Psalm 30:1-12
A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House.
A Psalm of David.

I will extol Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast lifted me up,
And hast not let my enemies rejoice over me.
[2] O Lord my God,
I cried to Thee for help, and Thou didst heal me.
[3] O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol;
Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
[4] Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones,
And give thanks to His holy name.
[5] For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
[6] Now as for me, I said in my prosperity, "I will never be moved."
[7] O Lord, by Thy favor Thou hast made my mountain to stand strong;
Thou didst hide Thy face, I was dismayed.
[8] To Thee, O Lord, I called,
And to the Lord I made supplication:
[9] "What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise Thee? Will it declare Thy faithfulness?
[10] "Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me;
O Lord, be Thou my helper."
[11] Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing;
Thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness;
[12] That my soul may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever.


Psalm 30:1-12

Open It

* 1. In what ways are you self-reliant, and in what ways do you depend on others?
2. When was the last time a friend helped you through a difficult circumstance, and how did you feel about depending on others for support?

Explore It

3. How did David introduce his reason for praising the Lord? (30:1-3)
4. What images did David use to describe how the Lord delivered him? (30:1-3)
* 5. What does this psalm celebrate? (30:1-12)
6. How did God respond to David’s cries for help? (30:2)
7. What instructions did David give to God’s people? (30:4-5)
8. What does this psalm say about God’s character? (30:5)
9. What did David remember about the Lord’s deliverance and how he felt about it? (30:6-12)
10. What sinful attitude was David guilty of when circumstances were going well for him? (30:6)
* 11. How did the Lord remind David that He was the one who gave David his security? (30:7)
12. What caused David to lose his sense of security and self-reliance? (30:8-10)
* 13. To where did David turn for help? (30:8-10)
14. Why did David want the Lord to save him? (30:9)
15. How did God answer David’s prayer? (30:11-12)

Get It

16. How does our culture value self-reliance?
17. When can self-reliance be a negative characteristic?
18. How does this passage change your perception of God and His character?
19. What should motivate us to praise the Lord?
* 20. What new insights have you learned about trusting God?
21. When have difficult circumstances prompted you to turn to the Lord, instead of depending on your own strength?
22. How has God delivered you in the past?
23. Why is it tempting for us to trust God only during certain times in our lives?
* 24. How can we learn to depend more on the Lord, no matter what our circumstances?
25. What does it mean for you to depend on the Lord rather than on your own strength?
26. How do you plan to follow the instructions in this psalm?

Apply It

27. What difficulties or challenges do you face in the coming week?
* 28. What action could you take to depend on the Lord (rather than yourself) for strength to face the upcoming challenges in your life?
29. What other person could you encourage with what you have learned about security in God?

AFFIRMATIONS

TODAY I AM ...

Extoling the LORD
Lifted up above my foes.
Healed.
Singing unto the LORD and giving thanks.
Blessed with joy in the morning.
Never moved in my prosperity.
With my merciful LORD as my helper.
Dancing, girded with gladness, not mourning.
Thanking the LORD for ever.