Psalms6

Psalm 6 is a lament of David, expressing profound physical and spiritual distress and a plea for God's mercy and healing. He begs God not to chasten him in anger, highlighting his weakness and the overwhelming grief caused by his enemies. The psalm concludes with a sudden shift to confidence, as David declares that the Lord has heard his weeping and will answer his prayer, leading to the shame of his adversaries.

A Plea for Mercy and Relief from Judgment

1
For the leader. With stringed instruments. On sh'minit [low-pitched musical instruments?]. A psalm of David: ADONAI, don't rebuke me in your anger, don't discipline me in the heat of your fury. ​
2
Be gracious to me, ADONAI, because I am withering away; heal me, ADONAI, because my bones are shaking; ​
3
I am completely terrified; and you, ADONAI - how long?

The Necessity of Life for Praise

4
Come back, ADONAI, and rescue me! Save me for the sake of your grace;
5
for in death, no one remembers you; in Sh'ol, who will praise you? ​

Weariness and Grief Over Enemies

6
I am worn out with groaning; all night I drench my bed with tears, flooding my couch till it swims. ​
7
My vision is darkened with anger; it grows weak because of all my foes.

Confidence in God's Answer

8
Get away from me, all you workers of evil! For ADONAI has heard the sound of my weeping, ​
9
ADONAI has heard my pleading, ADONAI will accept my prayer.
10
All my enemies will be confounded, completely terrified; they will turn back and be suddenly put to shame. ​

Study Notes for Psalms 6

Verse 1

The superscription identifies this as a Psalm of David, intended for stringed instruments ('Neginoth'), possibly played in a lower octave ('Sheminith'). The plea asks God to differentiate between corrective discipline and destructive wrath.

Verse 2

The psalmist describes weakness and physical pain ('my bones are vexed'), common symptoms in biblical laments indicating that distress affects the whole person—body and soul, not just the spirit.

Verse 5

This verse expresses the ancient Israelite understanding that the dead (in Sheol, the grave) cannot actively praise or remember God in the realm of the living. This motivates the plea for life so that God's glory may continue to be proclaimed on earth.

Verse 6

Hyperbolic language ('make I my bed to swim') emphasizes the overwhelming nature of the psalmist's grief. Tears are the physical embodiment of spiritual and emotional anguish.

Verse 8

This verse marks the pivotal shift, typical of laments, moving from deep distress to sudden, assured confidence. The psalmist asserts that God has already heard the prayer, changing the tone from petition to declaration.

Verse 10

The concluding imprecation reverses the shame and vexation the enemies intended for the psalmist. It is a prayer for justice, confirming the psalmist's restoration and the defeat of the wicked.

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