Faith Daily Lectio Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Evening Psalm
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 · Tuesday in the week of the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24)
Evening Psalm
Oratio (prayer)
O Lord, You lifted me up and turned my mourning into dancing. As this evening comes, send Your Holy Spirit as I pray Psalm 30, that I may give You thanks and rest in Your favor in Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Meditatio (meditation)
Psalm 30
A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.
1I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
2O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
3O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
5For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour 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.
7LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.
8I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.
9What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?
10Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.
11Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
12To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
Consider even rereading in another translation.
You could also consider listening to this chapter, narrated:
KJV (Max McLean) · ESV (Max McLean) · NIV (dramatized)
You might read the whole reading slowly, aloud, more than once.
Consider this verse, for example:
“For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
What other lines speak to you?
The Law "And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved" (v. 6). David leaned on his good days instead of his God, and then the Lord hid His face: "thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled" (v. 7). We also grow confident in our own stability. The Lord's anger at sin is real.
The Gospel Yet "his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life" (v. 5). The Lord's anger at your sin was spent on Jesus at the cross, and His favor rests on you. "O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave" (v. 3). Christ rose from the grave, and in Him you will too. And so "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (v. 5).
Prayer Lord, I confess that I have trusted my good days more than You and have told myself I shall never be moved. Forgive me for Jesus' sake. Thank You that Your anger is but a moment and Your favor is life. Keep me in it tonight. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tentatio (trial)
Some nights are long, and weeping does endure for a night. The Psalm does not hurry past that. David cried, "Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper" (v. 10). Under trial it may help to pray that cry tonight and to wait for the morning God promises, the Easter morning that has already dawned in Christ.
Evening prayer Lord, when weeping lasts through the night, be my helper. Keep me under Your favor while I sleep, and bring me to the joy of the morning. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
My church home: Peace Lutheran Church, McMurray, PA. Looking for a church? See About Daily Lectio.
