Psalms 30:3

3 Lord, thou leddest out my soul from hell; thou savedest me from them that go down into the pit. (Lord, thou hast led me up from Sheol, or the land of the dead; thou hast pulled me out from among those who go down into the pit.)

Psalms 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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

Psalms 30:3 In-Context

1 The psalm of [the] song, for the hallowing of the house of David. Lord, I shall enhance thee, for thou hast up-taken me; and thou delightedest not mine enemies on me. (The psalm of the song, for the dedication of the house of David. Lord, I shall exalt thee, for thou hast taken me up/for thou hast lifted me up; and thou hast not let my enemies have delight, or to gloat, over me.)
2 My Lord God, I cried to thee; and thou madest me whole.
3 Lord, thou leddest out my soul from hell; thou savedest me from them that go down into the pit. (Lord, thou hast led me up from Sheol, or the land of the dead; thou hast pulled me out from among those who go down into the pit.)
4 Ye saints of the Lord, sing to the Lord; and acknowledge ye to the mind of his holiness (and give ye thanks at the remembrance of his holiness).
5 For ire is in his indignation; and life is in his will (For there is anger in his indignation; but there is life in his favour). Weeping shall dwell at eventide; and gladness at the morrowtide.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.