Psalm 30 introduction

Psalm 30   

Introduction

     There are two events that could have prompted the writing of this Psalm by David. Firstly, it could just simply be that he had been ill and was giving thanks for deliverance from a malady that brought him close to death. What is more likely, is that this powerful song was written in response to an event that cause David great shame and remorse, but which led ultimately, to the fulfilment of one of his greatest revelations.

The story is set out in 1 Chronicles 21:1 to 1 Chronicles 22:6 and it begins with these words; “Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.” The census was primarily to number the fighting men so that David would have an accurate picture of the size of his potential army. His General, Joab, was completely against the idea, however David went ahead and was able to comfort himself in the knowledge that there were at least 1,400,000 men in Israel who could handle a sword. The satanic plot was of course, intended to make David trust in his own resources rather than in God. It was to incite him to pride and self-sufficiency – a common plot of the enemy!

The census brought the threat of dreadful punishment upon Israel for it was evil in God’s sight. The repentant King saw a deadly plague affect the land and then he had an encounter with the angel of the Lord who was threatening to destroy Jerusalem. The prophet Gad ordered David to go to the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite and there to build an altar to the Lord. It was this act of penitence that made the King realise that the site of his altar was to be the site of the temple of the Lord that would be built there by David’s son, Solomon. Let us keep these events in mind as we study this Psalm and realise the folly of trusting in our own resources and the voice of the enemy, rather than trusting in the ability and power of our God. A God who, as David will tell us, redeems our foolish errors and turns them to His own creative good. Hallelujah.

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