Psalm 30:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!"

NIV: Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help."

NASB: 'Hear, Lord, and be gracious to me; Lord, be my helper.'

CSB: Lord, listen and be gracious to me; Lord, be my helper."

NLT: Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.'

KJV: Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper.

NKJV: Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!”

David appeals to God for mercy, and for His aid. He was confident the Lord would forgive him and restore him to fellowship. David likely expressed sentiments like this when he asked for God's mercy after sinfully taking a census of Israel (1 Chronicles 21:7–17). In this psalm, David also notes that God's discipline of His people is temporary, while His love for them is eternal (Psalm 30:5).

It is a great comfort and encouragement to know the Lord is the believer's helper. He is present always and in all circumstances to help His children. Hebrews 13:5 exhorts believers to be content with what they have. That contentment is rooted in knowing that God's presence is never ending, "for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear, what can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5–6).

As a young shepherd, David learned to rely on the Lord as his helper. In Psalm 23:1 he writes: "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." Even danger and dire circumstances didn't cause despair because David trusted in God's presence (Psalm 23:4). No trial or danger rises against a believer which must be encountered alone. The Lord, the believer's helper, is alongside to carry him through to victory.

Psalm 30:6–10 contains David's appeal for God's mercy. These words may have been his prayer when appealing to God for forgiveness over a sinful choice he made as king (1 Chronicles 21:7–17). He calls on the Lord, his helper, to be merciful to him. David frames his request as one who wants to live so he can continue to worship God.

David praises God for His mercy and rescue. This psalm speaks of God pulling David from the brink of ruin, while also speaking of God's righteous judgment. This was likely composed in response to the plague which struck Israel when David took an improper census (1 Chronicles 21:7–14). For believers, the Lord's discipline is temporary, but His love is eternal. Because David has been rescued, he can continue to praise God and worship His name.

Psalm 30 is a song of praise for merciful deliverance. King David sinned by taking a census against God's wishes, resulting in God's discipline. The Lord could have let David fall to his enemies, but instead sent a plague on Israel (1 Chronicles 21:7–14). The pestilence was cut short as David begged for leniency (1 Chronicles 21:15–17). Shortly after this, David set aside the future site of the temple (1 Chronicles 22:1; 2 Chronicles 3:1). That dedication seems to be the setting for Psalm 30.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.