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Reversal of Fortunes

By: Alan Harvey

Posted: August 5, 2019

Category: Daily Devotional

Psalm 30

The twelve verses of this psalm are divided accordingly:

I will extol You, O Lord, for You have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord, my God, I cried to You for help, and You have healed me. O Lord, You brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

God has so blessed the psalmist who has triumphed over his foes, been restored to health and been delivered from death to life.

Sing praises to the Lord, O you His faithful ones, and give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment; His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

The psalmist invites the congregation to join him in praising and giving thanks to the Lord. There is no denying that God’s anger can be kindled against us for our sins, and just when that relationship may seem irreparably damaged, God reveals His favor is for a lifetime. Indeed, weeping may last for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

As for me I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” By Your favor, O Lord, You had established me as a strong mountain; You hid Your face; I was dismayed.

Our good fortune is dependent upon God’s blessing and we should never take God’s grace for granted.

To You, O Lord, I cried, and to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it tell of Your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me! O Lord, be my helper!”

The psalmist makes aa good point when he asks: “Will the dust praise You? Will the dust tell of Your faithfulness?” It is not inconceivable! Remember Jesus said: “I tell you if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” Luke 19:40 (NRSV)

You have turned my mourning into dancing; You have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise You and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

God reverses the fortunes of the psalmist … from mourning to dancing, from being clad in penitential attire to being garbed with joy and the psalmist responds by forever being grateful

Prayer

O God we praise You and we give You thanks for reversing our fortunes… for turning our sadness into gladness In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.