Introduction
Martin Luther was one of the most important figures of the Protestant Reformation.
Throughout his life, he experienced many serious health crises.
One of the most notable instances occurred in 1527, during a challenging period for him personally and professionally.
In the summer of 1527, Luther faced a grave illness during an outbreak of the plague in Wittenberg, Germany.
This period is significant because it was a time of Luther's physical suffering and intense spiritual struggle and reflection.
Luther described his illness as highly severe. He experienced debilitating symptoms, including high fevers, extreme weakness, and severe depression. He believed he was at death's door.
In his writings and correspondence from this period, Luther expressed profound fears about dying, leaving his family, and the future of the Reformation movement he had initiated.
During this time, Luther turned to God in prayer with great intensity.
He prayed for God's mercy and healing, not just for himself but also for his family and the people of Wittenberg affected by the plague.
His writings from this period reflect a deep reliance on God’s providence and a humble submission to God’s will.
Miraculously, Luther began to recover.
His health improved, and he could resume his work and ministry.
Luther attributed his recovery to God's grace, and he continued to emphasize the importance of prayer in his teaching.
His experience of suffering and recovery further deepened his theological reflections on the nature of faith, suffering, and divine providence.
Luther's recovery allowed him to continue his pivotal role in the Reformation, profoundly shaping the future of Christianity.
His experience during this illness taught him to thank God for answered prayer, especially for deliverance from death.
King David had a similar experience and wrote Psalm 30 as a result of his near-death experience.
Today, I will preach on Psalm 30, one of eight Thanksgiving Psalms in the Book of Psalms.
Thanksgiving Psalms often include an element of Lament because of some difficulty or circumstance. But the Psalm concludes with thanks and is, therefore, a Psalm of Thanksgiving.
The superscription of Psalm 30, which I remind you is part of the original text of Scripture, is as follows:
A PSALM OF DAVID. A SONG AT THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE.
David wrote Psalm 30. It is one of 73 Psalms in the Psalter that is attributed to David.
David wrote that Psalm 30 was “A SONG AT THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE.”
The word “TEMPLE” can also be translated as “dwelling house” or “palace.” The temple was not constructed until after David’s death, so it does not seem likely that this Psalm was sung at its dedication.
More likely, it was a song written at the time of the dedication of David’s palace.
However, the message of the Psalm is thanksgiving for answered prayer, especially for deliverance from death, as we shall see.
Scripture
Let’s read Psalm 30:1-12:
A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.
1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O Lord,
you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.
8 To you, O Lord, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9 “What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
O Lord, be my helper!”
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
Lesson
Psalm 30:1-12 teaches believers to thank God for answered prayer, especially for deliverance from death.
Let’s use the following outline:
1. Thanksgiving for Personal Deliverance (30:1-3)
2. Invitation to Offer Thanks (30:4-5)
3. Confession of Sinful Pride (30:6-10)
4. Promise of Eternal Thanksgiving (30:11-12)
I. Thanksgiving for Personal Deliverance (30:1-3)
First, let’s note the thanksgiving for personal deliverance.
David begins Psalm 30 with these words in verses 1-3, “I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.”
We do not know the exact circumstance that led David to pen the words of this Psalm.
Whatever it was, and it does seem to be some severe illness, David thanks God for healing him and restoring his life. David was on the brink of death, but God preserved his life and spared him.
So, David burst out in thanksgiving to God for delivering him from certain death.
As some of you know, in 2018, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Getting a diagnosis of cancer quickly makes one evaluate one’s life and priorities. I thought a lot about death and dying.
The course of treatment I chose was radiation. I received twenty-five radiation treatments.
I discovered that Dr. John Piper also had prostate cancer in 2006 and received treatment for it, although he chose surgery over radiation.
Nevertheless, John Piper wrote a 15-page booklet titled Don’t Waste Your Cancer. I read that booklet twenty-five times as I waited each morning to be called into “the chamber” to receive my radiation treatment.
Piper begins his booklet with these words:
“I originally wrote this on the eve of prostate cancer surgery. I believed then, and I believe now, in God’s power to heal—by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed by God. He gets the glory, and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray for healing may waste our cancer” (John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Cancer [Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011], 3).
