Those hast turned for me my mourning into
dancing
This, with what follows, expresses the success he had in seeking
the Lord by prayer and supplication; there was a sudden change of
things, as it often is with the people of God; sometimes they are
mourning by reason of sin, their own and others; or on account of
afflictions; or because of spiritual decays; or through the
temptations of Satan; or, as it was the case of the psalmist now,
because of the hidings of God's face; but this mourning is
exchanged for joy and gladness when the Lord discovers his
pardoning love, revives his work in their souls, takes off his
afflicting hand from them, rebukes the tempter, and delivers out
of his temptations, and shows himself, his grace and favour;
thou hast put off my sackcloth;
which was used in mourning for relations, and in times of
calamity and distress, and as a token of humiliation and
repentance, ( Genesis
37:34 ) ( Esther 4:1 ) ( Jonah 3:8 ) ;
and girded me with gladness;
by these phrases the same thing is signified as before; see (
Isaiah 61:3 )
.