In Psalm 30:5, sorrow is viewed as an overnight guest, but the next morning joy moves in to stay.
The 30th Psalm, a prayer, is a study in contrasts. But first there’s a play on words. “I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up” (v 1). Of course, “extol” means to lift up as well, but the words are quite different. While the first means to exalt to a lofty position, the second can be translated “to dangle” and refers to a lowly bucket that’s been filled and is being drawn up. Yes, the lofty One deserves to be lifted up, but in grace the lowly ones are lifted up, too. And here’s a contrast in that regard. “You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit” (v 3). If He hadn’t lifted us up from death, it would have been down, down, down! So David calls on the saints to “Sing praise to the Lord…and give thanks” (v 4). Then we have two contrasts side by side. “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (v 5). Wonderful, isn’t it! Guilt is replaced with grace, sorrow with singing. But now the scene changes. From verse 6-10, David confesses the trouble he faced when God prospered him. Some think this refers to his sin in numbering the people (2 Sam 24), and its consequences. Especially painful, he wrote, “You hid Your face, and I was troubled” (v 7). Now he repeats what he said at the first, “O Lord my God, I cried out to You” (vv 2, 8). It’s wonderful to extol Him, and praise Him, and thank Him, but now he cries to Him. And what happened? More contrasts! “You have turned…my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness” (v 11). He exchanged silence for singing, too (v 12). So, says David, You will never hear the end of this, Lord! “I will give thanks to You forever.”