I prayed for healing, as did John Piper.
I have been cancer-free (as far as I know) for six years, and Dr. Piper has been cancer-free for eighteen years.
I have often thanked God for preserving my life, and I am sure Dr. Piper has done the same.
When God delivers you from any calamity, especially from death, always thank God for your deliverance.
II. Invitation to Offer Thanks (30:4-5)
Second, let’s look at an invitation to offer thanks.
David now invites others to join him in offering thanks to God. In verses 4-5, he writes, “Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
Did you notice what David did?
He pointed God’s people to God's character.
David did not merely highlight what God had done in his life. He wanted the people of God to see that God’s character is to be gracious.
That is why he said, “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime” (v. 5a).
David’s point is that God’s anger is momentary. He may discipline his people for their sinful disobedience, but he does so because his favor is resting on them. He disciplines his people because he loves them.
Commentator James Montgomery Boice put it this way:
The point is this. God is indeed displeased with sin and can never be indifferent to it. He judges sin with a holy anger, even in Christians. But for his people God’s judgments and anger are short-lived. They pass quickly. What remains is his favor, which lasts for our lifetimes and indeed forever” (James Montgomery Boice, Psalms 1–41: An Expositional Commentary [Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005], 263).
Harry Ironside (1876 - 1951) was a Canadian-American Bible teacher, preacher, theologian, author, and pastor of Moody Church Chicago from 1929 - 1948.
Ironside says that when his father was dying, he was suffering a great deal. A friend visited him and, leaning over, said, “John, you are suffering terribly, aren’t you?”
The father did not deny it. “I am suffering more than I thought anyone could suffer and still live,” he said. “But,” he added, “one sight of his blessed face will make up for it all” (H. A. Ironside, Studies on Book One of the Psalms [Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux, 1952], 175).
That is the perspective of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Believers may experience great suffering in this life. And even if God does not alleviate the pain and suffering in this life, believers will be more than compensated in glory.
But that is not true for unbelievers.
Unbelievers may experience no suffering in this life.
Unbelievers may experience great suffering in this life.
But there will be no alleviation of their suffering when they die. That is when their real suffering will begin and last for all eternity. They will then wish for the suffering that they had while they were alive.
The time to enter God’s favor is now.
Today is the day for unbelievers to turn to Jesus Christ in faith, repent of their sins, and receive God's favor in Jesus Christ.
III. Confession of Sinful Pride (30:6-10)
Third, let’s examine a confession of sinful pride.
David now explained what may have led to his near-death experience.
He said in verse 6, “As for me, I said in my prosperity, ‘I shall never be moved.’ ”
David experienced success after success as a young man.
He became king of Judah and eventually of Israel as well.
He never lost a battle in which he fought.
He became very wealthy.
Sadly, David became overconfident as a result of his prosperity. He believed that he would never be moved from his success.
But then David learned—to his horror—that God had hidden his face from him. And David was dismayed.
So, David turned to the Lord and pled for mercy. He cried out, “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!” (vv. 9-10).
David confessed his sinful pride to the Lord.
And the Lord heard him.
John Bunyan was born in 1628 in Elstow, England.
His early life was marked by unworthiness and pride, as he often thought he could achieve salvation through his efforts and righteousness.
Bunyan's turning point came during severe inner conflict and despair about his salvation.
He felt tormented by his sinful nature and pride, which he later detailed in his spiritual autobiography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. In this book, Bunyan described how guilt and fear of damnation haunted him.
At one point, he even considered ending his own life because of the overwhelming burden of his sins.
During this intense spiritual crisis, Bunyan began to read the Bible more deeply and realized the futility of his proud reliance on his righteousness.
He confessed his sins, particularly his pride, and acknowledged his need for God’s grace and mercy.
This confession and recognition of his sinful nature were pivotal in his spiritual conversion.
After this profound conversion experience, Bunyan's life changed dramatically.
Despite facing significant persecution for his nonconformist beliefs, he became a passionate preacher and writer of the good news about Jesus Christ.
His imprisonment for preaching without a license led him to write The Pilgrim's Progress, an allegory of the Christian journey from sin to salvation that has since become one of the most famous works in Christian literature.
