Psalm 30

“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5, NLT)

In Psalm 30, David exalts the LORD. He wrote this song for the dedication of the temple, which was something he did not live to see. David provided the property and gold, silver, stone and other building materials for the temple. He also provided Solomon with a psalm of praise.

David had experienced the LORD’s salvation from enemies, sickness and death. He had cried out for help, and the LORD heard his voice and rescued him many times. Therefore, he would sing praises and not be silent, and he would encourage others to sing psalms of praise and thanksgiving.

David had also experienced times of chastening from the LORD. Some of these were quite severe, such as when he lost his first son born to Bathsheba or when his son Absalom rebelled and slept with his concubines. When David wrongfully numbered the people because of his pride, he saw 70,000 of them die from the plague sent by God. Yet these moments of God’s anger and David’s weeping were relatively short-lived. Most of his life was filled with joyful dancing and worshipful singing. The LORD had been gracious to David, and he knew it.

Hasn’t this also been our testimony? Hasn’t the LORD been good to us? He has not punished us as our sins deserve, but He has been gracious toward us. Yes, there have been times when we have felt His chastening hand and have humbled ourselves beneath it. The consequences of our decisions have not always been pleasant. But His tender mercies have been new every morning, and in Him we greatly rejoice!

Perhaps you are in the middle of the night of mourning, and it seems like the dawn will never come…but rest assured that it will. Or maybe you are in the morning of joy. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, the flowers are in bloom, and there is a song in your heart. The same God who created the day also created the night. Both have their place in the lives of God’s loved ones. But thankfully we perpetually live in the summer of longer days and shorter nights!