When do our problems and worries seem to be their worst? For many people, problems seem to be larger and darker during the nighttime. It is as though the dark night seems to have the power to multiply and enlarge our problems. Not only do our problems somehow seem worse at night, those nights seem longer than other nights. The hours pass so slowly, we might think the clock is broken. The sky remains dark for hours, and then finally we begin to see the approaching dawn. With the dawn hopefully our problems will diminish, as well. This is a truth that our psalm speaks of, a problem that brings grief, but then how the Lord can turn that around.
Psalm 30 was written by King David, possibly for the occasion of his dedication of a new royal palace. In this psalm he extolled God for bringing him back from a near-death experience, possibly one he was remembering from the time he was on the run from King Saul, or from a time during one of his many battle experiences. This occasion was so serious, that David felt he was on the edge of death, right on the brink of the pit of the grave (vs. 1-3). David knew that it wasn’t his own skill and cunning that defeated the enemies that had come against him. He knew that it was the Lord.
At some time we might find ourselves in very serious trouble. It could be, like it was with David, when enemies have risen up against us. The “enemy” could be a serious illness, one that might even threaten our life. Or it might be a serious financial situation, one that might greatly alter our life if it isn’t resolved in a timely way. Like David did, we need to hand these battles over to the Lord, and trust in Him. Our enemies can plot and scheme, but God has us covered. He can turn evil into good for us (Romans 8:28). The Lord can defeat any type of enemy that comes against us.
David looked back at the times of his troubles, remembering the many nights that he had spent in tears and weeping (vs. 5). How long those nights seemed. That is the same with us when faced with problems, sometimes problems that are so serious that they could be life-threatening. As mentioned, those problems and struggles seem worse at night. However when the sunrise comes, it brings hope again that we can continue. We may think we have no hope, but just as the sun disperses nighttime at daybreak, our circumstances will change when the Lord comes into our problems.
As David looked back on some of the trying experiences he had, he recalled that some of them may have been brought on because of his own pride and arrogance (vs. 6-7). Wealth, power, and fame can have an intoxicating effect on some people, making them feel self-reliant, self-secure, and independent of God. For a brief while this seemed to be the case with David. If everything continually goes right in our life, even the best of Christians can start to develop a spirit of presumption. Even David started to feel that way, as if nothing could move him. This false security can be easily shattered when serious problems arise.
Fortunately David realized this. He called out to the Lord, and quickly returned to Him (vs. 8-10). It was at this time, and many other times throughout his life, that David saw a great truth about the Lord, and that is that God’s anger is only for a moment, but His love is for a lifetime (vs. 5). God’s anger lasts only a moment, but His favor goes on for a long, long time. His anger, shown in discipline for a wayward child, is like a sharp pain, warning us to turn from our sin.
When we find ourselves faced with a devastating problem, let’s remember the encouragement that the Lord gives us in this psalm of David. Don’t give up! Keep on going! We may find ourselves weeping through the whole night long, but remember, joy is coming soon! Be encouraged, knowing that our trials are only temporary. Joy is coming, so don’t lose heart.
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