What does Psalms Chapter 30 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The speaker entrusts his spirit and recalls refuge while still asking delivery. Grief, poverty, reproach and a plot against life are expressed. Praise for heard prayer and fortified-city mercy ends in exhortation to courage.

Chapter breakdown

The Latin incipit is In te, Domine, speravi. The separate heading identifies an afflicted just person's prayer. The inscription is unto the end, for David, in an ecstasy; it does not define that ecstasy as contemplation. He hopes in God and asks never to be confounded, delivery in justice, a bowed ear and speedy help, with God as protector and house of refuge. As strength and refuge God will lead, nourish and bring him out of a hidden snare. He commends his spirit to the redeeming God of truth, saying God hated those regarding vanities to no purpose, while he hoped in Him.

He will rejoice in mercy because God regarded humility, saved his soul from distress, kept him out of enemy hands and set feet in a spacious place. Still afflicted, he asks mercy: eye, soul and belly troubled with wrath, life wasted with grief, years in sighs, strength weakened through poverty and bones disturbed. He became reproach to enemies and neighbors and a fear to acquaintances, with those seeing him outside fleeing. Forgotten like someone dead and a destroyed vessel, he heard blame as people assembled and consulted to take his life.

He trusts God with his lots and asks delivery from enemies and persecutors, a shining face, mercy and no confusion. He wishes shame and descent to hell on wicked people and silence for lips speaking proud, abusive iniquity against the just. He marvels at hidden sweetness for those fearing God, wrought publicly for those hoping. God shall hide and protect them from disturbance and contradictory tongues. He blesses mercy shown in a fortified city and recalls saying in excess of mind that he was cast away, yet God heard his cry. He urges saints to love the Lord, who will require truth and repay the proud abundantly, and those hoping in Him to act manfully and strengthen hearts. No clinical diagnosis, certain immunity from danger or completed conspiracy outcome is supplied.

The story inside

Opening: The speaker entrusts his spirit and recalls refuge while still asking delivery. Development: Grief, poverty, reproach and a plot against life are expressed. Conclusion: Praise for heard prayer and fortified-city mercy ends in exhortation to courage.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The speaker entrusts his spirit and recalls refuge while still asking delivery.
2
Grief, poverty, reproach and a plot against life are expressed.
3
Praise for heard prayer and fortified-city mercy ends in exhortation to courage.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 59368–59378
30:6. Into thy hands I commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth. 30:7. Thou hast hated them that regard vanities, to no purpose. But I have hoped in the Lord: 30:8. I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy. For thou hast regarded my humility, thou hast saved my soul out of distresses. 30:9. And thou hast not shut me up in the hands of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a spacious place.
Lines 59397–59403
30:15. But I have put my trust in thee, O Lord: I said: Thou art my God. 30:16. My lots are in thy hands. Deliver me out of the hands of my enemies; and from them that persecute me. 30:17. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; save me in thy mercy.
Lines 59411–59417
30:20. O how great is the multitude of thy sweetness, O Lord, which thou hast hidden for them that fear thee! Which thou hast wrought for them that hope in thee, in the sight of the sons of men. 30:21. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy face, from the disturbance of men. Thou shalt protect them in thy tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues.