Psalm 30:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

NIV: You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit.

NASB: Lord, You have brought up my soul from Sheol; You have kept me alive, that I would not go down to the pit.

CSB: Lord, you brought me up from Sheol; you spared me from among those going down to the Pit.

NLT: You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.

KJV: O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

NKJV: O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

David credits the Lord for rescuing him from death. Shortly before the temple site was dedicated (Psalm 30:1; 1 Chronicles 22:1; 2 Chronicles 3:1), God punished David by sending a plague on Israel (1 Chronicles 21:7–14). When David begged for mercy, God granted it (1 Chronicles 21:15–17). Even that harsh punishment was an alternative to David being defeated by his mortal enemies.

The imagery here is like that of a bucket being pulled out of a well; God has "drawn [David] up" (Psalm 30:1) out of death itself. This reference to death as "the pit" resembles David's words in Psalm 28:1.

Forgiveness for a believer is as near as a sincere, humble prayer of confession. First John 1:9 promises, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." In another infamous incident, David felt conviction over his sin of adultery, experiencing spiritual and emotional pain (Psalm 32:3–4). That lasted until he confessed his sin and received forgiveness and restoration. He writes in Psalm 32:1–2: "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit."

Psalm 30:1–5 opens by praising the Lord. David recalls God's forgiveness and healing, allowing him to live. He calls upon the righteous to praise and thank the Lord. David also reflects upon the brevity of the Lord's anger. Although the Lord disciplined and therefore David wept through the night, his joy soon returned when the discipline ended. For the believer, God's rebuke is temporary, but His love is eternal.

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.