On Psalm 30

Summer Psalms - On Psalm 30

August 1, 2022

Pray for Illumination - Heavenly Father, help me to know your ways; teach me your paths and lead me into your truth. Amen.

Read Psalm 30

Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.  Psalms 30:10

It was a dark winter evening when it happened.  A woman had not noticed the concrete median in the Wal-Mart parking lot until she drove her car up over it so that the car was straddling it – the front wheels on one side, the rear wheels on the other.  She knew that whether she drove forward or backward, there was a good chance that damage could be done to her car.  As my wife and I made our way towards the store entrance, we saw this woman running frantically from person to person trying to get someone to help her out of this predicament.  Then she came towards us.  When I asked if everything was ok, she directed my attention to her car and quickly pushed the keys into my hand. She didn’t seem to speak much English.  I walked around the car, looked under it, and assessed the situation.  I realized that by turning the wheels fully, I could perhaps reverse the car and swing the front around the end of the median.  Sure enough, it worked so well that the car didn’t touch the median at all.  The woman who, moments earlier, was in a state of fear and panic, now had relief and joy on her face.

We have all found ourselves in impossible situations – times when it seems like there is no clear way to get through what we are facing.  It can feel overwhelming.  Today’s Psalm reminds me once again that we have a Sovereign God that we can call out to when life has thrown us into a “pit” that feels impossible to climb out of.

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy    Psalms 30:11

God of the great reversal.  Today as you pray, ask God to transform any challenges that you might be facing into opportunities for you to experience his mercy and grace – to make your life a living testimony to the goodness of God.  And give thanks to Him for Jesus Christ – the greatest reversal that transforms even death into life…

that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.   Psalms 30:12