I truly appreciate the writing of Kind David. His writings are so human, so honest, yet so reverent towards Yahweh. David takes the emotions and visceral responses he is having to the events he is experiencing and packages them up into a series of statements that resonate with us today - even some 3000 years later.
In Psalm 30, we see yet another example of David baring his soul to the reader - yet this psalm (and all of his others) are prayers being lifted up to Yahweh. The truth of his experiences is told in vivid detail, yet it does not overshadow the reverent faith that David extends to Yahweh as he speaks from the heart.
Perhaps that is the greatest lesson that we can learn from David’s psalms - expose your heart to Yahweh - pain and all - but be reverent and worshipful in the midst of expressing your sorrow.
If any of you have struggled with mental health issues, then the following verses will be all too familiar to you. In this psalm David goes to a dark place, yet clings to the light of the hope he has in Yahweh.
Psalm 30 says… A psalm of David. A song for the dedication of the Temple.
Verses 1-3: “I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health. You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.”It is amazing that despite whatever David is going through he usually starts psalms off with praise and worship of the God he loves and honours so deeply. Here, David is lifting praise up to Yahweh, and recognises that it is only HE who can, and has, saved David from destruction.
David also notes that it was God (Yahweh) who rescued him from death so many times, and even when he felt like dying God was there to lift him up.
Perhaps this should be an encouragement to us. No matter what we are facing - God is there to protect us, and to keep us from succumbing to the darkness that surrounds us.
Verses 4-5: “Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”David adds layers onto his worship in this psalm. He extends the call to praise God (Yahweh) to all those who believe in, and follow Yahweh. He also links the praise of Yahweh in all circumstances, including the hard times that are a reflection of God’s discipline of us.
There is blessed hope that though we may struggle and suffer for a time (and the night might seem so very long and never-ending) it will end and joy will come with the dawn. The darkness will be superseded by the light. This is both a promise of our present, and a prophetic vision of our future when Jesus returns to rule the world. This too should give us encouragement and hope to continue hanging onto Yahweh as our protector and salvation.
Verses 6-7: “When I was prosperous, I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” Your favour, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.”It is interesting that David decides to be real about his pride and arrogance. he notes that he spoke about the wealth and reputation he had gathered, all because God had blessed him. Yet, he let all that feed his sinful pride, and God in turn yanked it all away again.
We need to be careful in the times that we are prosperous, when things are going well for us - because in a moment it can turn, and it will test our faith. God never tests our faith in the times of plenty, but in the times of lack and desolation. We should remember this, and prepare our hearts and minds for this eventuality - and not live in pride.
Verses 8-10 “I cried out to you, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying “What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you Can it tell of your faithfulness? Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.”Now, this is where it gets real for most of us…
There are times in our lives - and for some of us those times are ongoing and seemingly never-ending - where we feel like we are going to be consumed by our lives, and some may even get to the point where we don’t want to live. We cry out because we are plagued by chronic illness or pain. We cry out because the relationships we are in are deteriorating around us. We cry out because life is not what we had dreamt of when we were younger, and all our dreams have turned to dust. We cry out because we do not understand our place in our own families, communities, churches and places of employment. We cry out because we can’t pay our bills on time, nor can we provide enough for our spouses or family. We cry out because the weight of our mistakes is a constant burden on our souls. Where we cry out to God to help us because feel so hopeless.
David was in precisely the same point at this stage of his life.
David is clinging to Yahweh, even as he is growing and feeling as if he is going to die. He cries out in desperation to Yahweh, knowing that HE is the only source of salvation. If David, the destroyer of Goliath, and the other giant clans…if David, king of Israel…if David the mighty warrior feels the need to cry out to Yahweh for help, and for salvation from inner turmoil - how much more should we do the same?
Perhaps we should take a page from David’s playbook and cry out in honest, heartfelt pain to God and ask for HIS salvation and HIS faithfulness - without shame.
Verses 11-12: “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!”These verses remind me of Revelation 21:4, which prophecies for us that… “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will no longer be any death; and there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain; because the old order has passed away.”
Oh! how this is our blessed hope…
To have a day when all our pain…all our suffering…all our torment in this life is gone - all because HE has taken it away. A key to us enduring the hard times is our ongoing, if not constant praise and worship of God. When we focus on Yahweh and HIS perfect love, mercy and grace - our problems seemed to fade into insignificance. And we need to look at the eternal, rather than the present. Our faith in God, and the salvation we receive through HIS son Jesus - is all we need to focus on - this life is just an 80 blip in our existence.
I pray that whatever situations you are facing in your life right now, that Yahweh is your sole source of salvation - may you cling tightly to HIM. Even if you feel like you are sinking, remember that Yahweh is the one to pull you up - you will not ever be overwhelmed. May you hold to HIS faithfulness, HIS grace and HIS mercy - for HE loves you dearly.