Psalm 30 (The Message)

"I give you all the credit, God-

you got me out of that mess,

you didn't let my foes gloat.

God, my God, I yelled for help

and you put me together.

God, you pulled me out of the grave,

gave me another chance at life

when I was down-and-out.

All the saints! Sing your hearts out to God!

Thank him to his face!

He gets angry once in a while, but across

a lifetime there is only love.

The nights of crying your eyes out

give way to days of laughter.

When things were going great

I crowed, "I've got it made.

I'm God's favorite.

He made me king of the mountain."

Then you looked the other way

and I fell to pieces.

I called out to you, God;

I laid my case before you:

"Can you sell me for a profit when I'm dead?

auction me off at a cemetery yard sale?

When I'm 'dust to dust' my songs

and stories of you won't sell.

So listen! and be kind!

Help me out of this!"

You did it: you changed wild lament

into whirling dance;

You ripped off my black mourning band

and decked me with wildflowers.

I'm about to burst with song;

I can't keep quiet about you.

God, my God,

I can't thank you enough."

What I love about the set of Psalms that are labeled "A David Psalm"(psalms 3-41), is that it's continuously back and forth between crying out for help and praising God with thanks for answering him. And when David thanks GOD, he really thanks him. verse one says "I give you all the credit God you got me out of the mess, you didn't let my foes gloat." or in the ESV version "I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me." How many times can I say when something goes great I give God all the credit? Usually I'll say to myself, "Good job Cardinal! Way to stay strong through that one and not let them put you down! WOOHOO you are awesome!!" and then here is David who has been struggling then his prayers are answered then struggles again and cries out, and every time his prayers are answered my shouts of joy are changed by him into this: "Amazing works GOD!! Thank YOU for giving me strength and not letting them put me down!! WOOHOO GOD you are awesome! With your answers to my prayers, I was able to get through this. With the strength of your love, I was able to get through this!!" See the difference? David understood that even when he messed up, if he cried out to God with full heart, God would help him. And every time David recognized that it was God who did it all, his praises became something of poetry and beauty. Something worth singing out!