Psalms 30:1-6

1 (29-1) <A psalm of a canticle, at the dedication of David’s house.> (29-2) I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me: and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me.

2 (29-3) O Lord my God, I have cried to thee, and thou hast healed me.

3 (29-4) Thou hast brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell: thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit.

4 (29-5) Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints: and give praise to the memory of his holiness.

5 (29-6) For wrath is in his indignation; and life in his good will. In the evening weeping shall have place, and in the morning gladness.

6 (29-7) And in my abundance I said: I shall never be moved.

Psalms 30:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 30

\\<>\\. This is the first time that a psalm is called a song; some psalms are called by one name, some by another, and some by both, as here; and some are called hymns: to which distinction of them the apostle refers in Eph 5:19. A psalm was sung upon musical instruments, a song with the voice; it may be this psalm was sung both ways: the occasion of it was the dedication of David's house: the Targum interprets it of the house of the sanctuary, the temple; and so most of the Jewish commentators {i}; which might be called his house, because it was his intention to build it; his heart was set upon it, he provided materials for it, and gave his son Solomon the form of it, and a charge to build it; and, as is thought, composed this psalm to be sung, and which was sung by the Levites at the dedication of it: others, as Aben Ezra, are of opinion it was his own dwelling house, made of cedar, which he dedicated according to the law of Moses, with sacrifices and offerings, prayer and thanksgiving, \2Sa 5:11 7:2 De 20:5\; so Apollinarius calls it a new house David built; but since there is nothing in the whole psalm that agrees with the dedication, either of the temple, or of David's own private house, it seems better, with other interpreters, to understand it of the purging of David's house from the wickedness and incest of his son Absalom, upon his return to it, when the rebellion raised by him was extinguished; which might be reckoned a new dedication of it; see 2Sa 20:3; and to a deliverance from such troubles this psalm well agrees. Theodoret interprets it of the restoration of the human nature by Christ, through his resurrection from the dead. {i} Jarchi, Kimchi, & Abdendana.