Commentaires bibliques

This is a psalm of thanksgiving for the great deliverances which God had wrought for David, penned upon occasion of the dedicating of his house of cedar, and sung in that pious solemnity, though there is not any thing in it that has particular reference to that occasion. Some collect from divers passages in the psalm itself that it was penned upon his recovery from a dangerous fit of sickness, which might happen to be about the time of the dedication of his house. I. He here praises God for the deliverances he had wrought for him, Ps 30:1-3. II. He calls upon others to praise him too, and encourages them to trust in him, Ps 30:4,5. III. He blames himself for his former security, Ps 30:6,7. IV. He recollects the prayers and complaints he had made in his distress, Ps 30:8-10. With them he stirs up himself to be very thankful to God for the present comfortable change, Ps 30:11,12. In singing this psalm we ought to remember with thankfulness any like deliverances wrought for us, for which we must stir up our selves to praise him and by which we must be engaged to depend upon him.

This is said to be "A Psalm or Song at the dedication of the house of David." There is no reason to call in question the correctness of this inscription, though it cannot be certain that it was prefixed by the author himself. The words of the title are found in the Hebrew, and it is to be presumed that they were affixed to the psalm by some one of the inspired writers.

It is clearly implied in the title, though not expressly affirmed, that David was the author of the psalm, for it is to be presumed that he would himself compose the hymn or song that was to be used at the dedication of his own dwelling. In fact, the title, as Rosenmuller has remarked, might not improperly be read, "A Psalm, a song of dedication of a house, of David," so that the words "A Psalm of David" might not improperly be regarded as united.

It is not absolutely certain what occasion is referred to in the psalm. Some have supposed that the tabernacle is meant; but the tabernacle was dedicated long before the time of David. Others, and among them several Jewish interpreters, have supposed that it was prepared in order to be sung either at the dedication of the temple which Solomon built, or the dedication of that which was erected after the return from the Babylonian captivity. Others have supposed that it was intended to be used at the dedication of the house or palace which David built for himself on Mount Zion, 2 Samuel 5:11. It was usual for the Hebrews to "dedicate" a house when it was finished; that is, to devote it in a solemn manner to God, probably with appropriate religious exercises. Deuteronomy 20:5, "what man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it."

Compare also Nehemiah 12:27. Others, as Rosenmuller and Prof. Alexander, suppose that the psalm was designed to be used at the dedication of the altar reared by David on the "threshing-floor" of Ornan, which David purchased at the time of the pestilence which came upon the people for his sin in numbering the people, 1 Chronicles 21:15-26. But there is no certain evidence of this. Apart from the incongruity of calling an altar a "house," the circumstances are not such as to lead us to believe that the psalm was composed for that occasion. The allusion in the psalm is rather to a previous state of depression, trouble, and sorrow, such as occurred in the life of David before he conquered his enemies, and before he was peaceably established on his throne - and to the joy which he felt when he had triumphed over his foes, and was peacefully established as king in Jerusalem. All the circumstances seem to me to accord best with the time when David erected a house for his own abode - a palace - upon Mount Zion, and to the act of dedicating such a house to God. See 2 Samuel 5:9-12; 2 Samuel 7:1-2. It may be added that that was properly called "the house of David" - a name which could be given neither to the altar erected on the threshing-floor of Ornan, nor to the tabernacle, nor to the temple.

But although the psalm was composed for the purpose of being used at the dedication of his "house," it was in view of some important circumstances of his past life, and particularly of his feelings in time of dangerous illness, and of his obligation on his recovery to devote himself to God. In the dedication of his house to God he recurs with deep interest to that period of his life, and dwells with grateful satisfaction on the goodness of God manifested in his restoration to health. On entering his new abode, he seems to have felt that there was a special propriety in his recognizing the fact that he owed his life to God; his life, not only in general, but in this special act of goodness, by which he had been raised up from the borders of the grave. "His former condition of calamity and sorrow as contrasted with his present happy and prosperous condition," therefore, suggested the train of thought in the psalm at the dedication of his house. In the course of the psalm, as illustrating his feelings, he adverts to the following points:

(1) His former state of self-confidence or security when he was in health, and when he thought his "mountain" stood "strong," Psalm 30:6-7.

