Psalm 30 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 30 on biblegateway.com
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
I love chaperoning middle school dances, because I love to dance, and it brings me joy to see the kids having fun and laughing… mostly at me. It was hard to get together with the pandemic, but we created dances on Zoom and I danced outside the kids houses. I’m just glad they didn’t call the police. I was blessed that the kids let me into their lives and shared their hurts and pains with me. They were being bullied and judged and felt like they didn’t matter. It made me sad that they had to go through being pushed out and pushed away. I couldn’t do any of the latest dances, but the kids lit up when we made up our own dances, like “the garbage truck,” and “the salt shaker.” It turned into dance charades and the popular kids joined us too—a community of misfits who fit in at God’s dance party.
Prayer
Loving God, you lift up our souls and clothe us with joy. Help us to sing and dance your praises forever. Amen.