Bible Strands
Psalms 30:5
For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist, having moved from affliction to restored favor, addresses the community of saints (v. 4) and then turns to his own voice (v. 6), placing this verse as the hinge between corporate praise and personal self-correction.
The words — רֶגַע (rega'), "a moment," is the word behind "fleeting"; it denotes a single instant, not a vague duration, and it is set against חַיִּים (chaiyim), "life," as the measure of God's favor.
The thread — The same contrast between brief affliction and lasting restoration appears in Isaiah 54:7 and 2 Corinthians 4:17; Psalms 126:5 moves the image from time to labor (sowing in tears, reaping in joy).
Why it lands — It does not promise that weeping will not come; it asserts a boundary on it. The reader is asked to refuse the temptation to treat present pain as permanent.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 54:7 “For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will bring you back.
- 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.
- Psalms 126:5 Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.
- Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- John 16:20 Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
- Isaiah 26:20 Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until the wrath has passed.
- Psalms 103:9 He will not always accuse us, nor harbor His anger forever.
- Psalms 16:11 You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.
- Psalms 63:3 Because Your loving devotion is better than life, my lips will glorify You.
- Psalms 59:16 But I will sing of Your strength and proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning. For You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.