Psalm 30:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: "What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?

NIV: "What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

NASB: 'What gain is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness?

CSB: "What gain is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your truth?

NLT: 'What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness?

KJV: What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

NKJV: “What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?

Rather than plead to live, for life's sake, David expresses his desire to continue praising God. Death will stop him from worshipping God, at least on the earth. His remains would not be able to praise the Lord from the grave. He wants to tell of the Lord's faithfulness while he is alive. This seems to be part of David's prayer for leniency, after he sinned in his role as king (Psalm 30:1–3; 1 Chronicles 21:7–17).

Three centuries later King Hezekiah made similar statements. He commented:

"In love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness. The living, the living, he thanks you" (Isaiah 38:17–19)

David was mortal. He knew, one day, he would die, and his body would turn to dust. He wanted to live to be able to praise the Lord. Part of his appeal to God is his desire to continue ascribing glory to his Creator. The same inevitability of death applies to all people, even believers. Unless the rapture occurs in their lifetime, believers will die, and their bodies will turn to dust. Now is the time to praise the Lord and tell others about His faithfulness.

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.