Psalms 30

 

מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר־חֲנֻכַּת הַבַּיִת לְדָוִד׃   30:1

Psal. 30:1   A psalm -- a song of dedication of the house -- of David's.

Throughout history there has been a question as to the occasion of this psalm.  At one time the consensus was that it was for the dedication of the palace.  But v. 3 refers to a possible life-threatening illness of David’s, and there is no record of such in that period.  So now the thought is that this psalm was sung at the dedication of the second Temple and later at the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees, and the center phrase in this verse was added at either of the events.  The psalm appears to be one of thanksgiving after a time of dire distress.

אֲרוֹמִמְךָ יְהוָה כִּי דִלִּיתָנִי וְלֹא־שִׂמַּחְתָּ אֹיְבַי לִי׃   30:2

Psal. 30:2   I will extol You, O Lord, because You lifted me up

                               and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.

יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי שִׁוַּעְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵנִי׃   30:3

Psal. 30:3   O Lord, my God, I cried out to You

                               and You healed me.

יְהוָה הֶעֱלִיתָ מִן־שְׁאֹול נַפְשִׁי חִיִּיתַנִי (מִיֹּורְדִי) [מִיָּרְדִי]־בֹור׃   30:4

Psal. 30:4   O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave;

                               You kept me alive rather than my descending the pit.

The word in the parentheses appears to be spelled with an extraneous vav.  The correction is in the brackets.

זַמְּרוּ לַיהוָה חֲסִידָיו וְהוֹדוּ לְזֵכֶר קָדְשׁוֹ׃   30:5

Psal. 30:5   Sing to the Lord, O you, his holy ones,

                                and give thanks for the remembrance of His holiness!

כִּי רֶגַע בְּאַפּוֹ חַיִּים בִּרְצוֹנוֹ בָּעֶרֶב יָלִין בֶּכִי וְלַבֹּקֶר רִנָּה׃   30:6

Psal. 30:6   For a moment of His” anger,”

                               there is a lifetime in His favor;

                      in the evening weeping may tarry

                               but by morning there is joy.

וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִי בַּל־אֶמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם׃   30:7

Psal. 30:7   And I said in my prosperity, “I shall never slip.”

יְהוָה בִּרְצוֹנְךָ הֶעֱמַדְתָּה לְהַרְרִי עֹז הִסְתַּרְתָּ פָנֶיךָ הָיִיתִי נִבְהָל׃   30:8

Psal. 30:8   O Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong:

                                You made hidden Your presence, I was troubled.

The second part of this verse appears to be a reminiscence of the earlier time of distress, when David apparently believed he would not get healed.

אֵלֶיךָ יְהוָה אֶקְרָא וְאֶל־אֲדֹנָי אֶתְחַנָּן׃   30:9

Psal. 30:9   To You, O Lord, shall I call,

                                and to the Lord shall I make supplication.

מַה־בֶּצַע בְּדָמִי בְּרִדְתִּי אֶל־שָׁחַת הֲיוֹדְךָ עָפָר הֲיַגִּיד אֲמִתֶּךָ׃   30:10

Psal. 30:10   What profit is there in my blood if I go down to the pit?

                               Would the dust praise You?

                        Would it declare Your truth?

שְׁמַע־יְהוָה וְחָנֵּנִי יְהוָה הֱיֵה־עֹזֵר לִי׃   30:11

Psal. 30:11   Hear, O Lord, and favor me!

                                 Lord, be a Helper to me!

הָפַכְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי לְמָחוֹל לִי פִּתַּחְתָּ שַׂקִּי וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי שִׂמְחָה׃   30:12

Psal. 30:12   You turn my mourning into dancing for me.

                                 You put off my sackcloth and gird me with gladness,

לְמַעַן יְזַמֶּרְךָ כָבוֹד וְלֹא יִדֹּם יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי לְעוֹלָם אוֹדֶךָּ׃   30:13

Psal. 30:13   so that glory would sing praise to You

                                 and not be silent.

                        O Lord, my God, forever will I give thanks to You.

 

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