Title.—(RV) 'A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House; a Psalm of David.' There is no obvious connexion between the contents of this Ps. and its title. It is a thanksgiving for recovery from an illness which had threatened to be fatal, and in itself may very well have been written by David. But it is difficult to find in his life an occasion corresponding to the title, though the dedication of David's own palace, or of the site of the Temple, has been suggested. It is more likely that the words, 'A Song at the Dedication of the House,' were inserted into the title at a later time, when the Ps. was adopted for use at the dedication of Solomon's Temple, or of the second Temple, or at the re-dedication of the latter after it had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes (the origin of the Feast of Dedication mentioned in John 10:22. See Intro, to Daniel). The Ps. opens with praise for the writer's restoration 1 (Psalms 30:1-5), tells next of his troubles and his prayer (Psalms 30:6-10), and concludes with another thanksgiving (Psalms 30:11-12).
Psalms 30:1-12
1 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
5 For his angera endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.
7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.
8 I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.
9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?
10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.
11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.