John Bunyan's story illustrates how recognizing and confessing sinful pride can lead to the reception of God’s amazing grace.
IV. Promise of Eternal Thanksgiving (30:11-12)
And fourth, let’s notice a promise of eternal thanksgiving.
David returns to the theme of thanksgiving again, concluding this wonderful Psalm with a promise of eternal thanksgiving.
Listen to how he put it in verses 11-12, “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!”
David knew that God had rescued him from death. Instead of mourning for himself, he was able to dance again.
Instead of having to wear sackcloth, God had clothed David with gladness.
God had done all this so that David could sing God’s praise and not be silent about the wonderful, loving, gracious God who had delivered him from death.
In his little booklet titled Don’t Waste Your Cancer, John Piper writes about one of the purposes of God in allowing cancer to come into our lives. He writes:
“The aim of God in our cancer (among a thousand other good things) is to knock props out from under our hearts so that we rely utterly on him” (John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Cancer [Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011], 8).
God wants us to recognize that all that we have is from him. He allows both prosperity and adversity to enter our lives.
God is not so concerned about our comfort as he is about our character.
He wants us to become more and more like his Son, Jesus Christ.
Most often, God sends hard things into our lives to mold us into the image of his Son.
When we realize what God is doing, we learn that he is an eternally good God worthy of all our praise and thanksgiving.
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a powerful preacher in the mid-twentieth century. He often said, “The first great characteristic of the true Christian is always a sense of thankfulness and gratitude to God.”
My dear Christian, did you know you will never again need to confess your sin when you get to heaven? You will no longer sin; therefore, you will not need to confess your sins.
But you will continue spending eternity thanking God for your deliverance.
You will thank God for sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins.
You will thank God for sending the Holy Spirit to apply Jesus' work to you and grant you faith and repentance.
You will thank God for the countless mercies he extended to you in your life.
And you will continue thanking God for the countless blessings he bestows on you throughout eternity.
Conclusion
Pastor Duane Miller was the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Brenham, TX.
He was also a popular Bible teacher and speaker.
In January 1990, Duane contracted a severe flu virus that caused complications, leading to the development of a condition known as dysphonia.
This condition severely damaged his vocal cords, leaving him barely able to speak above a whisper.
As a preacher, losing his voice was not only a physical ailment but also a devastating blow to his ministry and calling.
Despite numerous visits to specialists and receiving various treatments, Duane's condition did not improve.
His doctors told him that the damage was likely permanent and he would probably never be able to speak normally again.
Facing this grim prognosis, Duane struggled with feelings of despair and doubt, yet he continued to pray fervently for healing and trusted in God's plan for his life.
On a Sunday morning in February 1993, Duane was invited to teach a Sunday school class at his church despite his vocal limitations.
That morning, the class studied Psalm 103, which speaks of God's healing power.
Duane began to teach, speaking in his usual strained whisper.
As he read from the Psalm, his voice suddenly began to strengthen. He felt a warmth in his throat and realized he was speaking clearly for the first time in three years.
Duane's voice was miraculously restored in front of a room full of witnesses.
He continued to teach the lesson, growing more confident as his voice remained strong and clear.
The congregation was stunned and overwhelmed with joy, praising God for the miraculous healing they had just witnessed.
Following this miraculous event, Duane's vocal recovery was confirmed by medical professionals, who were astonished by the sudden and complete healing of his vocal cords.
Duane continued to preach and teach, his voice stronger than ever.
In gratitude for his healing, Duane shared his testimony widely, giving glory to God for the miracle.
He published a book detailing his experience and how God answered his prayer, for which he thanked God.
Pastor Duane Miller's miraculous healing from a debilitating illness is a powerful testament to God's ability to deliver from seemingly impossible situations.
Now, if you are not a Christian today, your first prayer must be to God to save you from your sins. You must ask God to give you faith in Jesus Christ and enable you to repent of your sins.
If you are a Christian today, you must know that God will answer your prayer for healing in a way that will bring him glory and you the most good in your life.
Does that mean that God will always heal you?
Not necessarily.
But you can be confident that God will always do what is best for you and your eternal future. Amen.
