Psalm 30 (NRSV)
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Verse 1I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
Verse 2O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.
Verse 3O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
Verse 4Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name.
Verse 5For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Verse 6As for me, I said in my prosperity, "I shall never be moved."
Verse 7By your favor, O Lord, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed.
Verse 8To you, O Lord, I cried, and to the Lord I made supplication:
Verse 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?
Verse 10Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper!"
Verse 11You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
Verse 12so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
Devotion
“Weeping spends the night, but joy comes in the morning.”
I felt no joy the day after my dad died. There was relief after a long illness. But in the midst of great grief, joy was not welcomed. Weeping spent many nights. Mornings were met with growing acceptance, but little joy.
Joy is often hidden under the cloak of hope. Just as the Psalmists encourage honesty in our worship, they do not allow for despair. Faithful living always encompasses the hope that “God’s favor lasts a lifetime.” We rest in that favor, and pray for the day of joy that is promised in Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Lord, give us the courage to wait for the morning, and the grace to live faithfully until the night. Amen.