4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. ... 9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. 10And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him. 11And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house. 12And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.
1 Chronicles 22
1 Then David said, This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel. 2And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God. 3And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight; 4Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David. 5And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.
Psalm 30
A psalm and song at the dedication of the house of David. 1 I will extol Thee, O Lord; for Thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me. 3 O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4 Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness. 5 For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 6And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 7 Lord, by Thy favor Thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled. 8 I cried to Thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication. 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise Thee? Shall it declare Thy truth? 10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be Thou my helper. 11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto Thee forever.
Meditation
It is not clear which house is referred to in the title. The heading is variously translated “A psalm and song at the dedication of the house of David” (as in the King James version) or “A psalm of David: dedication-song of the house” (as in the JND translation). The original Hebrew does not exactly express the thought, “House of David,” but rather, it uses the same expression employed in those psalms in which the title reads “A psalm of David,” perhaps more correctly rendered, “A psalm by David.” A literal translation could be given as, “A psalm; a song-of-dedication of the house. By David.” Given that it is merely “The House,” it may refer either to David’s own house or to the temple, though not yet built.
It was in David’s heart to build the temple, but as a man of blood (1 Chron. 22:8), it remained for his son Solomon, a man of peace, to do so (1 Chron. 22:9-10). Nevertheless, David gathered material together to that end (1 Chron. 22:1-5). What would be more appropriate than for David to dedicate those things, which were no doubt of immense value, lest any should think to use them otherwise? David’s preparations for the temple began in earnest after Jehovah answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan. It was there that he called upon the Lord for the pestilence that had fallen upon Israel as a result of his sin in numbering the people (1 Chron. 21). At that time he said of the place, “This is the house of Jehovah God” (1 Chron. 22:1).
The psalm expresses the praises of one having come out of a deep trial. Whether it comes after David had built his own house (his kingdom having been finally established over all Israel) or whether it follows the occasion at the threshing floor of Ornan, the psalm speaks of one brought back, as it were, from the grave (vs. 3). The hand of the Lord is clearly recognized by the psalmist in the trial; he tells of God’s anger but also of the joy that comes in the morning, the dawning of a new day (vs. 5).
If we suppose this psalm to be consequent upon David’s pride in numbering the people, we may well marvel at the expression: “Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness” (vs. 4). David voluntarily fell into the hand of the Lord because of His mercies, and yet, by all accounts, the consequences were severe: 70,000 men died from the plague (2 Sam. 24:15; 1 Chron. 21:14). We might excuse David for being angry, or at least despondent, but he’s singing! Furthermore, David gives thanks at the remembrance of the holiness of Jehovah! Do we place such value upon the holiness of God, especially when we are the objects of His chastening hand? As we look around in Christendom, we marvel at the indifference and complete lack of reverence toward God. It is good to remember, however, that indifference to the holiness of God begins with us individually.
David in his prosperity could not be moved (vs. 6), but when God hid His face — “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity” (Hab. 1:13) — he was troubled. In our prosperity God may be acknowledged, but so often our lives are all about me: my prosperity, I shall never be moved, my mountain (vss. 6-7). In his troubled state David cried to the Lord (vs. 8). Job, when pressed by his friends justified himself at the expense of God; the man of the world shakes his fist at God, but blessing only comes into our lives when we turn to God and submit to His instruction. Surely this is the purpose of trials.
We are responsible to conduct ourselves according to the new nature in the power of the Holy Spirit, and, as the children of God, we come under His government — we feel His approval when we do good, and we are brought to feel His disapproval when we do evil. “Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth” (Heb. 12:6). It is equally well to remember that we do not have a capricious God; He does not seek to destroy us. “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit?” (vs. 9). Satan is the liar and murderer; he is the destroyer. How interesting to observe that the gods of men’s creation are vengeful, impulsive creatures of unrestrained passion. In contrast, the true God, though a God of all penetrating light, is also the God of love. No greater love was ever displayed than at the cross, and yet, there was never a more revealing light to expose the true nature of man. “The Lord will not cast off forever: but though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His mercies. For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men” (Lam. 3:31-33).
In reflecting on the trial, the palmist does not dwell on the evil; it is all about Jehovah and the blessings of a relationship with Him. It is Jehovah that turns his mourning to dancing and replaces his sackcloth with gladness (vs. 11). The outcome is praise to God: “I will give thanks unto thee forever” (vs. 12).