Christ’s Victorious Suffering

“And in my prosperity, I said, I shall never be moved.” (Psalm 30:6)

Psalm 30 is attributed to King David and is a beautiful expression of gratitude and praise to God for bringing him to the throne through much affliction and suffering and establishing him on the throne in his kingdom. Although the Psalm does not explicitly mention the LORD Jesus Christ, nevertheless, we know that all the Old Testament Scriptures point to Christ and His person and work, Luke 24:44.

While David wrote this hymn of praise to God for His Faithfulness to him in keeping him against every opposition to his reign, we see the same Spiritual parallels that resonate with the work of the LORD Jesus, in His coming in the flesh, suffering for the sin of His people, paying the ultimate ransom by His death and then the Father delivering Him from the grave and raising Him on high, having perfectly accomplished the work of salvation of His elect, to the satisfaction of God the Father.

Psalm 30:6 is prophetic of the Words of Christ as He ponders in His heart, His own prosperity despite His suffering and His hopeful confidence that because of His perfect obedience to the Father’s law and justice and the sustaining hand of the Father under Him through the Spirit, that He then could never be moved. Such is our confidence that our LORD Jesus was so upheld in His work as the Substitute of those that the Father gave Him that the effect would be their sure salvation, Isaiah 42:1; 53:11.

Seeing these words of David as prophetic of our LORD Jesus’ praise to His Father, what are those attributes for which God the Father is praiseworthy?

God’s Faithfulness: In Psalm 30:1, David praises God for delivering him from enemies and strengthening him to build his palace. This symbolizes God’s Faithfulness in keeping His promise to His Son that through His sacrifice, God would save those elect that He gave His Son to save because of His Faithfulness unto death, resulting in redemption, justification and endless life.

God’s Healing: David acknowledges God’s healing in Psalm 30:2-3. This foresees the LORD Jesus being delivered from the curse of sin, as the sin-Bearer. He had to bear the sin but He was in no way disaffected by the sin. ‘Thou hast healed Me...’ that is: delivered Me from the fears and troubles of mind (which are often compared to diseases) and from very dangerous distempers that may have affected Him but could not.

God’s Holiness: In Psalm 30:4, David praises God’s holiness. It was to satisfy the Father’s holiness and justice that the LORD Jesus came, so that His people be declared righteous before God upon completion of His work as their Substitute.

God’s Salvation: David rejoices in God saving his soul from Sheol (the place of the dead) as seen in Psalm 30:8-10. Our LORD Jesus died, was buried and was delivered through His death and resurrection. His death, resurrection and ascension into glory are all the salvation of every one of His elect.

God’s Mercy: In Psalm 30:10, David looked to God to be merciful to him because of his sin. Our LORD Jesus looked to the Father to be merciful to Him for the sin of His people that He was bearing on their behalf; He had no personal sin but endured the cross that the Father might then be merciful for every sin of His people that He came to put away.

God’s Compassion: David acknowledges God’s compassion in hearing his prayers in Psalm 30:11. Our LORD Jesus trusted that His Father heard every prayer He addressed to Him. Even as the Father was compassionate to the Son, so He is to every child of God for whom the LORD Jesus stood in their place.

God’s Joyful Restoration: David celebrates God turning his tears into joy. So it was with the LORD Jesus when He had finished the work. The restoration to glory and the joy and hope that belonged to the LORD Jesus is that which His people enjoy when the Spirit reveals Him in them. He is all their Joy and Hope.