Psalms 30:10
in Psalms 30Hear me, O LORD, and have mercy; O LORD, be my helper.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Hear, O Jehovah, and have mercy upon me: Jehovah, be thou my helper.
KJV
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper.
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This verse in Psalms 30
Commentary
13 notes on this verseHear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me. A short and comprehensive petition, available at all seasons, let us use it full often. It is the publican's prayer; be it ours. If God hears prayer, it is a great act of mercy; our petitions do not merit a reply. Lord, be thou my helper. Another compact, expressive, ever fitting prayer.
This site's exposition
To You, O LORD, I called
on Psalms 30:8-10
The plea argues from God's own praise: dust cannot speak of His faithfulness. Hezekiah makes the same case on his sickbed at Isaiah 38:18 and 19, that the dead do not praise God. Verse 10 asks plainly for mercy and help.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"The Lord has heard, and had mercy on Me, the Lord has become My helper." Nor did "He suffer His holy One to see corruption" [Psalm 30:10].
"The Lord has heard, and had mercy on Me, the Lord has become My helper." Nor did "He suffer His holy One to see corruption" [Psalm 30:10].
The Medieval Church1 voice
Third, when he says "The Lord has heard." He shows that the prayer was heard. And first the hearing is set forth. Second, the manner of the hearing, at "And he had mercy." Third, the fruit, at "That my glory may sing." He says therefore, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He prayed for mercy to pardon ( Have mercy upon me ), and for grace to help in time of need-- Lord, be thou my helper. On these two errands we also may come boldly to the throne of grace, Heb. iv.
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me,.... By lifting up the light of his countenance again upon him; by manifesting and applying his pardoning grace to him, and by delivering him out of all his afflictions; Lord, be thou my helper; in this time of trouble; for he knew that vain was the help of man; and he was entirely in the right to betake himself to the Lord, who was able to help him, when none else could.
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He prayed for mercy to pardon ( Have mercy upon me ), and for grace to help in time of need-- Lord, be thou my helper. On these two errands we also may come boldly to the throne of grace, Heb. iv.
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Isa 38:18, the appeal for mercy is based on the destruction of his agency in praising God here, which death would produce. The terms expressing relief are poetical, and not to be pressed, though "dancing" is the translation of a word which means a lute, whose cheerful notes are contrasted with mourning, or (Am 5:16) wailing.
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me. A short and comprehensive petition, available at all seasons, let us use it full often. It is the publican's prayer; be it ours. If God hears prayer, it is a great act of mercy; our petitions do not merit a reply. Lord, be thou my helper. Another compact, expressive, ever fitting prayer. It is suitable to hundreds of the cases of the Lord's people; it is well becoming in the minister when he is going to preach, to the sufferer upon the bed of pain, to the toiler in the field of service, to the believer under temptation, to the man of God under adversity; when God helps, difficulties vanish. He is the help of his people, a very present help in trouble. The two brief petitions of this verse are commended as ejaculations to believers full of business, denied to those longer seasons of devotion which are the rare privilege of those whose days are spent in retirement.
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me. A short and comprehensive petition, available at all seasons, let us use it full often. It is the publican's prayer; be it ours. If God hears prayer, it is a great act of mercy; our petitions do not merit a reply. Lord, be thou my helper. Another compact, expressive, ever fitting prayer.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me, - etc. This, too, is the prayer which he uttered in the calamities adverted to in Psa 30:7. It is a cry for mercy founded on the idea referred to in Psa 30:9.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me, - etc. This, too, is the prayer which he uttered in the calamities adverted to in Psa 30:7. It is a cry for mercy founded on the idea referred to in Psa 30:9.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שְׁמַע־ | shema'- | hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | O Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְחָנֵּ֑נִי | vechoneni | and show favor to me | H2603 → | 78 times |
| יְ֝הוָה | yahweh | O Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הֱֽיֵה־ | heyeh- | be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עֹזֵ֥ר | ʾozer | a helper | H5826 → | 81 times |
| לִֽי׃ | li | of me |
שְׁמַע־hear
shema'-H8085 →1159 times
יְהוָ֥הO Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְחָנֵּ֑נִיand show favor to me
vechoneniH2603 →78 times
יְ֝הוָהO Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הֱֽיֵה־be
heyeh-H1961 →3559 times
עֹזֵ֥רa helper
ʾozerH5826 →81 times
לִֽי׃of me
li
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 28:7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart rejoices, and I give thanks to Him with my song.
it leads to
- Psalms 30:11–12
You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
- Psalms 56:3–4
When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.
- Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom…
- Psalms 40:3
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
- Psalms 30:11–12
Through
Psalms 54:4Surely God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
- Psalms 118:6–7
The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Hebrews 13:6
About Psalms
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 30; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.