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Psalms 6

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A Plea for Mercy and Relief from Judgment 1–3

1
To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. ​
2
Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. ​
3
My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?

The Necessity of Life for Praise 4–5

4
Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
5
For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? ​

Weariness and Grief Over Enemies 6–7

6
I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. ​
7
Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

Confidence in God's Answer 8–10

8
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. ​
9
The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.
10
Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalm 6

Verse 1

rebuke me not in thine anger — ‘Rebuke’ is yakach, to reprove, and ‘chasten’ is yasar, to discipline, the pair also opening Ps 38:1. The plea is that correction come without anger or ‘hot displeasure’ (chemah), as in Jer 10:24, ‘correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger’. ‘Sheminith’ is named again in 1 Chr 15:21, ‘harps on the Sheminith’.

Verse 2

for my bones are vexed — ‘Weak’ is umlal, withered or languishing, and ‘vexed’ is bahal, to tremble inwardly. The same verb describes the soul in v.3, ‘sore vexed’, and the enemies in v.10. ‘Heal’ is rapha, as in Jer 17:14, ‘Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed’; the cry rests on ‘have mercy’ (chanan), not on merit.

Verse 5

in the grave who shall give thee thanks? — ‘Remembrance’ is zeker, and ‘give thanks’ is yadah, to acknowledge aloud. ‘Grave’ is sheol. The reason given for asking to live is praise: ‘The dead praise not the LORD’ (Ps 115:17), and Hezekiah says, ‘the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee’ (Isa 38:18).

Verse 6

I water my couch with my tears — ‘make I my bed to swim’ is sachah, to flood, and ‘water’ is masah, to dissolve or melt; the ‘couch’ (eres) is a canopied bed. ‘Groaning’ is anachah, a sigh. The LORD’s answer to such weeping is given to Hezekiah, ‘I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears’ (Isa 38:5); compare Ps 56:8.

Verse 8

Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity — ‘Workers’ is pa’al, those who practise, and ‘iniquity’ is aven. Christ uses the words to the false: ‘depart from me, ye that work iniquity’ (Matt 7:23). The turn comes with ‘the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping’ (qol bechi), and v.9 repeats ‘hath heard’ and adds ‘will receive my prayer’.

Verse 10

ashamed and sore vexed — ‘Sore vexed’ is bahal, the verb of vv.2–3, so the trembling passes from the psalmist to his enemies. ‘Ashamed’ is bush, to turn pale. ‘Suddenly’ is rega’, a moment, the word of Ps 30:5, ‘his anger endureth but a moment’. ‘Return’ (shub) is the verb of turning back.