Psalms 30

Thanksgiving for Deliverance

¹A psalm. A song for the dedication of the Temple. Of David.[#: a later adaptation of the Psalm to celebrate the purification of the Temple in 164 B.C. during the Maccabean Revolt.]

²I praise you, Lord , for you raised me up

and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.

³O Lord , my God,

I cried out to you for help and you healed me.

⁴Lord , you brought my soul up from Sheol;

you let me live, from going down to the pit.

⁵Sing praise to the Lord , you faithful;

give thanks to his holy memory.

⁶For his anger lasts but a moment;

his favor a lifetime.

At dusk weeping comes for the night;

but at dawn there is rejoicing.

⁷Complacent, I once said,[#: untroubled existence is often seen as a source of temptation to forget God, cf. Dt 8:10–18; Hos 13:6; Prv 30:9.]

“I shall never be shaken.”

⁸Lord , you showed me favor,

established for me mountains of virtue.

But when you hid your face

I was struck with terror.

⁹To you, Lord , I cried out;

with the Lord I pleaded for mercy:

¹⁰“What gain is there from my lifeblood,[#In the stillness of Sheol no one gives you praise; let me live and be among your worshipers, cf. Ps 6:6; 88:11–13; 115:17; Is 38:18.]

from my going down to the grave?

Does dust give you thanks

or declare your faithfulness?

¹¹Hear, O Lord , have mercy on me;

Lord , be my helper.”

¹²You changed my mourning into dancing;

you took off my sackcloth

and clothed me with gladness.

¹³So that my glory may praise you

and not be silent.

O Lord , my God,

forever will I give you thanks.