Psalms 30:2-12

2 Jehovah my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

3 Jehovah, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol, thou hast quickened me from among those that go down to the pit.

4 Sing psalms unto Jehovah, ye saints of his, and give thanks in remembrance of his holiness.

5 For a moment [is passed] in his anger, a life in his favour; at even weeping cometh for the night, and at morn there is rejoicing.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved.

7 Jehovah, by thy favour thou hadst made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face; I was troubled.

8 I called to thee, Jehovah, and unto the Lord did I make supplication:

9 What profit is there in my blood, in my going down to the pit? shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

10 Hear, O Jehovah, and be gracious unto me; Jehovah, be my helper.

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast loosed my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

12 That [my] glory may sing psalms of thee, and not be silent. Jehovah my God, I will praise thee for ever.

Psalms 30:2-12 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Chasid: those characterized by piety, grace, goodness; see Ps. 16.10, and Note on 2Chron. 6.42. 'Saints,' Ps. 16.3, is Kadoshim, 'holy ones.'
• [b]. Or 'celebrate his holy (Kodesh) memorial,' i.e. his holy name: see Ex. 3.15.
• [c]. Many read 'Jehovah.'
• [d]. Or 'give thanks to;' and so ver. 12.
• [e]. See Ps. 7.5; 16.9, and Note.