautiful shore, / Just to be near the dear Lord I adore, / Will through the ages be glory for me.”