(2) His sickness as a means of humbling him, and teaching him his dependence, Psalm 30:2-3.

(3) His prayer for deliverance when he was sick, Psalm 30:2, Psalm 30:8-10.

(4) His deliverance as an act of God Psalm 30:2-3, Psalm 30:11.

(5) His obligation to give thanks to God for his mercy, Psalm 30:1, Psalm 30:4,Psalm 30:12.

These would suggest most appropriate topics of meditation on entering a near abode, and looking forward to the vicissitudes which might and which would probably occur there.

That the allusion in the psalm is to "sickness," seems to me to be evident from Psalm 30:2-3, Psalm 30:9, though at what time of life this occurred, or what was the particular form of disease, we are not informed. From Psalm 30:3, Psalm 30:9, however, it is certain that it was a "dangerous" illness; that he anticipated death; and that he was saved from death only in answer to fervent prayer. The psalm, therefore, in this respect, has a resemblance to Psalm 6:1-10; Psalm 35; Psalm 41:1-13; psalms composed also in view of sickness. In a book claiming to be from God, and designed for all mankind in a world where sickness so abounds, it was to be expected that there would be allusions to disease as well as to other forms of affliction, and that in the examples of ancient saints suffering on beds of pain, we should be able to find illustrations of proper pious feeling; that we should be directed by their example to the true sources of consolation, and should be made acquainted with the lessons which God designs to teach us in sickness.

The direct contents of the psalm are as follows:

I. The author recounts the signal mercy of God to him in the time of his danger. God had lifted him up, and had not allowed his enemies to exult over his death, Psalm 30:1-3.

II. He calls upon others to unite with him in praising God, and especially in view of the truth that affliction, as endured by the people of God, would not continue long, and that it would certainly be followed by peace and joy, as the light of the morning will certainly follow the darkest night, Psalm 30:4-5.

III. He adverts again, in illustration of this, to his former state, saying that there was a time when he thought he should never be moved; when he supposed that his "mountain" stood "strong," and that he was secure; but that God had hid His face, and troubled him, teaching him not to confide in his own strength, or in the mere fact that he was prosperous, Psalm 30:6-7.

IV. He adverts to his earnest prayer in the time of his affliction, and recounts the substance of that prayer, Psalm 30:8-10. The "argument" which he then urged was that there could be no "profit" or advantage to God "in his blood," or in his being cut off; that the "dust," that is, the dead, could not praise Him or declare His truth. He, therefore, prayed that God would keep him alive, that he might honor Him upon the earth.

V. In Psalm 30:11-12, he refers to the fact that the prayer was heard, and to the reason why it was heard. God had turned his mourning into dancing; he had put off his sackcloth, and girded him with gladness. The reason why God had done this was, that his "glory," that is, his tongue (margin), might give praise to God, and not be silent; and, in view of all the goodness of God to him, he expresses his purpose to praise God forever.

It will be seen, therefore, that the contents of the psalm are every way suitable to the occasion supposed to be referred to - the dedication of his house to God. On entering such a habitation for the first time it was proper to recall the past scenes of his life - his perils and troubles; it was proper to acknowledge the goodness of God in delivering him from those perils and troubles; it was proper to express his solemn purpose to serve God in that dwelling, and to consecrate himself and all that he had to Him and to His service evermore. What was proper for the royal author of this psalm is proper for all; and there can be nothing more appropriate when we have erected a house to dwell in than to dedicate it to God, with a suitable recollection of his dealings with us in our past life, and to pray that He may also condescend to dwell with us there.

The psalmist returns thanks to God for deliverance from great danger, Psalm 30:1-3. He calls upon the saints to give thanks to God at the remembrance of his holiness, because of his readiness to save, Psalm 30:4, Psalm 30:5. He relates how his mind stood affected before this great trial and how soon an unexpected change took place, Psalm 30:6, Psalm 30:7; mentions how, and in what terms, he prayed for mercy, Psalm 30:8-10; shows how God heard and delivered him and the effect it had upon his mind, Psalm 30:11, Psalm 30:12.

