Jesus Creed

Jesus Creed

Our Common Prayerbook 30 – 3

posted by Scot McKnight | 12:15pm Tuesday August 31, 2010

Psalm 30 thanks God (vv. 1-3, 11-12) and exhorts others to thank God (vv. 4-5). Both emerge from the concrete reality of David’s own experience. Here is what that experience looks like:

Step one: David was set on high and was flourishing at the hand of God’s bounty (v. 7a).
Step two: David became too self-confident (v. 6).
Step three: The Lord disciplined David for his pride (v. 7b).
Step four: David cried to the Lord and turned his heart away from pride (vv. 8-10).
Step five: The Lord answered David’s request and pleadings (vv. 11-12, back to vv 1-3).
The story is a common story; it is our story; it is Israel’s story; it is the story of Israel during the time of the judges; during the time of the kings and prophets; during the Exile and after the return; it is the story of the church in Acts. 
Humans beings can experience the blessing of God and flourish and will always face the temptation of self-confidence and pride; and God often reminds us of our pride and summons us to become faithful and trusting and we see all over again that we are creatures and God alone is God.

30:1 I will praise you, O Lord, for you lifted me up,

and did not allow my enemies to gloat over me.

30:2 O Lord my God,

I cried out to you and you healed me.

30:3 O Lord, you pulled me up from Sheol;

you rescued me from among those descending into the grave.

30:4 Sing to the Lord, you faithful followers of his;

give thanks to his holy name.

30:5 For his anger lasts only a brief moment,

and his good favor restores one’s life.

One may experience sorrow during the night,

but joy arrives in the morning.

30:6 In my self-confidence I said,

“I will never be upended.”

30:7 O Lord, in your good favor you made me secure.

Then you rejected me and I was terrified.

30:8 To you, O Lord, I cried out;

I begged the Lord for mercy:

30:9 ”What profit is there in taking my life,

in my descending into the Pit?

Can the dust of the grave praise you?

Can it declare your loyalty?

30:10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me!

O Lord, deliver me!”

30:11 Then you turned my lament into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy.

30:12 So now my heart will sing to you and not be silent;

O Lord my God, I will always give thanks to you.



Leave a Comment ยป
Related Topics: Psalms
beliefnet
  list archives most recent most popular  
beliefnet
Previous Posts

This blog is no longer active
This blog is no longer being actively updated. Please feel free to browse the archives or: Read our most popular inspiration blog See our most popular inspirational video Take our most popular quiz

posted 3:10:39pm Aug. 31, 2010 | read full post »

Theology After Darwin 1 (RJS)
One of the more important and more difficult pieces of the puzzle as we feel our way forward at the interface of science and faith is the theological implications of discoveries in modern science. A comment on my post Evolution in the Key of D: Deity or Deism noted: ...this reminds me of why I get a

posted 6:01:52am Aug. 31, 2010 | read full post »

Almost Christian 4
Who does well when it comes to passing on the faith to the youth? Studies show two groups do really well: conservative Protestants and Mormons; two groups that don't do well are mainline Protestants and Roman Catholics. Kenda Dean's new book is called Almost Christian: What the Faith of Ou

posted 12:01:53am Aug. 31, 2010 | read full post »

Let's Get Neanderthal!
The Cave Man Diet, or Paleo Diet, is getting attention. (Nothing is said about Culver's at all.) The big omission, I have to admit, is that those folks were hunters -- using spears or smacking some rabbit upside the conk or grabbing a fish or two with their hands ... but that's what makes this diet

posted 2:05:48pm Aug. 30, 2010 | read full post »

Our Common Prayerbook 30 - 2
Psalm 30 is the story of the ups and downs of life, and David is frank and clear. He was in a flourishing spot, he became proud, the Lord was with him but disciplined him, and then the Lord lifted him back into that flourishing spot. Integral to genuine prayer is the rehearsal of our own story.

posted 12:08:46pm Aug. 30, 2010 | read full post »

Advertisement
Comments read comments(1)
post a comment
Christian Forum

posted April 27, 2011 at 8:53 pm


This was a very well thought out post, thank you! I love this Psalm too. David was such a blessed writer, I read the Psalms almost more than any other book in the Bible.



report abuse
 

Post a Comment

By submitting these comments, I agree to the beliefnet.com terms of service, rules of conduct and privacy policy (the "agreements"). I understand and agree that any content I post is licensed to beliefnet.com and may be used by beliefnet.com in accordance with the agreements.

Share this story

Related Topics: Psalms
beliefnet
  list archives most recent most popular  
beliefnet

About Beliefnet

Our mission is to help people like you find, and walk, a spiritual path that will bring comfort, hope, clarity, strength, and happiness. More about Beliefnet.

Help

Media Kit

Subscribe

Legal

Copyright © Beliefnet, Inc. and/or its licensors. All rights reserved. Use of this site is subject to Terms of Service and to our Privacy Policy. Constructed by Beliefnet.

Advertisement

Report as Inappropriate

You are reporting this content because it violates the Terms of Service.

All reported content is logged for investigation.