Three Pearls, Three Minutes, Thirty Days. (Day 30)

Psalm 30: 1I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. 3You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. 4Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. 5For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. 6When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” 7Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. 8To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: 9“What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? 10Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.” 11You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

Today’s Three Pearls

• For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime – v.5: Edward Marbury observes: The gift of eternal life is not our greatest source of happiness in heaven, it is God’s favor. Likewise it is the displeasure of God that makes a soul miserable in hell. This is why a man could be going through a period of what may be considered hell on earth and still emerge from it with his spirits soaring because the favor of God was with him through the trying period. It is also why a man who is considered to be living well could be hollow on the inside, with low spirits. It is God’s favor upon us that determines our fulfillment or misery regardless of where we stand in life, for outward afflictions break the skin but God’s hidden face breaks the soul. As with plants and the sun, the life of saints lies in the light and warmth of God’s countenance. We thrive when it shines, and we droop when it is hidden. Verse 7:Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed. 
• “When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” – v.6: David presumed in his prosperity that nothing could shake him because he had everything he wanted. One would think that a man like David who had been through the ups and downs of life like the spokes of a wheel would be more circumspect, that he would know better than to be self-assured. It has been observed that satan waits eagerly for two seasons in the life of a Christian – upon entering a special service for God; and upon receiving a favor from God – he waits to tempt and he is seldom disappointed because of the human tendency to pride, carelessness and over-confidence. It seems that when we become careless in our walk with God, God may choose to hide His face, leaving us vulnerable to a fall. As we noted on Day 23, sheep that are hidden from the shepherd are prime targets for the wolves. Satan never rests and neither should we till we breathe our last. As the sports teams have often learnt bitterly when they are leading in a match and become relaxed when it is less than two minutes to the whistle, “it ain’t over till it’s over”.
• You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent – v.11-12: When God took away the mourning and wailing, He did not replace it with peace and quiet; no, He took it up a notch and replaced with dancing at the sound of His name. When God removed the sackcloth, He did not clothe them with garments of silk or gold-embroidered and gem-enclustered outfits; no, He girded them with gladness, enriching their spiritual nature and filling them with all the fullness of Himself. The sackcloth was a loose piece of clothing, but the gladness is girded (fastened and secure) around the Christian. Double for the trouble. And the natural consequence of this unexpected generosity from God? That my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever – v.12.

Ref: Treasury of David

Author’s Note: Thank you for the feedback and encouragement over the past 30 days. May the seeds of God’s Word always bear sweet fruits in our lives. Amen.