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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 30:4

Verse 4 4.Sing unto Jehovah. The better to testify his gratitude, David calls upon all the saints to join with him in singing the praises of God; and under one class he describes the whole body. As he had been preserved beyond all expectation, and by this instance had been instructed concerning God’s continual and infinite goodness towards all the godly, he breaks forth into this exhortation, in which he includes the general deliverance of the whole church as well as his own. He rehearses not... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 30:5

Verse 5 5.For his anger is only for a moment. It is beyond all controversy that life is opposed here to for a moment, and consequently signifies long continuance, or the constant progress of time from day to day. David thus intimates that if God at any time chastise his people, he not only mitigates the rigour of their punishment, but is immediately appeased, and moderates his anger; whereas he prolongs his kindness and favor for a long time. And, as I have already observed, he chose rather to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 30:6

Verse 6 6.And in my tranquillity I had said. This is the confession which I formerly mentioned, in which David acknowledges that he had been justly and deservedly punished for his foolish and rash security, in forgetting his mortal and mutable condition as a man, and in setting his heart too much on prosperity. By the term tranquillity, he means the quiet and flourishing state of his kingdom. Some translate the Hebrew word שלוה, shiluah, which we have rendered tranquillity, by abundance, in... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 30:7

Verse 7 7.O Jehovah! of thy good pleasure. This verse describes the difference which exists between the confidence which is founded upon the word of God and the carnal security which springs from presumption. True believers, when they rely upon God, are not on that account neglectful of prayer. On the contrary, looking carefully at the multitude of dangers by which they are beset, and the manifold instances of human frailty which pass before their eyes, they take warning from them, and pour out... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 30:1-5

The mercy of God. This psalm composed after recovery from some chastisement for sin, which had very nearly proved fatal. He praises God for lifting him up out of it, and calls upon others of a similar experience to join him in his thanksgiving. I. HE CELEBRATES WITH JOY THE MERCY OF GOD TO HIM . 1 . His recovery had put an end to the malicious exultation of his foes. ( Psalms 30:1 .) Wicked men rejoice in the downfall and calamity of the good; they accept it... 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 30:4

Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his . David continually calls upon the people to join him in his praises of God. Even when the mercy vouchsafed has been granted specially to himself, he regards the people as interested, since he is their ruler in peace and their leader in war (see Psalms 9:11 ; Psalms 34:3 , etc.). On the present occasion, however, the people who had escaped the pestilence had almost exactly the same reason for praising and thanking God that David had, and were bound... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 30:4

The holiness of Christ. We may apply these words to Christ. We should "give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness" as— I. GLORIOUSLY INDEPENDENT . The holiness of the creature is derived. It is not by will, or by effort, or by discipline as something that has been wrought out by himself; it is of God. But the holiness of Christ was his own; it was essential to his being; it was the outshining of the glory that he had from eternity ( Isaiah 6:3 ; John 12:41 ). II. ... read more

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