READ: Ps. 30:1–12: … I will extol You … I cried out to You, and You healed me … You have brought my soul up from the grave … Sing praise to the LORD … For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life … You have turned for me my mourning into dancing … I will give thanks to You forever.
In this Psalm David experiences illness as a punishment of the LORD for his sinful conduct (vv.6,8). Although we cannot simply apply this to every illness, this Psalm does teach us to know ourselves always dependent on the LORD, both in sickness and in healing.
David first lived in carefree rest (v.6). He thought nothing would happen to him. Of that he says in the Psalm: this was Your divine providence—you gave me health continually (v.7a).
But then he became ill, an illness that brought him close to death, an illness that God laid upon him. He felt that God hid His face from him (v.7b). Then David cried out to the LORD to be gracious to him and to heal him again (vv.8–10). And the LORD heard his prayer, so that he recovered from his severe illness.
Verse 3: “O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.” In his prayer David appeals to God’s grace and help. He pleads with Him: What profit is there if I die? If I perish in the grave, I cannot praise You on earth or declare Your faithfulness (cf. Ps. 6:5; 88:10–12). He also points out that at his healing his enemies will not be able to rejoice over him (v.2).
Now that David has been healed as a work of grace from the LORD, he will extol the LORD (v.1) and praise Him (v.4).
David realizes that the LORD has brought about a great reversal in which His favor is unexpectedly great. He wants to express this in his song of praise: v.5: “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” v.11: “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.”
David promises that he will forever give thanks to God.
How do we respond to sickness and healing?
Singing: Ps. 30:1,5,7