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Psalm 30 · a question people ask

The title says "A Song for the Dedication of the Temple" (30:1). Which temple, and when?

In the text

The title doesn't say. It reads, "A Psalm. A Song for the Dedication of the Temple. By David." (30:1). In Hebrew the Temple is habbayit, the house, and Dedication is chanukkah (tap Dedication). Elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible the word is used for an altar (Numbers 7:10, 2 Chronicles 7:9) and for the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 12:27). After its title, the psalm never mentions a house again. So these notes say what the title says and no more: they don't name the house, the day or the occasion.

The verses

“A Psalm. A Song for the Dedication of the Temple. By David. I will extol you, LORD, for you have raised me up, and have not made my foes to rejoice over me.”
Psalm 30:1 · World English Bible
“The princes gave offerings for the dedication of the altar in the day that it was anointed. The princes gave their offerings before the altar.”
Numbers 7:10 · World English Bible
“On the eighth day, they held a solemn assembly; for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.”
2 Chronicles 7:9 · World English Bible
“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to keep the dedication with gladness, both with giving thanks and with singing, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and with harps.”
Nehemiah 12:27 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 30

Psalm 30: Mourning into dancing

In Psalm 30, "you have raised me up" (30:1) is dalah, a verb for drawing water. "I shall never be moved" (30:6), said in prosperity, opens with two Hebrew words that Psalm 10's wicked man and Psalm 16 also say. And the verb of the cry "Shall the dust praise you?" (30:9) comes back in the psalm's last line: "I will give thanks to you forever!" (30:12).

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Last reviewed September 28, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions