Around the space of earth, of seas, and skies.
He saw the Trojan fleet dispersed, distressed,
By stormy winds and wintry heaven oppressed.
He summoned Eurus and the Western Blast,
And first an angry glance on both he cast;
Then thus rebuked.
He spoke; and while he spoke, he soothed the sea,
Dispelled the darkness, and restored the day.
Cymothoe, Triton, and the sea-green train
Of beauteous nymphs, and daughters of the main,
Clear from the rocks the vessels with their hands;
The god himself with ready trident stands,
And opes the deep, and spreads the moving sands;
Then heaves them off the shoals: where'er he guides
His finny coursers, and in triumph rides,
The waves unruffle, and the sea subsides.
So when the father of the flood appears,
And o'er the seas his sovereign trident rears,
Their fury fails: he skims the liquid plains
High on his chariot; and with loosened reins,
Majestic moves along, and awful peace maintains.
Dryden.
Our God, Jehovah, sitteth upon the flood: yea, Jehovah sitteth King for ever.
The heathen god is drawn by his sea-horse, and assisted in his work by subaltern deities: Jehovah sits on the flood an everlasting Governor, ruling all things by his will, maintaining order, and dispensing strength and peace to his people. The description of the Roman poet is fine; that of the Hebrew poet, majestic and sublime.
Introduction
The psalmist returns thanks to God for deliverance from great danger, [Psa 30:1-3]. He calls upon the saints to give thanks to God at the remembrance of his holiness, because of his readiness to save, [Psa 30:4], [Psa 30:5]. He relates how his mind stood affected before this great trial and how soon an unexpected change took place, [Psa 30:6], [Psa 30:7]; mentions how, and in what terms, he prayed for mercy, [Psa 30:8-10]; shows how God heard and delivered him and the effect it had upon his mind, [Psa 30:11], [Psa 30:12].
This Psalm or song is said to have been made or used at the dedication of the house of David, or rather the dedication of a house or temple; for the word David refers not to הבית habbayith, the house, but to מזמור mizmor, a Psalm. But what temple or house could this be? Some say, the temple built by Solomon; others refer it to the dedication of the second temple under Zerubbabel, and some think it intended for the dedication of a third temple, which is to be built in the days of the Messiah. There are others who confine it to the dedication of the house which David built for himself on Mount Sion, after he had taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites; or to the purgation and re-dedication of his own house, that had been defiled by the wicked conduct of his own son Absalom. Calmet supposes it to have been made by David on the dedication of the place which he built on the threshing floor of Araunah, after the grievous plague which had so nearly desolated the kingdom, [2Sam 24:25]; [1Chr 21:26]. All the parts of the Psalm agree to this: and they agree to this so well, and to no other hypothesis, that I feel myself justified in modelling the comment on this principle alone.
Verse 1
I will extol thee - for thou hast lifted me up - I will lift thee up, for thou hast lifted me up. Thou hast made me blessed, and I will make thee glorious. Thou hast magnified me in thy mercy; and I will show forth thy praise, and speak good of thy name.
I have made some remarks on this Psalm in the Introduction.
In this Psalm we find seven different states of mind distinctly marked: -
1. It is implied, in the first verse, that David had been in great distress, and nearly overwhelmed by his enemies.
2. He extols God for having lifted him up, and having preserved him from the cruelty of his adversaries, [Psa 30:1-3].
3. He is brought into great prosperity, trusts in what he had received, and forgets to depend wholly on the Lord, [Psa 30:4-6].
4. The Lord hides his face from him, and he is brought into great distress, [Psa 30:7].
5. He feels his loss, and makes earnest prayer and supplication, [Psa 30:8-10].
6. He is restored to the Divine favor, and filled with joy, [Psa 30:11].
7. He purposes to glory in God alone, and to trust in him for ever, [Psa 30:12].
As it is impossible for any man to have passed through all these states at the same time; it is supposed that the Psalm, like many others of the same complexion, has been formed out of the memoranda of a diary. See this point illustrated in the Introduction.
Thou hast lifted me up - Out of the pit into which I had fallen: the vain curiosity, and want of trust in God, that induced me to number the people. Bishop Horsley translates, Because thou hast depressed me. I thank God for my humiliation and afflictions, because they have been the means of teaching me lessons of great profit and importance.
Verse 2
Thou hast healed me - Thou hast removed the plague from my people by which they were perishing in thousands before my eyes.
Verse 3
Thou hast brought up my soul from the grave - I and my people were both about to be cut off, but thou hast spared us in mercy, and given us a most glorious respite.