King James Version

Psalm 30

Psalm 30 is David's song of thanks after God rescued him from near death. Its best-known line is that weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning, and it ends with God turning his mourning into dancing.

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Psalm 30 (KJV)

Lifted up from the grave v. 1-3

¹I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

²O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

³O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Joy cometh in the morning v. 4-5

⁴Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

⁵For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Too sure in good times v. 6-7

⁶And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.

⁷LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.

A cry for mercy v. 8-10

⁸I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.

⁹What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

¹⁰Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.

Mourning turned into dancing v. 11-12

¹¹Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

¹²To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

What Psalm 30 means

Psalm 30 is a testimony. David begins by praising God for lifting him up, healing him, and bringing his soul up from the grave. Whatever the danger was, sickness or enemies, he speaks as a man who was close to the pit and was pulled back.

In verses 4 and 5 he turns to everyone else and tells them to sing too. His reason is the contrast at the heart of the psalm: God's anger lasts a moment, but his favour is life. Sorrow is real and it may last all night, but it is not the last word. Many readers hold on to verse 5 in grief because it promises a morning without pretending the night is short.

Verses 6 and 7 are honest about how the trouble started. When things went well, David said, I shall never be moved. He had leaned on his own prosperity. When God hid his face, he was troubled. The psalm treats that as a lesson, not a disaster: security came from God's favour, not from his own strong mountain.

Verses 8 to 10 record the prayer he prayed in the dark. He even argues with God: what profit is there in my blood, and can the dust praise thee? It is a bold, plain prayer, and it was answered.

The ending matches the beginning. God put off his sackcloth, the clothing of mourning, and girded him with gladness, so that he would not be silent. The psalm closes with a promise to give thanks for ever.

Background and context

The KJV heading reads, A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David. Readers differ on which house is meant: David's own palace, or the later temple whose site David prepared. The psalm itself does not say.

It belongs to Book One of the Psalms (Psalms 1-41), most of which carry David's name in their headings.

Key verses

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Psalm 30:5 · KJV

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
Psalm 30:11 · KJV

O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
Psalm 30:2 · KJV

Cross references

Isaiah 54:7-8 The same pattern as verse 5: God hid his face for a moment, but with everlasting kindness he shows mercy.For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
2 Corinthians 4:17 Paul calls present trouble a light affliction, which is but for a moment, compared with the glory to come.For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
John 16:20 Jesus tells his disciples their sorrow shall be turned into joy.Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
Isaiah 61:3 God gives the oil of joy for mourning, the same exchange as verse 11.To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Psalm 6:5 Another of David's prayers that asks who will give God thanks from the grave, like verse 9.For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
Ecclesiastes 3:4 A time to mourn, and a time to dance.A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Lamentations 3:22-23 God's mercies are new every morning.It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Quick quiz

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Common questions

Where in the Bible does it say joy comes in the morning?

Psalm 30:5 in the KJV: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

What is Psalm 30 about?

It is David's thanksgiving after God brought him back from near death. He admits he grew overconfident in good times, recalls his cry for mercy, and praises God for turning his mourning into dancing.

Who wrote Psalm 30?

Its heading credits David and calls it a song at the dedication of the house of David.

Is Psalm 30 a good psalm for grief?

Many people turn to it in grief because it does not deny the night of weeping, yet it ends with God having put off my sackcloth and girded the psalmist with gladness.