Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 30:5

"For his anger is but for a moment; His favor is for a life-time: Weeping may tarry for the night, But joy [cometh] in the morning." — Psalms 30:5 (ASV)

For his anger endureth but a moment - Margin: There is but “a moment in his anger.” So the Hebrew. That is, His anger endures but a short time, or brief period. The reference here is to the troubles and sorrows through which the psalmist had passed, as compared with his subsequent happiness. Though at the time they might have seemed to be long, yet, as compared with the many mercies of life, with the joy which had succeeded them, and with the hopes now cherished, they seemed to be but for a moment. God, according to the view of the psalmist, is not a Being who cherishes anger; He is not one who stores it up in His mind, nor one who is unwilling to show mercy and kindness. He is a Being who is disposed to be merciful. And though He may be displeased with the conduct of people, His displeasure is not cherished and nourished but passes away with the occasion and is remembered no more.

In his favor is life - It is His nature to impart life. He spares life; He will give eternal life. It is, in other words, not His nature to inflict death; death is to be traced to something else. Death is not pleasing or gratifying to Him; it is pleasing and gratifying to Him to confer life. His favor secures life; death is an evidence of His displeasure—that is, death is caused by sin leading to His displeasure. If a person has the favor of God, he is sure of life; if not life in this world, yet life in the world to come.

Weeping may endure for a night - Margin: “in the evening.” So the Hebrew. The word here rendered “endure” means properly “to lodge, to sojourn,” as one does for a little time. The idea is, that weeping is like a stranger—a traveler—who lodges for a night only. In other words, sorrow will soon pass away to be succeeded by joy.

But joy cometh in the morning - Margin: “singing.” The margin expresses the force of the original word. There will be singing, shouting, exultation. That is, if we have the friendship of God, sorrow will always be temporary, and will always be followed by joy. The morning will come; a morning without clouds; a morning when the sources of sorrow will disappear. This often occurs in the present life; it will always occur to the righteous in the life to come. The sorrows of this life are but for a moment, and they will be succeeded by the light and the joy of heaven.

Then, if not before, all the sorrows of the present life, however long they may appear, will seem to have been but for a moment. Weeping, though it may have made life here one unbroken night, will be followed by an eternal day without a sigh or a tear.