Sunday Scripture

 Again today for Sunday Scripture we're continuing my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal I'm using here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  I'm attempting to SOAP a selected passage from each Psalm too. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I've been attempting to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 30, zeroing in on verse 5, but I chose to SOAP both verses 4-5.

S= "Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.
"For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life.  Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."  (Psalm 30:4-5)

O= The biblical superscription for Psalm 30 is "A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David".  C.I. Scofield titles the psalm "Praise for deliverance".

The Pulpit Commentaries offers this summary: "The particular occasion on which it was written is declared in the title to have been "the dedication of the house," by which it is impossible to understand anything but the dedication of the altar (with its precinct) on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, after the great plague sent to punish David for numbering the people, as related in 2Sa 24:1-25; 1 Chronicles 21:1-28. With this occasion its contents are in perfect harmony. It was probably sung at the thanksgiving service with which David inaugurated his altar."

Cross-references for "sing unto the LORD" --  "Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness."  (Psalm 97:12)

"And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to invoke and to thank, and praise the LORD God of Israel."  (1 Chronicles 16:7)

Cross-reference for "saints of His" -- "Gather My saints together unto Me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice."  (Psalm 50:5)

Cross-references for "His anger endureth but a moment" --  "He will not always chide; neither will He keep His anger forever."  (Psalm 103:9)

"For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.  In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD, thy Redeemer."  (Isaiah 54:7-8)

Cross-reference for "in His favor is life" -- "Because Thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee."  (Psalm 63:3)

Cross-reference for "Weeping may endure for a night" -- "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:17)

"For a night" literally means "in the evening".

"Joy" literally means "singing".

Cross-reference for "joy cometh"-- "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy".

A= "Psalm 30 illustrates thanksgiving, highlighting the believer's gratitude for God's involvement in his daily life." -- Daily Walk Bible

David says:

sing unto the Lord.
Give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.

as saints of the Lord we are instructed to do this!

Because

God's anger endures only for a moment;
In God's favor is life;
Although weeping may endure for a night, joy comes in the morning.

"We remember, as David did, that God’s love and favor last for a lifetime. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. When God’s love comes into our thoughts, our feelings of sorrow and dread flee. Our mourning is turned into dancing, our garments of sackcloth and sorrow are stripped away and we are girded with gladness. We can rise to greet the day with shouts of ringing praise for His mercy, guidance, and protection. We rejoice in His holy name (30:11-12)." -- David Roper, Our Daily Bread

What a great way to apply Psalm 30:5 is suggested above.  May we truly greet each morning (and close each evening, too) with praise for God's mercy, kindness, and protection!

 P= Lord, there is so much to thank You for! I thank You for Your daily mercies and unfailing goodness, Your reassuring presence with me, Your loving favor that endures for a lifetime.  For the pardon of my sin, for bringing me out of darkness into Your marvelous light ... and for so much more!  I thank You that each day is a fresh new beginning to walk with You and praise Your name.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection Question: David was expressing thanksgiving to God for rescuing him.  After a season of darkness and weeping, joy had come!  

The mercies of God are new every morning.  Every sunrise brings the hope of a new and better day.   How does a new morning, with a fresh start, wipe away your tears and give you hope?

My response: Thinking of David's thanksgiving to God for rescuing him, I also give thanks to God for rescuing me from darkness -- the darkness of sin and a dismal future.  He has brought me out of darkness into His marvelous light, and for that I am deeply and truly thankful.

Dave Branon writes: "There is a way ... to find reasons to be thankful during even the darkest episodes of life. When the curtain of struggles seems to block out all joy, we can choose to be thankful.

One way is to look into Scripture to see all the things we have to be thankful for, which have nothing to do with circumstances. Despite our trials, we can give thanks for God’s unfailing goodness (Ps. 106:1); for God’s holy name (Ps. 30:4); for deliverance from sin (Rom. 7:24-25); for victory over death (1 Cor. 15:56-57); for God’s nearness (Heb. 13:5)."

It's such a blessing, also, to remember that God's mercies are new every morning.  Each morning also brings, as Anne of Green Gables famously said, "a new day with no mistakes in it yet."  It's a fresh start with the Lord as I seek to walk with Him each day.

That is our very surface study of Psalm 30:4-5.  Please dig deeper  into Psalm 30 for yourself.  If you, or someone dear to you, is enduring a night season of weeping, may it encourage you to be reminded that for the believer in Christ, joy comes in the morning!