Psalm 30:3

3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from Hades, thou hast delivered me from among them that go down to the pit.

Psalm 30:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 30:3

O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave
When his life being in danger, was near unto it, ( Job 33:22 Job 33:28 ) ; otherwise the soul dies not, nor does it lie and sleep in the grave; or "thou hast brought up my soul from hell" ^F13; that is, delivered him from those horrors of conscience and terrors of mind, by reason of sin, which were as hell itself unto him; see ( Psalms 116:3 ) ( Jonah 2:4 ) ;

thou hast kept me alive:
preserved his corporeal life when in danger, and maintained his spiritual life; and quickened him by his word, under all his afflictions, and kept him from utter and black despair;

that I should not go down to the pit;
either of the grave or hell. There is in this clause a "Keri" and a "Cetib"; a marginal reading, and a textual writing: according to the latter it is, "from them that go down to the pit"; which some versions ^F14 follow; that is, thou hast preserved me from going along with them, and being where and as they are: our version follows the former; the sense is the same.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (lwav Nm) "ab inferno", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth.
F14 So Sept. V. L. Pagninus, Musculus, Gejerus, Michaelis, Ainsworth.

Psalm 30:3 In-Context

1 I will exalt thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and not caused mine enemies to rejoice over me.

2 O Lord my God, I cried to thee, and thou didst heal me.

3 O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from Hades, thou hast delivered me from among them that go down to the pit.

4 Sing to the Lord, ye his saints, and give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness.

5 For anger is in his wrath, but life in his favour: weeping shall tarry for the evening, but joy shall be in the morning.

6 And I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved.

7 O Lord, in thy good pleasure thou didst add strength to my beauty: but thou didst turn away thy face, and I was troubled.

8 To thee, O Lord, will I cry; and to my God will I make supplication.

9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to destruction? Shall the dust give praise to thee? or shall it declare thy truth?

10 The Lord heard, and had compassion upon me; the Lord is become my helper.

11 Thou hast turned my mourning into joy for me: thou hast rent off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

12 that my glory may sing praise to thee, and I may not be pierced with sorrow. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever.