What does Psalm 30:4 mean?
Celebrating God's forgiveness and mercy, David addresses the righteous people of Israel. He calls on them to sing praises to the Lord and give thanks. He wants every believer to join him in praising and thanking God for healing and restoration. At least part of this praise is for God's merciful discipline of David. He did not let David suffer defeat by his enemies (1 Chronicles 21:7–14) and He cut short a terrible plague (1 Chronicles 21:15–17). David celebrates this mercy as he dedicates the future site of the temple (Psalm 30:1–3; 1 Chronicles 22:1; 2 Chronicles 3:1).Believers should give thanks in all situations (1 Thessalonians 5:18), even when those circumstances are hard. Yet sometimes believers neglect to thank the Lord for answered prayer. When a stressful situation arises, a believer may pray for deliverance, and receive it, then forget to thank God for that happy conclusion. Jonah, for all his flaws, set a good example for believers in this regard. When he faced a desperate situation in the belly of a great fish, he determined to thank the Lord for delivering him. He prayed: "But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD!" (Jonah 2:9). Gratitude should always follow answered prayer.
