“Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
– Psalm 30:4-5
Main thought: David opens this Psalm in the first three verses with adoration for God’s help and healing when he cried out to Him. In response to that, David admonishes the saints of God to sing praises to the name of the Lord and give thanks to Him. How often we neglect to praise and thank our Lord when we have cried out to Him for help in a crisis, or we have called upon Him for healing in an event of disease concerning ourselves or a loved one, and then God in His love and mercy helps deliver us and heals us. In Psalm 34:1 he writes “I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Is there ever a lack of things for us to give praise and thanks to God for? Of course not, and as God’s children we are to be the most thankful of all people on this earth. We have been given eternal life and the promise of grace and mercy every day from our Father in heaven, so how can we not give thanks to His holy name? As David states here there are times of the anger of God, sometimes in His discipline of us when we are disobedient, but that anger in comparison to eternity “is but for a moment” and His favor is new and bountiful and abundant for every day as long as we live, and yes even beyond that into eternity for Jesus has promised that He has gone to prepare us a place and will return to take us to that place He has prepared (John 14:1-3). David reminds us that there will be weeping in this life from time to time, as we all know so well. But that weeping will be temporary and will be replaced by the joy of the Lord in the morning. That is the promise Jesus gives us, that we shall have tribulation and trials and weeping in this world, but we have the joy of the Lord each day because of His Spirit that lives within every one of His children. And even beyond that, there will be a day when the morning dawns with the return of our Lord Jesus Christ and we will have eternal joy, and there will no longer be any weeping or sorrow. Child of God, praise and thank Him for his blessing today, and also for the promise of eternal life and joy when He returns.
David Webber
David Webber is married to Mary with four children and four grandchildren, and serves as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Longview, TX. He obtained a BS in History from the University of Texas at Tyler, TX, and pursued studies at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. Throughout his ministry, he has been an invited preacher and educator in numerous churches and various Bible conferences. Surrendering to the gospel ministry’s calling in 1972 at the age of 16, he received preaching licensure from Little Flock Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, in 1974. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1978, he was ordained in December of 1980 by Faith Baptist Church. Following this, he contributed his services to Faith Baptist in Longview and subsequently engaged with Grace Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, where he instructed Sunday School and delivered sermons as needed. In February of 1994, Faith Baptist invited him to lead as their pastor, a role he has faithfully held to the present day. David writes a blog for the church website and is a writer for The Art of Worship.
More from David Webber
2 Corinthians 8:9
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” – 2 Corinthians 8:9
Job 14:1-2
“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.” – Job 14:1-2
1 Corinthians 1:30-31
“And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
Proverbs 28:13
“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” – Proverbs 28:13
Psalm 119:41-42
“Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me.” – Psalm 119:41-42
Psalm 86:9
“All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.” – Psalm 86:9 (ESV)
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” – 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (ESV)