intended to record the occasion of the psalm’s writing, but may point to either the dedication of David’s palace (2 Sam. 5:11), or the dedication of the threshing floor of Araunah (or Ornan), the site of the future temple (2 Sam. 24:18-25; 1 Chron. 21:18-30).
The main idea of the psalm is clearly expressed: “Thou has turned for me my mourning into dancing (verse 11).
The joy and thanks voiced in the final two verses, however, are only the aftermath of David’s thanks (verses 1-5), for the LORD’s chastening hand on a boastful servant (verses 6-10).
David speaks out of a cycle of life (i.e., lamentation and laud), especially moving through prayer to praise.
In spite of great variety, the psalm is bonded together by praise emphases (compare verses 4, 9, and 12).
And here the psalmist’s beginning and ending pledges to praise provide structure for his prayers and testimonies.
I. His Beginning Pledge of Praise (30:1a).
II. His Look Back upon Historic Prayers and Testimonies (30:1b-9).
A. His Individual Remembrance (30:1b-3);
B. His Public Reminders (30:4-5);
C. His Individual Reflections (30:6-9).
III. His Look Ahead to Continuing Prayers and Testimonies (30:10-12a).
IV. His Concluding Pledge of Praise (30:12b).
Psalm 30:1 I will extol Thee, O LORD; for Thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
“Extol” is a word often used in the Old Testament for lifting a bucket up out of a well.
Psalm 30:5 For His anger [endureth but] a moment; in His favor [is] life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy [cometh] in the morning.
In the second half of the verse weeping is personified, and represented by the figure of a wanderer, who leaves in the morning the lodging, into which he had entered the preceding evening. After him another guest arrives, namely, joy.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.Psalm 30:9 What profit [is there] in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise Thee? shall it declare Thy truth?
The argument which the psalmist uses here is that he could better serve God by his life than by his death.
Psalm 30:11
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
Observe the contrast, God takes away the mourning of His people; and what does He give them instead of it? Quiet and peace? Aye, and a great deal more than that. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing. He makes their hearts to dance at the sound of His name."
BooksOfTheBible/Charles Spurgeon
