Psalm 30: Sorrow May Stay The Night, But Joy Is Always There
Introduction:
Psalm 30 LEB
A psalm; a song for the dedication of the house. Of David.
This beautiful psalm seems to have been originally written after recovery from a serious illness. We have all had plenty of experience with illness for the past two years.
Psalm 30 tells the story of going into trouble and coming out of trouble.
Walter Brueggemann categorizes it a psalm of new orientation. It is a thanksgiving psalm.
This psalm is filled with "poetic polarities." It speaks of:
distress and deliverance
anger and favor
He says, "I cried" and "You answered."
night and day
"I went down" and "You raised me up!"
momentary anger and temporary joy
mourning and joy
sackcloth and rejoicing
singing and silence
It is not only a psalm of praise. It is also a psalm about praise. It has been called a "declarative narrative!"
The psalmist speaks his own praise in the middle of the congregation and then invites them to join in. There is power in testimony. Something stirs in each of us when we hear others tell their story!
Let's dive right in.
Psalm 30:1-3
1 I will exalt you, O Yahweh, because you have drawn me up, and have not made my enemies rejoice over me.2 O Yahweh, my God,I cried for help to you, and you healed me.3 O Yahweh, you have brought my life up from Sheol. You preserved me alive from among those going down to the pit.
The psalm begins with praise for a specific occasion. It is dominated by four action verbs. Each verb is credited to the LORD: (1) drawn (lifted), (2) healed, (3) brought me up, and (4) spared me (restored my life). It is an experience of resurrection!
These verses include elements that we find in laments. There are times when our complaints and laments become songs of thanksgiving on the other side!
We are going to come out of the difficulties that we are presently going through.
Verse 1 erupts immediately with an ecstatic outburst of praise. It reminds me of the old song that says, "I've got a raise and I've got to let it out!"
It is a relationship between the psalmist and the Cosmic God, Who is also a Personal "You" that is the driving force of Psalm 30. The psalmist knows God and he knows that God knows him.
He cries out and God heals!
He is "drawn up." It is like he is water in a deep well. The Pit, Sheol, his sickness, and the things that lead to the land of the dead are the deep well or cistern.
But God does not leave him there! There is a resurrection!
I saw a meme today that said, "If you need a reason to be grateful, check your pulse!" How many times could we have been gone? But, God!
God does not just barely save the psalmist. He brings him up, exalts him! God has allowed us to go through some things because He has some better things ahead when we come out of this! So just hold on! You are going to make it through and come out on top!
Psalm 30:4-5
4 Sing praises to Yahweh, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy fame.5 For there is a moment in his anger; there is a lifetime in his favor. Weeping lodges for the evening, but in the morning comes rejoicing.
Here the psalmist invites the community to join in because the thanks that he has for God are more than one individual can adequately render! There is a communion of saints across time and space. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses in the heavenly Jerusalem and by the Spirit, we are invited to join the chorus with all of creation in singing praises and giving thanks!
To "give thanks" means a confessional acknowledgment of Who it is that has given them new life. "Giving thanks" is practiced gratitude. And practiced gratitude produces joy. Those who live a life of gratitude, where they are continually expressing thanks to God, have joy as a companion. "Weeping lodges for the evening." It is a passing and often unwelcomed guest. We may of necessity entertain it for a while, but it is not staying. Every morning the psalmist says that joy is there. Joy stays!
Weeping, thanks for stopping by. Joy and I will be here if you ever have to stop by again!
The joy of the LORD is my strength! And that joy flows from a grateful heart!
To "give thanks" means to make a commitment. A commitment to gratitude is a marriage to joy!
Verse 5 acknowledges past trouble, but says, "It has been overcome!"
Daybreak is here! The night is over! The storm is through!
Psalm 30:6-10
6 But as for me, I had said in my prosperity, “I shall not be moved ever.”7 O Yahweh, by your favor you caused my strong mountain to stand. You hid your face. I was bewildered.8 To you, O Yahweh, I called, and to the Lord, I pleaded for grace saying,9 “What gain is there in my death,[e]in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? 10 “O Yahweh, hear and be gracious to me. O Yahweh, be my helper.”
In the middle of the psalm, the psalmist admits to a time of complacency in his life. These verses tell about the old orientation of life when everything was going okay and I was okay and you were okay. And then, like a storm arising on the sea of Galilee, disorientation happened.
We were having a good time over the past month or so, and then we experienced a small outbreak of covid.
Verse 7 is a verse that can sound scary. It speaks of God's absence: "You hid Your Face. I was bewildered." We have those moments when we wonder where God is. We can be sure that He is there and He is working everything that happens together for good. He is not going to leave or forsake you. He is going to perfect that which concerns you! The good work which He began in you, He will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ!
The reason He hid His Face was redemptive. It caused the psalmist to turn to Him.
And when he called, he sought God's favor. God's favor is long-term. His anger is temporary!
It is God's favor that establishes us! Except the LORD builds the house they that build it labor in vain! God's Face is His protection, and we cannot be established without Him!
The key is to continually seek Him! Not just in the moments of distress. Sometimes our prosperity and comfort can be our greatest enemy. But they don't have to be if we learn to abide in him.
The psalmist wrestles with God declaring that he will not be able to do the work of praise in the grave! There is a lot here, but...
Psalm 30:11-12
11 You have turned my wailing into my dancing. You have removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy12 so that I may sing praises to you and not be quiet. O Yahweh, my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
These verses are parallel to verses 1-3 in acknowledging and celebrating the decisive transforming actions of the LORD. "YOU turned, YOU loosed, YOU have girded..."
Because of my new life, I cannot keep silent!
This is a new orientation! It turns the funeral dance into a praise dance!
God gives us a new set of clothes! We sing and are not silent!
There is dancing, rejoicing, singing, and praise!
Conclusion and Exhortation
We learn about the nature of God. God is worthy of praise. He exists and we come to know Him personally through our moments of disorientation and His deliverance. He saves! He reverses! He creates new life! What are we going to do after we get out of quarantine and isolation? Are we going to give Him the praise He is due and practices the gratitude that makes joy an everlasting companion?
A life of praise. Praise should be something that we live continually. It's easy to get down in the mouth. Fight it with praise! We need to accept stunning reversals in our church community! When the lost sheep, coin, and sons are found -- rejoice! When we get well after being sick -- rejoice!
Recognize that the strange work of God is the exception that proves the rule. The reason for the anger and chastening are there is to prove mercy and grace. God is not always angry. He is not always getting onto us. He may discipline us for our benefit, but He is always favoring us every moment!
