Psalms 30:11–12
The psalmist thanks God for turning his mourning into dancing
Study it word by word11You have turned my mourning into dancing for me; you have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
12so that my glory may sing psalms to you and not be silent. YHWH my Elohim, forever I will give you thanks.
In its context
9What profit is there in my blood, in my going down to the pit? Will the dust give you thanks? Will it declare your truth?
10Hear, YHWH, and show me favor; YHWH, be my helper.
…
Its words in the original
- הָפַכְתָּhafachta· turn, overthrow
Turn, turn over; change, overthrow.
- מִסְפְּדִmispdi· lamentation
Lamentation: public expressions of grief for the dead.
- מָחוֹלmachol· dance
Dance: the round dance with which joy is celebrated.
- פִּתַּחְתָּpitachta· open, engrave
Open; loosen, set free. In another form, engrave (cut lines in stone or metal).
- שַׂקִּsaki· sackcloth, sack
Coarse cloth of goats' hair, worn in times of mourning or repentance; also a sack.
- תְּאַזְּרֵteazre· gird
To gird: to fasten clothing or weapons at the waist for work or for battle; figuratively, to be filled with strength.
- שִׂמְחָהsimcha· joy
Joy, gladness, celebration.
- יְזַמֶּרְyezamer· sing praise, make music
Sing praise: sing or play a stringed instrument in praise. The word for "psalm" comes from it.
- כָבוֹדchavod· glory, honor
Weight, importance; from there glory, honor, splendor. Sometimes wealth: what makes someone "weigh".
- יִדֹּםyidom· be silent, be still
Be silent, be still, stop.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- אֱלֹהַeloha· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- עוֹלָםolam· forever, eternal
A very long time whose end cannot be seen: looking forward, "forever"; looking back, "of old", "ancient".
- אוֹדֶode· praise, give thanks; confess
In one form of the verb, praise, give thanks. In another, confess: acknowledge sins or the name of God aloud. Its root sense is to throw.