God’s Saving Word: Praise and Thanksgiving

Introduction

Psalm 30: Today’s reading is a psalm in which the writer praises God for healing and being restored to life. The psalm focuses on the turning of sadness and sorrow to joy and concludes with a promise to thank God forever.

Scripture Reading

A Prayer of Thanksgiving[a]

30 I praise you, Lord, because you have saved me
    and kept my enemies from gloating over me.
2 I cried to you for help, O Lord my God,
    and you healed me;
3     you kept me from the grave.
I was on my way to the depths below,[b]
    but you restored my life.

4 Sing praise to the Lord,
    all his faithful people!
Remember what the Holy One has done,
    and give him thanks!
5 His anger lasts only a moment,
    his goodness for a lifetime.
Tears may flow in the night,
    but joy comes in the morning.

6 I felt secure and said to myself,
    “I will never be defeated.”
7 You were good to me, Lord;
    you protected me like a mountain fortress.
But then you hid yourself from me,
    and I was afraid.

8 I called to you, Lord;
    I begged for your help:
9 “What will you gain from my death?
    What profit from my going to the grave?
Are dead people able to praise you?
    Can they proclaim your unfailing goodness?
10 Hear me, Lord, and be merciful!
    Help me, Lord!”

11 You have changed my sadness into a joyful dance;
    you have taken away my sorrow
    and surrounded me with joy.
12 So I will not be silent;
    I will sing praise to you.
Lord, you are my God;
    I will give you thanks forever.

Today’s Key Verse: Psalm 30:4

Sing praise to the LORD, all his faithful people! Remember what the Holy One has done, and give him thanks!

Reflect

For what does the psalm writer thank and praise God? How would you describe the overall tone of this psalm? Can you describe a time in your life when sadness was turned to joy? Did you sense God at work? With whom will you share a word of encouragement today?

Pray

Merciful God, you are the Holy One and I praise you for your constant love and goodness. I will not be silent; I will sing praises to you. You are my God, and I will give you thanks forever. Amen.

And now, join us in praying that audio Bibles will continue impacting the Fulani people in Nigeria. Lord God, the Fulani people in Nigeria are predominately Muslim nomads who maintain herds of cattle across West Africa. Thanks to the support of Bible-A-Month Partners, audio Bible listening groups have begun, and some Fulanis have started coming in secret to hear your Word and have come to learn of your saving love. We pray, Lord God, that your Word will continue to transform lives in Nigeria. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

1 Chronicles 13:1-14: King David seeks to bring the Covenant Box to Jerusalem.