EXPOSITION OF PSALM 30 (1)
Verses 1-3

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The superscription identifies this passage as "A Psalm". The Hebrew word derives from one meaning "to play on a musical instrument, or to sing so accompanied" (as in Psalm 33:2; 71:22). The best employment of every musical instrument is that which is in praise of Jehovah (as in Psalm 150).

This superscription identifies this psalm also as "A Song at the dedication of the house of David". Some think this refers to the house David built for his own residence (2 Samuel 5:11) - and such a house should be dedicated to the Lord (Deuteronomy 20:5). Others think this psalm refers to the rededication of David's house following the violation of it by his son Absalom (2 Samuel 20:3). Still others think it refers to the dedication of the altar and its precinct on the threshing floor of Araunah (or Ornan) the Jebusite following the plague inflicted upon David for numbering the people of Israel (2 Samuel ch.24 / 1 Chronicles ch.21), which incident is harmonious with this psalm. That site was the place where David's son Solomon built the temple (2 Chronicles 3:1).

I. Jehovah is worthy to be extolled (vv.1-3). The psalmist here cites five reasons (vv.1a, 1b, 2b, 3a, 3b), and two more later (v.11).

30:1 "I will extol You, O LORD, ..." To extol is to "lift high, exalt". It is not to actually place Christ in a high place, as a heathen would do for his idol, but to acknowledge the high place Christ already occupies. It is to confess Him as "God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth" (Genesis 14:19). His Name is above every name (Psalm 148:13; Philippians 2:9-11), His person and nature is the only one that is truly divine (Isaiah 46:9), His works and ways are all absolutely perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4), His throne is over every other (1 Timothy 6:15) – He cannot be higher than He is! The psalmist gives five reasons for extolling Christ:

"... for You have lifted me up, ..." Here is the first reason: He who has been lifted up by Christ will lift up His Lifter. Christ in the salvation of His people lifts them up from the "horrible pit" of damnation the "miry clay" of misery to Christ the solid "Rock" (Psalm 40:2), from the "ash heap" of squalid spiritual poverty (Psalm 113:7f) to thrones in glory (Revelation 1:6; 20:4), from the "snare of the devil" (2 Timothy 2:26) to the "glorious liberty of the children of God" (Romans 8:21). And He has lifted them so high that even now they "sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6). "I will extol You, O LORD!"

"... And have not let my foes rejoice over me." Here is the second reason for extolling Christ. Satan rejoices over the unregenerate, but he cannot rejoice over those whom Christ has delivered from His snare (1 Timothy 2:26). Ungodly men rejoice over those whom they ensnare, but they cannot rejoice over those whom Christ prevents from falling into their snares (Psalm 91:3). No one rejoices over saints but Jehovah (Zephaniah 3:17): "The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing"

30:2 "O LORD my God, I cried out to You, ..." He who rightly extols Christ will cry for help to none other.

"... And You healed me." Here is the third reason for extolling Christ: None but He can heal. Heathens cry out to imaginary and impotent gods (1 Kings 18:25-29). But when sinners cry our for help to Christ, "The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings" (Malachi 4:2), "who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:3-5).

30:3 "O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; ..." Here is the fourth reason for extolling Christ: In regenerating His people, He delivers them from the grave of depravity, in which all are by nature "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1-3).

"... You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit." Here is the fifth reason for extolling Christ. He who delivered them from going down into the Pit as their Ransom (Job 33:17-24) will forever prevent them from entering it in the second death (Revelation 20:6, 11-15; 21:8).

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