Psalm 30 Text
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Psalm 30
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Listen & Read: Psalm 30
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Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.
| Hebrew | Verse | English |
|---|---|---|
| מִזְמ֡וֹר שִׁיר־חֲנֻכַּ֖ת הַבַּ֣יִת לְדָוִֽד׃ | v. 1 | A psalm. The song for the dedication of the house. By David. |
| אֲרוֹמִמְךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה כִּ֣י דִלִּיתָ֑נִי | v. 2a | I shall exalt you, YHWH, because you drew me up |
| וְלֹא־שִׂמַּ֖חְתָּ אֹיְבַ֣י לִֽי׃ | v. 2b | and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. |
| יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֑י | v. 3a | YHWH, my God, |
| שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי׃ | v. 3b | I cried to you for help and you healed me. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה הֶֽעֱלִ֣יתָ מִן־שְׁא֣וֹל נַפְשִׁ֑י | v. 4a | YHWH, you brought up my life from Sheol; |
| חִ֝יִּיתַ֗נִי מִיָּֽרְדִי־בֽוֹר׃ | v. 4b | you restored me to life, so that I did not go down to the pit. |
| זַמְּר֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה חֲסִידָ֑יו | v. 5a | Sing praise to YHWH, his faithful ones! |
| וְ֝הוֹד֗וּ לְזֵ֣כֶר קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃ | v. 5b | And praise his holy name! |
| כִּ֤י רֶ֨גַע ׀ בְּאַפּוֹ֮ חַיִּ֪ים בִּרְצ֫וֹנ֥וֹ | v. 6a | For there is a moment in his anger; there is life in his favor. |
| בָּ֭עֶרֶב יָלִ֥ין בֶּ֗כִי וְלַבֹּ֥קֶר רִנָּֽה׃ | v. 6b | Weeping might remain during the evening, but by the morning there is a shout of joy. |
| וַ֭אֲנִי אָמַ֣רְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִ֑י | v. 7a | But I had said when I was at ease, |
| בַּל־אֶמּ֥וֹט לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | v. 7b | "I will never waver." |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה בִּרְצוֹנְךָ֮ הֶעֱמַ֪דְתָּה לְֽהַרְרִ֫י עֹ֥ז | v. 8a | YHWH, in your favor you had established strength for my mountain. |
| הִסְתַּ֥רְתָּ פָנֶ֗יךָ הָיִ֥יתִי נִבְהָֽל׃ | v. 8b | You hid your face; I was in anguish. |
| אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֶקְרָ֑א | v. 9a | To you, YHWH, I would call out |
| וְאֶל־אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃ | v. 9b | and to the Lord I would beg for mercy. |
| מַה־בֶּ֥צַע בְּדָמִי֮ בְּרִדְתִּ֪י אֶ֫ל־שָׁ֥חַת | v. 10a | "What gain is there in my blood, in my going down to the grave? |
| הֲיוֹדְךָ֥ עָפָ֑ר הֲיַגִּ֥יד אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃ | v. 10b | Can dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness? |
| שְׁמַע־יְהוָ֥ה וְחָנֵּ֑נִי | v. 11a | Listen, YHWH, and be merciful to me! |
| יְ֝הוָה הֱֽיֵה־עֹזֵ֥ר לִֽי׃ | v. 11b | YHWH, be a defender for me!" |
| הָפַ֣כְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי֮ לְמָח֪וֹל לִ֥י | v. 12a | You changed my mourning into dancing for me; |
| פִּתַּ֥חְתָּ שַׂקִּ֑י וַֽתְּאַזְּרֵ֥נִי שִׂמְחָֽה׃ | v. 12b | you removed my sackcloth and dressed me with joy, |
| לְמַ֤עַן ׀ יְזַמֶּרְךָ֣ כָ֭בוֹד וְלֹ֣א יִדֹּ֑ם | v. 13a | so that people will sing to you "Glory!" and will not stay silent. |
| יְהוָ֥ה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י לְעוֹלָ֥ם אוֹדֶֽךָּ׃ | v. 13b | YHWH, my God, I shall praise you forever. |
Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.
