Psalm for Sunday, June 5, 2016

Reflections

Psalm 30: 2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13  (Read)

“I praise you Lord, for you 
raised me up; you let me live.”

  
God did not make death, nor 
does He rejoice at the destruction 
of the living. His divine favor lasts 
a lifetime.

In the words of our psalmist, we too,

by the grace of God, are able to be 
saved from going down into the pit.

We too are eligible for a spiritual

resurrection if our faith is strong.

We may be rebuked by God for 
disobeying Him. We are, after all, 
his wayward children, and He loves 
us as a Father loves his own.   
God's compassion and mercy are 
with us not only in this life but in 
eternity.  “God's anger lasts but a 
moment; His favor lasts a lifetime.”

Our Lord Jesus himself was raised up

from the pit by the Father, even though

He bore the weight of our sins.  
God’s anger lasted but a moment.

The joy of resurrection comes to us at 
dawn, after a terrible night, as it came 
to those early followers of Jesus. 
“At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with 
the dawn there is rejoicing.”

And that alone is reason enough to 
change our 'mourning into dancing,'

to clothe us with gladness. We are

prompted to sing endless praise to 
the Lord.  “O LORD, my God, forever
will I give you thanks.”

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection
 
1.  Our psalmist tells us that God's anger lasts but a moment, while His 
favor lasts a lifetime.  Tell of how you have been rebuked by the Lord, 
and following repentance, how you have received His grace.  

2.  The Psalm is about being rescued by the Lord and how God lifts us 
out of the pit.  Speak of how you have been saved by the Lord and brought 
up from a sinful existence.