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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 30:11

Verse 11 11.Thou hast turned my mourning into dancing. David concludes the psalm as he had begun it, with thanksgiving. He affirms that it was by the help and blessing of God that he had escaped safe; and he then adds, that the final object of his escape was, that he might employ the rest of his life in celebrating the praises of God. Moreover, he shows us that he was not insensible or obdurate under his afflictions, but mourned in heaviness and sorrow; and he also shows that his very mourning... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 30:12

Verse 12 12.That my glory may sing praise to thee. In this verse he more fully expresses his acknowledgement of the purpose for which God had preserved him from death, and that he would be careful to render him a proper return of gratitude. Some refer the word glory to the body, and some to the soul, or the higher powers of the mind. Others, as the pronoun my, which we have supplied, is not in the Hebrew text, prefer to translate it in the accusative case, supplying the word every man, in this... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 30:1-12

The title ascribes the psalm to David; and it is generally allowed to possess internal evidence of Davidic authorship. Ewald calls it "a model hymn of thanksgiving, composed in the best age of Hebrew poetry, for recitation in the temple." The particular occasion on which it was written is declared in the title to have been "the dedication of the house," by which (if David was the author) it is impossible to understand anything but the dedication of the altar (with its precinct) on the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 30:1-12

A public thanksgiving an recovery from sickness. This psalm has a remarkable title, "A Psalm or Song at the dedication of the house of David." What house is referred to we have no means of knowing, nor is there any very manifest relation between the contents of the psalm and the dedication of any house whatsoever. £ We can scarcely read the psalm carefully without gathering therefrom that the writer had had a dangerous illness, from which he was not expecting to recover. But his life was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 30:1-12

God's chastening hand. It is written, "No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" ( Hebrews 12:11 ). This psalm teaches how we may reap much good from the chastening of sickness. I. The first thing is to ACKNOWLEDGE GOD 'S HAND . The heathen may be in doubt; they may question whether it is "a chance' or the doing of God when great evil comes ( ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 30:5-12

The changes and consolations of life. I. THE CHANGES OF LIFE . Health may give place to sickness, prosperity to adversity, joy to sorrow. To-day we may be lifted up and rejoicing in God's favour, to-morrow we may be cast down and in trouble because God is hiding his face from us. There are two things to be guarded against. First , presumption ( Psalms 30:6 ); next, despair. Come what will, we must cling to God ( Psalms 30:9 , Psalms 30:10 ). II. THE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 30:6-12

Now begins the expanded account of the deliverance in respect of which the thanksgiving is offered. And first, with regard to the offence that had drawn down the Divine chastisement; it was an offence of the lips, springing from an evil temper in the heart. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 30:6-12

Vain confidence. "And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved," etc. Three stages here represented in the life of a good man. I. WORLDLY PROSPERITY A SECURITY . "In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved." 1 . We say this in youth. All our castles in the air, we think, are built upon mountains. We think we can become anything and achieve anything we please. 2 . We say this before we know our sinfulness. The ways of the world harden our hearts about our... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 30:9

What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit! What advantage wilt thou derive from my death, if thou killest me, either by the plague, which may as well fasten upon me as upon any one else, or by the misery and mental strain of seeing my subjects, my innocent sheep, suffer? God has "no pleasure in the death of him that dieth" ( Ezekiel 18:32 ), and certainly can obtain no profit from the destruction of any of his creatures. Shall the dust praise thee? (comp. Psalms 6:5 ;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 30:9

A noble view of life. "Shall the dust praise thee?" etc. We must not take this cry of bitter anguish as an utterance of unbelief or irreligion. On the contrary, it contains a noble and religions view of life. Life, in the psalmist's view, is a scene and season in which to glorify God. His quarrel with death is that it cuts short this opportunity; silences the tongue of testimony and the lips of praise; arrests the busy worker, and buries his vigorous energies in the dust. Here, then, is— ... read more

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