| Speaker | Structure At-a-Glance | Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is designed to be "close" to the Hebrew, while still being "clear." Specifically, the CBC encapsulates and reflects the following layers of analysis: grammar, lexical semantics, phrase-level semantics, and verbal semantics. It does not reflect our analysis of the discourse or of poetics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources. | Addressee |
|---|
Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Expanded Paraphrase |
|---|---|---|
| מִזְמ֡וֹר שִׁיר־חֲנֻכַּ֖ת הַבַּ֣יִת לְדָוִֽד׃ | 1 | A psalm. The song for the dedication of the house of David's royal lineage, which ruled on Mount Zion. By David, the one who received the promise of a future dynasty of kings and the first king of this dynasty, who was to walk faithfully and in full dependence upon YHWH, not relying on human strength and military might. He was to shepherd his people as YHWH's undershepherd and one acting according to God's heart (1 Sam 13:14). |
| אֲרוֹמִמְךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה כִּ֣י דִלִּיתָ֑נִי וְלֹא־שִׂמַּ֖חְתָּ אֹיְבַ֣י לִֽי׃ | 2 | As I stand here in the tent that will one day be made obselete by the construction of a permanent house, surrounded by your faithful people, I shall exalt you, YHWH, as the proper beginning to all worship, trusting not in myself but in you alone, because you are my God who is faithful to his covenant promises: when I was in the slimy dark pits nearing death, I could not rescue myself, but you drew me up and did not let my enemies, who would have loved to see my downfall, rejoice over me. |
| יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֑י שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי׃ | 3 | YHWH, my God, I cried to you for help and you healed me. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה הֶֽעֱלִ֣יתָ מִן־שְׁא֣וֹל נַפְשִׁ֑י חִ֝יִּיתַ֗נִי *מִיָּֽרְדִי*־בֽוֹר׃ | 4 | YHWH, you brought up my life from where it would have ended up if you had not healed me: Sheol; you restored me to life, so that I did not go down to the pit. |
| זַמְּר֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה חֲסִידָ֑יו וְ֝הוֹד֗וּ לְזֵ֣כֶר קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃ | 5 | Sing praise to YHWH and celebrate with me, his faithful ones! And praise his holy name, by which we remember him, just as he remembered me in the pit! |
| כִּ֤י רֶ֨גַע׀ בְּאַפּוֹ֮ חַיִּ֪ים בִּרְצ֫וֹנ֥וֹ בָּ֭עֶרֶב יָלִ֥ין בֶּ֗כִי וְלַבֹּ֥קֶר רִנָּֽה׃ | 6 | For, while he is just to discipline his people, there is only a moment in his anger; on the other hand, there is restoration to fullness of life in his favor. Weeping might be necessary and it might remain during the evening, but by the morning, which comes soon, there is a shout of joy in the appearance of God's favor shining upon us. |
| וַ֭אֲנִי אָמַ֣רְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִ֑י בַּל־אֶמּ֥וֹט לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | 7 | But when I was reigning with peace and stability all around, I had said when I was at ease, "I will never waver," since I had defeated my enemies all around and was living in a house of cedar (2 Sam 7:1–2). |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה בִּרְצוֹנְךָ֮ הֶעֱמַ֪דְתָּה לְֽהַרְרִ֫י עֹ֥ז הִסְתַּ֥רְתָּ פָנֶ֗יךָ הָיִ֥יתִי נִבְהָֽל׃ | 8 | But I had forgotten, YHWH, that it was only in your favor that you had established strength for my mountain where I ruled over your people. Indeed, you are the one who had given me rest from my enemies all around (2 Sam 7:1). As a consequence of my sinful arrogance, you took away your favor and hid your face; then I was in anguish and did not know where to turn. I did, in fact, end up wavering. |
| אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֶקְרָ֑א וְאֶל־אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃ | 9 | While your face was hidden from me, to you, YHWH, I would call out and to the Lord I would beg for mercy to restore my health. |
| מַה־בֶּ֥צַע בְּדָמִי֮ בְּרִדְתִּ֪י אֶ֫ל־שָׁ֥חַת הֲיוֹדְךָ֥ עָפָ֑ר הֲיַגִּ֥יד אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃ | 10 | I would pray to you and argue,"What gain is there in my blood, in my going down to the grave? Surely, after establishing my house, you would not benefit from my death. If I am reduced to mere dust, who will praise you? Can dust praise you? No, it cannot. Can it tell of your faithfulness? Of course not. But that is what I vow to do as soon as your restore my health. |
| שְׁמַע־יְהוָ֥ה וְחָנֵּ֑נִי יְ֝הוָה הֱֽיֵה־עֹזֵ֥ר לִֽי׃ | 11 | Listen, YHWH, and be merciful to me! I will not keep talking so proudly or let my mouth speak such arrogance (1 Sam 2:3). YHWH, be a defender for me!" I know now that you were my defender all along, not the strength of my army. |
| הָפַ֣כְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי֮ לְמָח֪וֹל לִ֥י פִּתַּ֥חְתָּ שַׂקִּ֑י וַֽתְּאַזְּרֵ֥נִי שִׂמְחָֽה׃ | 12 | When you heard my prayer and answered me, you changed my mourning into dancing for me; you removed my sackcloth, in which I was mourning my circumstances and humbly seeking you, and dressed me with joy the same way you equip others with strength, |
| לְמַ֤עַן׀ יְזַמֶּרְךָ֣ כָ֭בוֹד וְלֹ֣א יִדֹּ֑ם יְהוָ֥ה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י לְעוֹלָ֥ם אוֹדֶֽךָּ׃ | 13 | so that people of the congregation of your faithful ones will sing to you " On account of your faithfulness you deserve the glory!" (Ps 115:1) and will not stay silent about your miraculous acts of deliverance. YHWH, my God, instead of imagining that my own strength will last forever, I shall praise you forever and tell everyone about your faithfulness towards me in your favor, since "for a brief moment you abandoned me, but with deep compassion you brought me back. In a surge of anger you hid you face from me for a moment, but with everlasting kindness you had compassion on me" (Isaiah 54:7–8). |
Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.
There are 4 participants/characters in Psalm 30:
Profile List
| David (v. 1) |
| YHWH (vv. 2–5, 8–9, 11, 13) |
| "my God" (vv. 3, 13) |
| "the Lord" (v. 9) |
| YHWH's faithful ones (v. 5) |
| David's enemies (v. 2) |
Profile Notes
- The psalmist is identified as David in the superscription. The psalm recounts his calling out to YHWH, YHWH's healing, and David's subsequent praise among the community of faithful ones. David is the speaker throughout the psalm, quoting his previous speech in vv. 10–11.
- YHWH is also identified as "David's God" and "the Lord," who rescued and restored David after a period of illness. YHWH is the addressee throughout vv. 2–4 and 7–13.
- The congregation are identified as YHWH's faithful ones and are exhorted to praise him. They are the addressees in vv. 5–6.
