Psalm 30 - Be Merciful

Psalm 30 was a song that David wrote to be sung at the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is a Psalm of thanksgiving which begins with David exalted the LORD’s name. The Psalm is both public (to be sung by a large congregation) whilst also being personal. David looks back to a time (or times) when the LORD lifted Him out of the depths and did not let his enemies gloat over him. We don’t know exactly what situations David is thinking of but over the course of his ‘story’ (as told in 1 and 2 Samuel) we find many instances when David was close to ‘the edge’ and when God saved him from others (and sometimes from himself). 

David’s testimony is one where the LORD has ‘helped’, ‘healed’, and ‘spared’ him. For all of this David is hugely thankful. David turns this personal experience into a public call for others to join in praising the LORD, the One whose ‘anger lasts only a moment’ and whose ‘favour lasts a lifetime.’  David knows, from his own experience, that ‘weeping may stay for the night’ but he encourages those singing with him to know and believe that ‘rejoicing comes in the morning’. Even death in the biblical story is never and end, there is resurrection to come. Security for the believer comes not from feeling secure (vs 6) but from being securely held by the One who puts a new song in our heart (vs 11-12).

One thing is striking about this song. David wrote it for ‘the dedication of the temple’. David never lived to see the dedication the temple (1 Kings 8) but we can imagine this song being song on that day. No matter who we are God’s work is always bigger than us. Moses never got to enter the Promised Land, David never saw the Temple built, Paul never saw the Great Commission completed. In praise we find our place in His great work as we give glory to His Name and His Name alone.

Prayer: Father help me today to be content, in the moments in which I live and in the place where you have me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.