NOTES for Psa 30:1-12

Sometimes a phrase can be understood in different ways, while the various interpretations may be equally well founded. So it is here: the words about bringing the soul up from Sheol may be understood as a metaphor for delivering a person from the tragic circumstances that have overtaken him, but in the very same words one can also see a prophecy of the coming victory over death. The Lord is the giver of life, and He does not want to destroy His highest creation—man.

The lines of the psalm preserve an important insight: wrath is not the chief way in which the Lord reveals Himself to people; His wrath lasts only a moment, but His favor endures. The sorrow a person experiences will invariably give way to joy. However long the time of calamity may last, it cannot compare with the joy the Lord wishes to bestow upon us.

Characteristic is the confusion the psalmist experienced after the Lord hid His face from him, even though He continued to bestow His blessings upon people. But blessings alone are not enough for man; he wants to be united with the Lord Himself.

Yes, after the Fall, perfect union with the Lord became impossible. Yet by having the ability to praise Him, here on earth we already take part, at least to some degree, in restoring unity with Him.