This Psalm or song is said to have been made or used at the dedication of the house of David, or rather the dedication of a house or temple; for the word David refers not to הבית habbayith, the house, but to מזמור mizmor, a Psalm. But what temple or house could this be? Some say, the temple built by Solomon; others refer it to the dedication of the second temple under Zerubbabel, and some think it intended for the dedication of a third temple, which is to be built in the days of the Messiah. There are others who confine it to the dedication of the house which David built for himself on Mount Sion, after he had taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites; or to the purgation and re-dedication of his own house, that had been defiled by the wicked conduct of his own son Absalom. Calmet supposes it to have been made by David on the dedication of the place which he built on the threshing floor of Araunah, after the grievous plague which had so nearly desolated the kingdom, 2 Samuel 24:25; 1 Chronicles 21:26. All the parts of the Psalm agree to this: and they agree to this so well, and to no other hypothesis, that I feel myself justified in modelling the comment on this principle alone.

INTRODUCTION TO Psalm 30

A Psalm [and] Song [at] the dedication of the house of David. This is the first time that a psalm is called a song; some psalms are called by one name, some by another, and some by both, as here; and some are called hymns: to which distinction of them the apostle refers in Ephesians 5:19. A psalm was sung upon musical instruments, a song with the voice; it may be this psalm was sung both ways: the occasion of it was the dedication of David's house: the Targum interprets it of the house of the sanctuary, the temple; and so most of the Jewish commentators (i); which might be called his house, because it was his intention to build it; his heart was set upon it, he provided materials for it, and gave his son Solomon the form of it, and a charge to build it; and, as is thought, composed this psalm to be sung, and which was sung by the Levites at the dedication of it: others, as Aben Ezra, are of opinion it was his own dwelling house, made of cedar, which he dedicated according to the law of Moses, with sacrifices and offerings, prayer and thanksgiving, 2 Samuel 5:11; so Apollinarius calls it a new house David built; but since there is nothing in the whole psalm that agrees with the dedication, either of the temple, or of David's own private house, it seems better, with other interpreters, to understand it of the purging of David's house from the wickedness and incest of his son Absalom, upon his return to it, when the rebellion raised by him was extinguished; which might be reckoned a new dedication of it; see 2 Samuel 20:3; and to a deliverance from such troubles this psalm well agrees. Theodoret interprets it of the restoration of the human nature by Christ, through his resurrection from the dead.

(i) Jarchi, Kimchi, & Abdendana.

XXX.

This psalm, which is plainly an expression of thankfulness for recovery from a dangerous, and nearly fatal, sickness, does not in a single line or word bear out the title, which suggests either the dedication of the site of the future temple (2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21) or of the citadel on Zion (2Samuel 5:11), or of the rededication of the palace profaned by Absalom. On the other hand, the fact that the psalm is, in the Jewish ritual, used at the Feast of Dedication, the origin of which is to be found in 1 Maccabees 4:52 seq., suggests that the title may have been appended after the institution of that feast, in order to give an historical basis for the use of the psalm. The reason of its choice we must look for in the feelings produced by the first successes in the war of independence. After the sad period of humiliation and persecution, the nation felt as the writer of this psalm felt—as if saved from the brink of the grave. Thus the psalm is in application national, though in origin and form individual. Who the author was, it is vain to conjecture; the tone and even the language suggest Hezekiah or Jeremiah. (See Notes.) The parallelism is not strongly marked.

A thanksgiving for recovery from an almost fatal sickness, and a reflection on the lessons which it was sent to teach. Cp. Psalm 119:67. The Psalmist praises Jehovah for preserving his life in answer to his prayer (Psalm 30:1-3), and calls upon the godly to join him in thanksgiving (Psalm 30:4-5). He goes on to relate his own experience of God’s mercy. In prosperity he had grown presumptuous, till God withdrew His favour, and trouble came (Psalm 30:6-7). Then he pleaded that his life might be spared (Psalm 30:8-10): his prayer was answered; his life was prolonged that he might praise Jehovah, and in thanksgiving will he employ the remainder of his days (Psalm 30:11-12).

