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
Most, if not all of us, have or will face health issues in our lives. We certainly know and love others who have had health issues and we know the pain and anguish that can arise from them. Adversity comes in many forms. Our foes, as David calls them, can be cancer, depression, failing mental acuity, and a multitude of ills in our life and the lives of our loved ones. These life-changing or even life-ending situations can raise hard questions like, “Why would a loving God allow this to happen?” Here in this beautiful psalm we are reminded that God is with us, even, or most especially, in these hard times. David sings, “Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Joy comes in the morning precisely because God is with us, in us, around us, never letting us go.
Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for always being with me, for always loving me and caring for me. Help me to never forget I am never alone; I am held in your love. Amen.
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