What does Psalm 30:5 mean?

David contrasts the Lord's anger and His favor. The incident which inspired this comment was probably the national crisis which David caused. First Chronicles 21 and 2 Samuel 24 record a plague which fell on Israel. This came after David improperly numbered the people, against God's wishes. God mercifully gave David the choice to avoid total defeat, by enduring that plague. Many thousands died, but God cut the pestilence short as David prayed for forgiveness (1 Chronicles 21:7–17).

One of the lessons of that horrific event is that the Lord is merciful, even when He sends discipline. His anger is short-lived, but His grace is for a lifetime. Sorrow will accompany discipline, but when God forgives, the sorrow leaves and joy fills the heart. Hebrews 12:11 explains: "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Paul points out in Romans 5:20: "Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more."

In a broader sense, those who trust in God can only experience temporary suffering (Romans 8:18–25). His redeemed are guaranteed to see an end to all weeping and pain (Revelation 21:1–4).