God often speaks to me early in the mornings in a word, a phrase, or at most one sentence. One morning my impression was simply “Psalm 30.” These promptings are always jewels to pursue.
The first time I read the psalm, what jumped out at me is who God is in the verbs telling what he does:
v 1 lifter and deliverer
v 2 answerer of prayer and healer
v 3 preserver and life-giver
v 4 holy name
v 5 favor, comforter, and joy
v 6 provider, prosperity, and security
v 7 protector and strength
v10 One who hears, has mercy, and helps
v11 One who turns mourning into dancing and sackcloth to joy
But in the midst of these wonderful attributes, David referred to enemies, sickness, near-death experiences. He had real emotions of depression, weeping, desperation, dismay at unanswered prayer, mourning, and the sackcloth of fasting.
Notice that David began the psalm with praise, praised God and gave thanks in the middle, and ended with praise and thanksgiving. In all his trials and adversity he kept his eyes on God. None of the “bad” was bigger than God.
And that’s the point. When God delivers us, He brings us through life circumstances, not necessarily around them. And that’s worth a shout of joy.
- sylvia gunter
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