For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5, NIV

 

Anger, weeping and sadness are experiences we all know at different times in our life, and what we may be living with now. Losing someone we love – whether through bereavement or a broken relationship – is intensely painful; but even a disagreement, or being alienated from people we love, can create a sense of loss that weighs us down, and keep us awake at night.

 

Do we ever consider this when we’re alienated from God?

 

David, though king, was no stranger to this concept. He was known as “the sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1, ESV) as he poured out his heart to God in times of joy, need, and sadness. God was always there for him as his “Rock” (Psalm 18:2) delivering him from death and danger, accepting his confessions and receiving his delighted praises; but in our verse today, from a psalm of praise he’d composed for the dedication of his house, David speaks of God’s anger as something he’s experienced, and of the sadness he’d felt at being alienated from him because of it.

 

However, in the same breath, he notes how relatively short-lived God’s anger is, compared with the “lifetime” of his favour; and although his anger causes weeping, it’s limited, and then a new day dawns. David’s experience of this is positive because, through it, he understands God and himself better and the relationship with God that he has prized since his youth grows stronger.

 

David searches his heart and realises that as a well-loved king, he’d begun to believe his own publicity, and although he’d always acknowledged God as his deliverer, and the source of his blessings, taking God’s favour for granted had subtly replaced his reliance on Him: “I felt secure and said to myself, “I will never be defeated.” You were good to me, LORD; you protected me like a mountain fortress. But then you hid yourself from me, and I was afraid." (Psalm 30:6-7, GNT) David was afraid, recognised his sin and pleaded with God, “Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me … be my help.” (Psalm 30:10)

 

 God was no longer hidden. He answers and the result is complete rejoicing! “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you for ever.” (Psalm 30:11-12

 

When we’re experiencing a problem that seems never-ending, we often can’t see our part in it; but when we do and it’s resolved, we look back and realise how relatively short our time of sorrow was, especially when we contrast it with God’s love, protection and countless blessings always – which we’ve done nothing to earn – and will enjoy eternally. And, just as his anger is for a limited time, so is our weeping and the sun will shine again.

 

Prayer: Father God, thank you for the infinite mercy, compassion and grace you always show and that in my times of weeping, I can know that joy will come in the morning. I lift my heart to you in praise, Amen