Psalms 30:2 — Word Study
WLCיְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֑י שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי׃
BSAO LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, the Lord God]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יְהוָ֥ה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| אֱלֹהָ֑י | God my | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי | I cried for help | Verb, Piel, perfect first person common singular |
| אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ | to you | Preposition, suffix |
| וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי׃ | and you healed me | Verb qal sequential imperfect second person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me. |
| KJV | O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. |
| ASV | O Jehovah my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. |
| YLT | Jehovah my God, I have cried to Thee, And Thou dost heal me. |
| WEB | Yahweh my God, I cried to you, and you have healed me. |
| BBE | O Lord my God, I sent up my cry to you, and you have made me well. |
Where they part company is וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי — see How Translations Differ.
The verse is structured with a main clause followed by a prepositional phrase and another main clause, indicating a direct appeal and response.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbכִּי
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 30:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Psalm of Thanksgivinggenerated
Psalm 30:2 expresses the psalmist's heartfelt cry to Yahweh during a time of distress. The psalmist acknowledges God's intervention and healing, reflecting a deep relationship with the divine. This psalm is a part of a larger narrative of praise, where the psalmist recounts God's faithfulness and deliverance from peril, inviting others to join in worship.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 6:2 | Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am frail; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are in agony. |
| 2 | Psalm 51:8 | Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. |
| 3 | Psalm 103:3–4 | He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases, |
| 4 | Psalm 107:17–22 | Fools, in their rebellious ways, and through their iniquities, suffered affliction. |
| 5 | Psalm 118:18 | The LORD disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי, shi.Va'.tigenerated
The verb שָׁוַע (shava') means to cry out, particularly in a context of need or desperation. It is a Piel form, indicating an intense or loud calling for help, which emphasizes the urgency of the plea.
In this verse, the psalmist uses this verb to express a personal and emotional appeal to Yahweh, indicating both a recognition of need and a trust in God's ability to respond. The act of crying out is not just a request; it is an acknowledgment of God's power to heal and restore.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of a main clause introduced by the finite verb שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי, I cried, followed by a prepositional phrase indicating direction אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ, to You, and concludes with another clause וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי, and You healed me.
This structure highlights the psalmist's direct appeal to God, emphasizing the relationship between the cry for help and the subsequent healing. The arrangement of the phrases underscores the urgency of the plea and the assurance of divine response.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי with ὅτι, indicating a causal relationship, suggesting that the psalmist's cry is the reason for God's healing. This choice reflects an interpretative angle that emphasizes the connection between the plea and the divine action.
The verb וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי is rendered as ηὔφρανας, which conveys a sense of restoration and joy, aligning with the overall theme of the psalm.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 30:2 expresses the psalmist's cry to Yahweh for help and acknowledges God's healing. The psalmist recognizes his need and turns to God, who responds with restoration.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The psalmist expresses a deep sense of urgency and need, calling out to God for assistance during a difficult time.
God responds by healing the psalmist, demonstrating His power to restore and deliver from distress.
Yahweh signifies the self-existent God who is in a covenant relationship with His people, emphasizing His reliability and faithfulness.
Acknowledging God's healing reinforces the relationship between the believer and God, recognizing His active role in providing help and restoration.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to cry out to God for help?
- How can I recognize and acknowledge God's healing in my life?
- What does it mean to me to have a personal relationship with Yahweh?
- How can I encourage others to seek God's help in their times of need?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers referenced this psalm to discuss themes of divine help and healing, illustrating the enduring relevance of the text.
For as much as someone directs their intention towards the Lord, they elevate the Lord even more, and they themselves are elevated. Hence, he says: I will exalt you, O Lord, for you have lifted me up.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 30 →
"O Lord, My God, I have cried unto You, and You have healed Me" [Psalms 30:2].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 30 →
Human nature did not beseech God and look for reprieve from destruction; rather, it constantly fell to wailing and weeping, with death in view and no expectation of resurrection.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 30 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 30:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleO Lord my God, I cried unto thee,.... In the time of his distress and trouble; and whither should he go but unto his covenant God and Father?
Read John Gill on Psalms 30 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryO LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. O Lord. The invocation of 'Yahweh' in the opening of each of the three first verses marks their close mutual relation.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 30 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Biblei.e. Delivered me from the fears and troubles of my mind, which are oft compared to diseases, and from very dangerous distempers of my body.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 30 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.Ver. 2. I cried unto thee] In some great sickness, say some, that befell him about the time that he built his house of cedar, 2 Samuel 5:11, that he might not be overjoyed, and take a surfeit; or rather, when, by my son’ s rising up against me, I was likely to have lost my state and kingdom. And thou hast healed me] That is, helped me, as Jonah 2:6, thou hast restored and re-established me in my kingdom. Kimchi senseth it thus, Thou hast delivered my soul from hell, though in this world thou hast grievously afflicted my body.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 30 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 2. Thou hast healed me.] Thou hast removed the plague from my people by which they were perishing in thousands before my eyes.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 30 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges2. healed me] Best taken literally of restoration from sickness.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 30 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleO Lord my God, I cried unto thee - In the time of trouble and danger. And thou hast healed me - Thou didst restore me to health.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 30 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible2. Thou hast healed me—The word for “healed” often means, figuratively, to restore to prosperity, whether of a nation, (Psalms 60:2; Isaiah 6:10;) or, morally, of individuals, (Jeremiah 3:22;) or,
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 30 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
Yahweh my God, I cried to you, and you have healed me.
