Psalm 30—This Psalm of David praises the Lord for having
preserved his life, granting him healing. When he seemed to be at the brink of
death, the Lord restored him to life among those who go down into the pit. More
than just physical healing, however, the Lord also granted David spiritual
healing: when David, trusting in himself, said, ‘I shall never be moved,’ the
adversity made him repent of his pride. As a result of physical and spiritual
healing, David proclaims, ‘You have turned for me my mourning into
dancing . . . O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!’
This psalm has a unique
title: ‘A Psalm, A Song at the dedication of the house of David.’ Though
the title of the psalm (as it is in the English translation) indicates it was
written for the dedication of David’s palace. Many Bible scholars thought that
it was actually written prophetically for the dedication of the temple – which
David prepared for, but Solomon built. Nevertheless, we take this psalm as
being written for the dedication of David’s palace. It says nothing about the
house itself; rather the focus is on God and the greatness of His deliverance.
At the dedication of David’s house, David wanted God to be praised, not
himself.
The Hebrew word schir may
be here taken not simply for a “song,” but for a “joyful song,” as it is in
Genesis 31:27; Exodus 15:1; Psalm 33:3[2].
[1] Luther’s Seal copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[3] Collect for Psalm 30, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, © 1996 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
No comments:
Post a Comment