Psalm 6

Having been reproved by the chastening rod, David petitions God for deliverance. This is one of the eight penitential Psalms.

 


NOTE

This is one of the eight “penitential” Psalms:

  • Psalm 6. Having been reproved by the chastening rod, David petitions God for deliverance.
  • Psalm 51. Create in me a clean heart, O God.
  • Psalm 102. The LORD God will arise and have mercy.

 

A PLEA FOR MERCY

For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments, upon the eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm by David.

 

VERSE 1. LORD, don’t rebuke me in your anger, neither discipline me in your wrath.

 

VERSE 2. Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint. LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

Have mercy on me. This is one of the eight “penitential” psalms.

my bones are troubled. That is, my body is racked. David was in a lot of bodily pain.

 

VERSE 3. My soul is also in great anguish. But you, LORD—how long?

My soul is also in great anguish. That is, in utter terror is my soul.

We Christians see our heroes of the faith as flawless superheroes. But they were not. Here David is in a state of terror.

how long? David does not finish his sentence.

 

VERSE 4. Return, LORD. Deliver my soul, and save me for your loving kindness’ sake.

loving kindness. The Hebrew word is khesed. It means loyal love. David is making an appeal to God’s khesed.

 

VERSE 5. For in death there is no memory of you. In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?

death … Sheol. The New Testament describes heaven and eternal life. But what does the Old Testament say about life after death? Read more »

 

VERSE 6. I am weary with my groaning. Every night I flood my bed. I drench my couch with my tears.

flood … drench. David is using hyperbolic language to call attention to the severity of his suffering.

 

VERSE 7. My eye wastes away because of grief. It grows old because of all my adversaries.

 

VERSE 8. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.

 

VERSE 9. The LORD has heard my supplication. The LORD accepts my prayer.

 

VERSE 10. May all my enemies be ashamed and dismayed. They shall turn back, they shall be disgraced suddenly.

 


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PSALMS

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 1617, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 3435, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 5253, 5455, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 7071, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 888990, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104105, 106, 107108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148149, 150

Deuterocanonical chapter: 151

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, MemorizeDavid’s Fasting

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.