- David's enemies are only mentioned in passing in v. 2, as those who would rejoice in his succumbing to illness and death (cf. Ps 22:8–9; 18–19). Nevertheless, they are not agentive and, in fact, only their inaction is mentioned, since "YHWH did not let them rejoice over David."
| Hebrew | Verse | English |
|---|---|---|
| מִזְמ֡וֹר שִׁיר־חֲנֻכַּ֖ת הַבַּ֣יִת לְדָוִֽד׃ | v. 1 | A psalm. The song for the dedication of the house. By David. |
| אֲרוֹמִמְךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה כִּ֣י דִלִּיתָ֑נִי | v. 2a | I shall exalt you, YHWH, because you drew me up |
| וְלֹא־שִׂמַּ֖חְתָּ אֹיְבַ֣י לִֽי׃ | v. 2b | and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. |
| יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֑י | v. 3a | YHWH, my God, |
| שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי׃ | v. 3b | I cried to you for help and you healed me. |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה הֶֽעֱלִ֣יתָ מִן־שְׁא֣וֹל נַפְשִׁ֑י | v. 4a | YHWH, you brought up my life from Sheol; |
| חִ֝יִּיתַ֗נִי מִיָּֽרְדִי־בֽוֹר׃ | v. 4b | you restored me to life, so that I did not go down to the pit. |
| זַמְּר֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה חֲסִידָ֑יו | v. 5a | Sing praise to YHWH, his faithful ones! |
| וְ֝הוֹד֗וּ לְזֵ֣כֶר קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃ | v. 5b | And praise his holy name! |
| כִּ֤י רֶ֨גַע ׀ בְּאַפּוֹ֮ חַיִּ֪ים בִּרְצ֫וֹנ֥וֹ | v. 6a | For there is a moment in his anger; there is life in his favor. |
| בָּ֭עֶרֶב יָלִ֥ין בֶּ֗כִי וְלַבֹּ֥קֶר רִנָּֽה׃ | v. 6b | Weeping might remain during the evening, but by the morning there is a shout of joy. |
| וַ֭אֲנִי אָמַ֣רְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִ֑י | v. 7a | But I had said when I was at ease, |
| בַּל־אֶמּ֥וֹט לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | v. 7b | "I will never waver." |
| יְֽהוָ֗ה בִּרְצוֹנְךָ֮ הֶעֱמַ֪דְתָּה לְֽהַרְרִ֫י עֹ֥ז | v. 8a | YHWH, in your favor you had established strength for my mountain. |
| הִסְתַּ֥רְתָּ פָנֶ֗יךָ הָיִ֥יתִי נִבְהָֽל׃ | v. 8b | You hid your face; I was in anguish. |
| אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְהוָ֣ה אֶקְרָ֑א | v. 9a | To you, YHWH, I would call out |
| וְאֶל־אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י אֶתְחַנָּֽן׃ | v. 9b | and to the Lord I would beg for mercy. |
| מַה־בֶּ֥צַע בְּדָמִי֮ בְּרִדְתִּ֪י אֶ֫ל־שָׁ֥חַת | v. 10a | "What gain is there in my blood, in my going down to the grave? |
| הֲיוֹדְךָ֥ עָפָ֑ר הֲיַגִּ֥יד אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃ | v. 10b | Can dust praise you? Can it tell of your faithfulness? |
| שְׁמַע־יְהוָ֥ה וְחָנֵּ֑נִי | v. 11a | Listen, YHWH, and be merciful to me! |
| יְ֝הוָה הֱֽיֵה־עֹזֵ֥ר לִֽי׃ | v. 11b | YHWH, be a defender for me!" |
| הָפַ֣כְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי֮ לְמָח֪וֹל לִ֥י | v. 12a | You changed my mourning into dancing for me; |
| פִּתַּ֥חְתָּ שַׂקִּ֑י וַֽתְּאַזְּרֵ֥נִי שִׂמְחָֽה׃ | v. 12b | you removed my sackcloth and dressed me with joy, |
| לְמַ֤עַן ׀ יְזַמֶּרְךָ֣ כָ֭בוֹד וְלֹ֣א יִדֹּ֑ם | v. 13a | so that people will sing to you "Glory!" and will not stay silent. |
| יְהוָ֥ה אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י לְעוֹלָ֥ם אוֹדֶֽךָּ׃ | v. 13b | YHWH, my God, I shall praise you forever. |