O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me.
O Lord my God, I cried out to you and you healed me.
Tyndale line
O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
O Jehovah my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
O LORD my God, I cried to thee, and thou hast healed me.
O Lord my God, I cried vnto thee, and thou hast restored me.
Strictly literal
Jehovah my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
Jehovah my God, I have cried to Thee, And Thou dost heal me.
My God YHWH, I have cried to You, || And You heal me.
(30:3) O Lord my God, I cried loudly unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
Yahweh my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me.
From the Latin
In thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded: deliver me in thy justice.
Simplified
Lord, my God, I called out to you for help, and you have healed me.
O Lord my God, I sent up my cry to you, and you have made me well.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֑י שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי׃, showing consistency in the portrayal of the psalmist's cry to God and the subsequent healing.
יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָ֑י שִׁוַּ֥עְתִּי אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵֽנִי׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 30:2
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
אֱלֹהִים (elohiym) is a plural noun meaning 'gods' or 'God,' often referring to the supreme deity in the Old Testament. It encompasses divine beings, rulers, and judges, reflecting divine majesty and power. The term can also denote angels and is used in a superlative sense. Notably, it is sometimes combined with יהוה (YHWH), the personal name of God.
אֱלֹהִים 2570 n.m.pl.
pl. in number.
rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
angels
gods
pl. intensive
god or goddess
godlike one
works of God, or things belongng to him
God
הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
אֱלֹהִים = God
base
H430 אֱלֹהִים n. m. pl. . pl. in number. . rulers, judges, either asdivine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power
. divine ones, superhuman beings including God and angels
. angels
. gods
. pl. intensive . god or goddess
. godlike one
. works of God, or things belongng to him
. God
. הָאֱלֹהִים the (true) God
. אֱלֹהִים = God
430 'elohiym el-o-heem'
plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically
used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the
supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to
magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X
exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X
mighty.
see HEBREW for 0433
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — God.
This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God"
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (LORD)-Elohe.
Combined with ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068)
אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) — (Gibeath)-elohim.
Combined with giv.ah (גִּבְעָה "Gibeath" H1389)
HNcmpc/Sp1bs — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp1bs
שָׁוַע (shava`) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cry out, particularly for help. It is a primitive root that conveys the idea of calling for freedom from trouble, used in a causative and reflexive sense. The entries consistently indicate its use in the Piel form to express a loud cry or shout.
[שָׁוַע] vb. Pi. cry out for help
base
H7768 שָׁוַע pi. cry out for help
7768 shava` shaw-vah'
a primitive root; properly, to be free; but used only
causatively and reflexively, to halloo (for help, i.e. freedom
from some trouble):--cry (aloud, out), shout.
שָׁוַע (sha.va) — to cry.
(Piel) to cry out (for help), shout
HVpp1cs — Verb · Piel · perfect first person common singularHVpp1cs
With the sense of that which brings aid, support, or deliverance, "help" (noun and vb.) represents a large variety of words in Hebrew and Greek (noun 7, verb 16). A principal Hebrew word is `azar, "to help," with the corresponding nouns `ezer, `ezrah; a chief Greek word is boetheo (Mt 15:25; Mr 9:22,24, etc.). True help is to be sought for in Yahweh, in whom, in the Old Testament, the believer is constantly exhorted to trust, with the renouncing of all other confidences (Ps 20:2; 33:20; 42:5; 46:1; 115:9,10,11; 121:2; Isa 41:10,13,14, etc.). In Ro 8:26 it is said, "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity," the verb here…
The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),
prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place
Where the limit is actually entered, into
Of direction towards anything
Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
Of rule or standard according to (rare)
Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
base
H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place
. Where the limit is actually entered, into
. Of direction towards anything
. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
413 'el ale
(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});
a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but
occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or
among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,
against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,
by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,
over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,
with(-in).
אֶל (el) — to(wards).
1) to, toward, unto (of motion)
2) into (limit is actually entered)
2a) in among
3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)
4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)
5) in addition to, to
6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of
7) according to (rule or standard)
8) at, by, against (of one's presence)
9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2ms
רָפָא (rapha') is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to heal' or 'to mend.' It covers various forms, including healing by God, physicians, and figurative healing of nations or individuals. The verb has different stems indicating active healing, being healed, and healing in order to be healed. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.
רָפָא vb. heal
Qal heal
Niph. be healed
Pi. have healed, heal
Hithp. in order to get healed
base
H7495 רָפָא heal
7495 rapha' raw-faw'
or raphah {raw-faw'}; a primitive root; properly, to mend (by
stitching), i.e. (figuratively) to cure:--cure, (cause to)
heal, physician, repair, X thoroughly, make whole. See 7503.
see HEBREW for 07503
רָפָא (ra.pah) — to heal.
1) to heal, make healthful
1a) (Qal) to heal
1a1) of God
1a2) healer, physician (of men)
1a3) of hurts of nations involving restored favour (fig)
1a4) of individual distresses (fig)
1b) (Niphal) to be healed
1b1) literal (of persons)
1b2) of water, pottery
1b3) of national hurts (fig)
1b4) of personal distress (fig)
1c) (Piel) to heal
1c1) literal
1c2) of national defects or hurts (fig)
1d) (Hithpael) in order to get healed (infinitive)
Hc/Vqw2ms/Sp1bs — Verb qal sequential imperfect second person masculine singular · suffixHc/Vqw2ms/Sp1bs
