Bible Commentaries
Psalms 30

Verse 1

Title. A Psalm. Hebrew. mizmor. See App-65 .

Song. Hebrew. Shir. The only Shir in the first book. See App-65 .

dedication. Hebrew. hanak. Used of houses in Deuteronomy 20:5 .

of the house of David. Compare 2 Samuel 7:1 , 2 Samuel 7:2 . Not the temple.

lifted me up = as out of a pit.

Verse 3

soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

the grave. Hebrew Sheol. See App-35 .

that I should not go down. So in some codices and one early printed edition; but other codices read "from among" [those who were going down], with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate.

the pit = a sepulchre. Hebrew. bor. See note on "well" (Genesis 21:19 ).

Verse 4

Sing = Sing praises.

saints = favoured ones: literally men endued with grace. The natural man cannot do this (1 Corinthians 2:14 ).

Verse 5

endureth, &c. Render "For a moment [is] His anger; for a lifetime [is] His favour".

endure = lodge

Verse 6

I shall, &c. Compare Psalms 62:6 .

Verse 7

my mountain: i.e. Zion, which David had but recently taken (2 Samuel 5:7-10 ).

hide Thy face. Probably refers to a sickness which followed.

face. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

Verse 8

the LORD*. One of the 134 places where "Jehovah" (in the primitive text) was altered to "Adonai". See App-32 . Some codices, with one early printed edition, read "Jehovah". App-4 .

Verse 9

What profit . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .

is there. Supply "[will there be]".

blood = soul. Compare Leviticus 17:11 .

the pit. Hebrew. Shachath = destruction (Psalms 55:23 ; Psalms 103:4 ), or corruption (Psalms 16:10 ; Psalms 49:9 . Jeremiah 2:6 ).

Shall . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 . Compare Psalms 6:5 ; Psalms 88:11 ; Psalms 115:17 ; Psalms 118:17 . Isaiah 38:18 .

Verse 11

turned: denoting the act. See "girded", below.

put off = torn open, or off.

sackcloth. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for the sadness of which it was the sign.

girded: denoting the fact. See "turned", above.

Verse 12

my glory. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), App-6 , for "myself", referring either to the tongue (Psalms 108:1 or powers of mind which give the praise. To the chief Musician. See App-64 . Though written for a special occasion, Psalms 30:0 was handed over to the chief Musician for public use, and in connection with any other dedication.