Psalms · Chapter 30 of 150

Psalm 30

Praise to God for deliverance. · Others encouraged by his example.

1A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David. I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 2O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 3O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

6And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 7Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication. 9What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. 11Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

King James Version (1769) · public domain

About Psalms

Psalm 30 commentary

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706), public domain.

Verses 1-5

The great things the Lord has done for us, both by his providence and by his grace, bind us in gratitude to do all we can to advance his kingdom among men, though the most we can do is but little. God's saints in heaven sing to him; why should not those on earth do the same? Not one of all God's perfections carries in it more terror to the wicked, or more comfort to the godly, than his holiness. It is a good sign that we are in some measure partakers of his holiness, if we can heartily rejoice at the remembrance of it. Our happiness is bound up in the Divine favour; if we have that, we have enough, whatever else we want; but as long as God's anger continues, so long the saints' weeping continues.

Verses 6-12

When things are well with us, we are very apt to think that they will always be so. When we see our mistake, it becomes us to think with shame upon our carnal security as our folly. If God hide his face, a good man is troubled, though no other calamity befal him. But if God, in wisdom and justice, turn from us, it will be the greatest folly if we turn from him. No; let us learn to pray in the dark. The sanctified spirit, which returns to God, shall praise him, shall be still praising him; but the services of God's house cannot be performed by the dust; it cannot praise him; there is none of that device or working in the grave, for it is the land of silence. We ask aright for life, when we do so that we may live to praise him. In due time God delivered the psalmist out of his troubles. Our tongue is our glory, and never more so than when employed in praising God. He would persevere to the end in praise, hoping that he should shortly be where this would be the everlasting work. But let all beware of carnal security. Neither outward prosperity, nor inward peace, here, are sure and lasting. The Lord, in his favour, has fixed the believer's safety firm as the deep-rooted mountains, but he must expect to meet with temptations and afflictions. When we grow careless, we fall into sin, the Lord hides his face, our comforts droop, and troubles assail us.

Key verses in Psalm 30

  • Psalms 30:5

    For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

  • Psalms 30:11

    Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

  • Psalms 30:2

    O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

  • Psalms 30:4

    Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

  • Psalms 30:12

    To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.