Ps. 30 A Psalm and Song; or, A Psalm of Song; i.e. either, 1. A Psalm to be sung with the voice to an instrument. Or, 2. A Psalm of joy and praise; for so this is. And this Hebrew word schir may be here taken not simply for a song, but for a joyful song, as it is Gen. 31:27, Ex. 15:1, Ps. 33:3, Ps.

the dedication of the house, not to note the matter of this Psalm or Song; but either, 1. The name of the tune to which this song was sung, which was the same that David used at the dedication of his house; and so this gives us a reason why the word Song is added to that of Psalm, and why this…

i.e. Delivered me from the fears and troubles of my mind, which are oft compared to diseases, and from very dangerous distempers of my body.

Thou hast brought up my soul from the grave; my deliverance is a kind of resurrection from the grave, upon the very brink whereof I was. Thou hast kept me alive: this he adds to explain the former phrase, which was ambiguous. To the pit, i.e. into the grave, which is oft called the pit, as Ps.

Or, at the mention, &c. when you call to mind, or when others celebrate, as I do, this day, the holiness of God’s nature; which he demonstrates by his works, by his faithfulness, care, and kindness towards his holy ones.

His anger endureth but a moment; commonly the afflictions which he sends upon his people are short, and last but for a few moments of their lives. In his favour is life; or, life, i.e. our whole life, is in his favour, i.e.

I thought myself past all danger of further changes, forgetting my own frailty, and the uncertainty of all worldly things.

Thou hast made my mountain to stand strong; thou hast so firmly settled me in my kingdom; which he calls his mountain, partly because kingdoms are usually called mountains in prophetical writings, as Ps. 46:3–4, Isa. 2:2, Jer. 51:25, Dan. 2:34–35, Dan.

What profit is there, to wit, unto thee? as the latter part of the verse explains it. What wilt thou gain by it? In my blood, i.e. in my violent death, as blood is frequently used, as Gen. 37:26, Num. 35:33, Josh. 20:3, 1 Sam. 25:26, 1 Sam. 25:33, Matt. 27:6. When I go down to the pit; when I die.

Having related his prayer, he now declares the gracious answer which God gave him. Put off my sackcloth, i.e. given me occasion to put off that sackcloth, which they used to wear in times of mourning. See Est. 4:1, Ps. 35:13, Isa. 32:11, Joel 1:13.

My glory; my soul; or rather, my tongue, to which both singing and silence most properly belong. See Poole “Ps. 7:5”; See Poole “Ps. 16:9”.