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1 A Psalm of David. A Song at the dedication of the Temple. I will extol thee, O LORD, for thou hast drawn me up, and hast not let my foes rejoice over me. 2 O LORD my God, I cried to thee for help, and thou hast healed me. 3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit. 4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. 5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. 6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, "I shall never be moved." 7 By thy favor, O LORD, thou hadst established me as a strong mountain; thou didst hide thy face, I was dismayed. 8 To thee, O LORD, I cried; and to the LORD I made supplication: 9 "What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise thee? Will it tell of thy faithfulness? 10 Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me! O LORD, be thou my helper!" 11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, 12 that my soul may praise thee and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to thee for ever. (Psalm 30 Revised Standard Version Bible)
"You had one job!" Remember that saying and what it meant? Usually, it meant a task was given to someone who could not follow it. And when they did follow it, they messed it up really bad. Usually, the prayers that go before God are the ones where I had one job and I messed up. In the case of this psalm David had a job to be faithful and obedient to God, and what does he do? He does what God asked him not to do. In this case, David takes a census of Israel when God said one was not necessary. And the psalm was the prayer for the dedication of the land for the temple. Remember that God said the temple would be built by Solomon and not David. Yet, God is faithful, the psalmist writes. And indeed He is! How many times have we not lifted up prayers convinced that God owuld not respond to us; and yet, he did! May we never lose our awe and wonder for the Lord hearing and answering us. As the psalmist knew, "God's anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime." What follows also blesses us, "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." I love Rev. Norman Vincent Peale's declaration, "Did you not know that all your yesterdays ended at midnight last night?" And they did.
This is a psalm calling us to rejoicing and praising and the best and easiest way is through our obedience to God. God has the power to help us face times of mourning and turning those into times of dancing. It may not seem possible right now, but it is coming. Our sackcloth, symbolic of fasting and mourning, can be exchanged into gladness, if we allow our souls to praise God and refrain from silence. Our joy is in our thankfulness to God for ever and ever.
PRAYER: Loving God, grant to us that which blesses You; guide us on this adventure called life to those places where we can glorify You and bring blessings to others. Grant us courage and wisdom for the living of these days; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be the rock for someone who feels they are on shifting sand!
Receive my blessings of joy and hope,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