The Psalm is entitled, A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House; a Psalm of David (R.V.): and this title has generally been supposed to refer to the occasion for which the Psalm was written. But commentators are not agreed whether the House means the Temple or David’s Palace. The term dedication is used of a house (Deuteronomy 20:5), or city walls (Nehemiah 12:27), as well as of sacred things and places (Numbers 7:10 ff.; 1 Kings 8:63; Ezra 6:16-17). Some refer it to David’s palace in Zion (2 Samuel 5:11), and suppose that he had recently recovered from a severe illness: others to the dedication of the site of the Temple (1 Chronicles 21:26; 1 Chronicles 22:1) after the great Plague, regarding the allusions to sickness in the Psalm as not literal but figurative of the anguish which the king felt for the sufferings of his people.

But it is most probable that the title does not refer to the occasion of the Psalm at all, but to its liturgical use at the Dedication of the Second Temple (Ezra 6:16), or in later times at the Feast of the Dedication, to which it is assigned in the Talmudic treatise Sopherim. Comp. the title of Psalms 92, and of 29 in the LXX. The title appears to be a composite one. The words A Song at the Dedication of the House are inserted awkwardly between A Psalm and of David. The Feast of the Dedication (John 10:22) was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus in b.c. 165, to commemorate the purification of the Temple after its desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes, and the erection of the new altar of burnt-offering (1Ma 4:52 ff.; 2Ma 10:1 ff.).

But it does not follow that the Psalm was written for either of these occasions. More probably it was already familiar, and was selected as appropriate to the circumstances. The very existence of the nation had been at stake; it had been suddenly and unexpectedly freed from a crushing tyranny and as it were restored to life; and this Psalm supplied it with fitting language in which to give thanks for its deliverance. The experience of the individual had been repeated in that of the nation.

This thanksgiving corresponds to the prayer of Psalms 6. Comp. Psalm 30:2 b with Psalm 6:2 b; Psalm 30:5 a with Psalm 6:1 a; Psalm 30:7 b with Psalm 6:2-3; Psalm 6:10; Psalm 30:9 with Psalm 6:5. Hezekiah’s prayer (Isaiah 38:10-20) seems to contain reminiscences of it; comp. especially Isaiah 38:18-20 with Isaiah 38:9 ff.

Ps 30:1-12.

Literally, "A Psalm-Song"--a composition to be sung with musical instruments, or without them--or, "Song of the dedication," &c. specifying the particular character of the Psalm. Some suppose that of David should be connected with the name of the composition, and not with "house"; and refer for the occasion to the selection of a site for the temple

(1Ch 21:26-30; 22:1).

But "house" is never used absolutely for the temple, and "dedication" does not well apply to such an occasion. Though the phrase in the Hebrew, "dedication of the house of David," is an unusual form, yet it is equally unusual to disconnect the name of the author and the composition. As a "dedication of David's house" (as provided,

De 20:5),

the scope of the Psalm well corresponds with the state of repose and meditation on his past trials suited to such an occasion

(2Sa 5:11; 7:2).

For beginning with a celebration of God's delivering favor, in which he invites others to join, he relates his prayer in distress, and God's gracious and prompt answer.

1. lifted me up--as one is drawn from a well

(Ps 40:2).

I will extol thee - literally, "I will exalt thee;" that is, he would make God first and supreme in his thoughts and affections; he would do what he could to make Him known; he would elevate Him high in his praises.

For thou hast lifted me up - To wit, from the state of danger in which I was Psalm 30:2-3. The Hebrew word used here means properly to draw out, as from a well; and then, to deliver, to set free. As God had thus lifted him up, it was proper that he should show his gratitude by "lifting up" or extolling the name of God.

And hast not made my foes to rejoice over me - Hast not suffered them to triumph over me; that is, thou hast delivered me from them. He refers to the fact that he had been saved from a dangerous illness, and that his enemies had not been allowed to exult over his death. Compare the notes at Psalm 41:5.