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Psalm 30:5

For his anger is but for a moment. His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

3LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol. You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of his. Give thanks to his holy name.
5For his anger is but for a moment. His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
6As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”
7You, LORD, when you favored me, made my mountain stand strong; but when you hid your face, I was troubled.
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← Psalm 30:4Psalm 30:6 →
Notice

A night of weeping has a place in this song of rescue, while the contrast between a moment and a lifetime gives God's favor greater weight.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What questions arise for you from the contrast between momentary anger and lifelong favor?

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What would you want to tell God during the night of weeping described here?

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Where, if anywhere, have you seen sorrow give way to joy?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Isaiah 26:20Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.Both describe God's anger as brief: the psalm names a moment, while Isaiah tells God's people to shelter until indignation passes.
Isaiah 54:7–8“For a small moment I have forsaken you, but I will gather you with great mercies.Both contrast a brief interval of distress with God's kindness: lifelong favor in the psalm and gathering with great mercies in Isaiah.
2 Corinthians 4:17For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory,Both contrast a moment of trouble with lasting good: the psalm names God's favor, and Paul names an eternal weight of glory.
Psalm 126:5–6Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.Both describe tears giving way to joy, using the change from night to morning and the passage from sowing to harvest.
Matthew 5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.Both speak hope to those who grieve: the psalm promises joy after weeping, and Jesus promises comfort to those who mourn.
Lamentations 3:23They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.Both passages name the morning: the psalm speaks of arriving joy, and Lamentations speaks of renewal and God's faithfulness.
John 16:20–22Most certainly I tell you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.Both describe weeping giving way to joy; Jesus tells his hearers that their sorrow will be turned into joy.
Psalm 103:9He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever.Both place a limit on God's anger: Psalm 30 describes a moment, and Psalm 103 says he will not stay angry forever.
Psalm 16:11You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.Both speak of joy and lasting good from God: lifelong favor in Psalm 30 and pleasures forever in Psalm 16.
Psalm 63:3Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.Both celebrate God's goodness in relation to life: lifelong favor in Psalm 30 and loving kindness better than life in Psalm 63.
Isaiah 12:1In that day you will say, “I will give thanks to you, the LORD; for though you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you comfort me.Both describe God's anger passing, with favor and joy in the psalm and comfort prompting thanks in Isaiah.
2 Corinthians 7:9–10I now rejoice, not that you were grieved, but that you were grieved to repentance. For you were grieved in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in …Both passages speak of grief and joy; Paul names repentance as the reason for his joy over the Corinthians' grief.
Where this verse fits

Grief. waiting. answered prayer.

What the Bible says about grief →What the Bible says about patience →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Read Psalm 30:3–7 aloud before bed tonight

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Encouragement

The morning image sets no deadline for your grief. In this song of rescue, tears have their night, and God's favor lasts a lifetime.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 30:5. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 30 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).