Adapted from a Bible Study from the Rev. Dennis Goff
Psalms have been a regular part of Christian worship since the Church began. It continued the practice of God’s people using psalms in worship from the time of David, going from tent, to temple, to synagogue, then their house church. We are encouraged in Colossians 3:16 (ESV) to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Open your Bible and begin by reading 1 Chronicles 21, which many theologians believe was the inspiration for David’s Psalm 30. While reading, look at what David does and says. Think about what David may be thinking and feeling as he makes decisions and then talks to God.
Psalm 30 (ESV)
David’s initial expression of praise
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.
There are many things David could have been despaired over. In 1 Chronicles 21, what kind of depths do we find David in?
How has God restored David? Use examples from 1 Chronicles 21 or from other instances you can remember from David’s life.
(Psalm 30) David’s response from his experience
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.
A feature that shows up in many psalms, especially psalms of praise, is a call for the congregation, or for all the people, to respond along with the psalmist. “Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.”
Think of a time when you felt alone in your feelings. If your feelings are great, it’s not as great if you are alone. If you are in despair, this tends to isolate you even more because you may not want to share with others. What’s the benefit of praising with others? What’s the benefit of sharing in struggles with others?
In verse 6, David speaks of not being moved when he was in his prosperity. When we feel like we’re the ones with power, then we’re the ones in control. We can have a misplaced confidence, and we may also say, “I shall never be moved.” If we’re relying on God, this is great! But if the mountain that stands strong is just our own ideas of self-preservation, we get into trouble.
Think about a way you can build in a practice of humbling yourself before God daily and submitting to what He has for you. What would it look like to pray or journal each day about making solid plans, but also praying that God’s will be done in your life?
Psalm 30) David’s appeal for mercy
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!”
It seems like David is almost bargaining with God in verse 9 when he says, “What profit is there in my death ... will the dust praise you?” It’s so ingrained in our human nature to use whatever we have in order to be in power over someone else whenever we feel weak or threatened. David here may be trying to get God to relent and not destroy him because then God wouldn’t have David’s praise anymore.
Have you ever bargained with God? Have you ever promised you would do something for God if He did something for you? What is wrong with this kind of thinking?
(Psalm 30) David’s expression of praise
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!
How does God turn David’s mourning into dancing? How does he also give us hope after we mourn? What do we all have to look forward to on the other side of our suffering?
Many psalms of praise dive deep into the psalmist’s despair and then will end with something like the line in verse 12, “I will give thanks to you forever!”
What does it feel like to say praises to God, even when you’re feeling down? Can this be a reminder of God’s unwavering faithfulness, even while we struggle to stay solidly committed to him?
Read these other Psalms of Praise as time allows, as you are feeling down, or in times of joy: Psalm 95, Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98, Psalm 99, and Psalm 100
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you have called me to praise you in good times and bad. Help me to make praise a part of my daily life of faith. As I cry out to you in my need, I pray that I may also recognize you as the giver of every good gift. Thank you for the greatest gift, the gift of salvation through Your Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s in His name I pray. Amen.
The Rev. Dennis Goff is the senior pastor at St. Michael Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Ind.