Victory by Faith
Friday, July 1
"I will extol You, O Lord; for You have lifted me up, and have not made my foes to rejoice over me." (Psalm 30:1)
It should be remembered that we do not have to wait until the end before we can use these words. David's enemies were not all dead, by any means; but, trusting in the Lord, he was as sure of the final outcome as if all conflicts were over.
Remember this, that even though our enemies do rejoice over us, and taunt us with our seeming defeat and their victory, it is not the Lord who has caused them to do so; and nothing can stand except that which the Lord does. Only the word of the Lord endures forever, and He has spoken peace to us.
Thanking in Advance
Sabbath, July 2
"O Lord, my God, I cried unto You, and You have healed me." (Psalm 30:2)
You say: "But I have cried unto the Lord for healing, and He hasn't healed me!"
The reason for it is plainly to be seen in the doubt implied in your complaint. We are too apt to forget that true prayer consists of cries of joy and thanksgiving, as well as of desire. The thanksgiving must be expressed before the desired end is in sight, for nothing else is compatible with faith.
The free gift of life--healing life--has been bestowed upon all; the faith that profits by the gift thanks God for it before the senses perceive it. The ten lepers were not healed until, in obedience to Christ's instructions, they were on their way to the high priest to get his certificate to their healing.
Brought Up From the Grave
Sunday, July 3
"O Lord, You have brought up my soul from the grave: You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit." (Psalm 30:3)
This is true of every person on earth, even of those who have never suffered from any severe illness. Our very existence is evidence of God's power manifested in raising the dead. The apostle Paul, speaking of Christ's death and resurrection, says, "Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?" (Ephesians 4:9)
And the psalmist, speaking of his own birth, says, "My substance was not hid from You, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth." (Psalm 139:15)
All who die go back to the earth from which they were taken. Everybody who is alive may, therefore, with all his heart give expression to the words of our text for today.
Super-Abounding Grace
Monday, July 4
"Sing unto the Lord, O saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness; For His anger endures but a moment; in His favor is life." (Psalm 30:3-4)
We are to give thanks at the remembrance or memorial of God's holiness; and the evidence of His holiness is the fact that His grace far exceeds His wrath. Where sin abounds, grace superabounds. Almost, if not quite, all other versions than the English render verse five as in the margin of the Revision: "His anger endures but a moment; but His favor a lifetime." (Psalm 30:4,RV,margin)
God visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children in whom the same iniquities are manifested, but only to the third and fourth generations; while He shows mercy to thousands of generations of those that keep His commandments.
Weeping
Tuesday, July 5
"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." (Isaiah 30:5)
"Endure" is too strong a word to apply to weeping, and the Hebrew text does not warrant it in this place. The Norwegian version has it, "In the evening weeping comes as a guest."
This agrees with the margin of our Revised Version, which gives the following literal rendering of the Hebrew: "Weeping may come in to lodge at even."
Why does it come at evening? Because in the dark, and especially when we are weary, we are likely to be cast down by that which, in the freshness of the morning light, is seen to be of no consequence.
Weeping does not come to stay; and if we would only look at evening and see things in the light of day, as becomes "children of the day," (1 Thessalonians 5:5) we should not even give it a night’s lodging. We need not, for we are told to "Rejoice in the Lord always." (Philippians 4:4)
Prosperity and Faith
Wednesday, July 6
"In my prosperity, I said, I shall never be moved." (Psalm 30:6)
That is better than many do; for it is not uncommon for people to mar all their manifest prosperity by fears of future ill. Still there isn't much virtue in feeling confident when there is no adversity in sight.
Far better is it to have our eyes open to see God always before us, and to know that because He is at our right hand in trouble, "a very present help," (Psalm 46:1) we shall not be moved even by the storm and cloud of affliction.
Immovable
Thursday, July 7
"Lord, by your favor You have made my mountains to stand strong." (Psalm 30:7)
That is why we can say with confidence, not only in prosperity, but in adversity as well: "I shall never be moved." (Psalm 30:6) "They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abides forever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people from henceforth even for ever." (Psalm 125 1-2)
It is better to have the Lord round about us than to be surrounded with mountain fortifications; for He sets the mountains fast by His power, and "the strength of the hills is His also." (Psalm 95:4)
Trading Sackcloth for Praise
Friday, July 8
"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing: You have put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness." (Psalm 30:11)
Many sincere people have clothed themselves with sackcloth, or worn hair shirts, supposing that they would thereby please God, and win His favor.
Others who do not actually put on the sackcloth, go about with as drawn and pitiful expressions as if they had it on, because they think that a smiling face is displeasing to heaven.
All such should learn that God never clothes people with sackcloth. None need think to gain His favor by torturing themselves. If all would but submit to Him, and allow Him to have His own way with them, He would speedily give them "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." (Isaiah 61:3)--Medical Missionary, Daily Bread, July 1904--Psalm 30:1-11.