Psalms 6:3

KJV

My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?

KJV (with Strong's)

My soul {H5315} is also sore {H3966} vexed {H926}: but thou, O LORD {H3068}, how long?

Complete Jewish Bible

I am completely terrified; and you, ADONAI - how long?

Berean Standard Bible

My soul is deeply distressed. How long, O LORD, how long?

American Standard Version

My soul also is sore troubled: And thou, O Jehovah, how long?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 6:3 articulates a profound cry of deep personal anguish and spiritual turmoil from the psalmist, traditionally David, who is overwhelmed by suffering and the burden of his circumstances. This verse captures the raw, honest human experience of being "sore vexed" in soul, prompting an urgent and direct plea to God, questioning the duration of His perceived silence or delay: "but thou, O LORD, how long?" It encapsulates a moment of intense desperation that, paradoxically, still turns to the divine as the ultimate source of relief.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 6 stands as the first of the seven "Penitential Psalms" (Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143), characterized by themes of confession, repentance, and pleas for divine mercy and healing from suffering often linked to sin. Within the broader collection of [the book of Psalms](/psalms "The Book of Psalms - Israel's Prayer Book"), Psalm 6 is a classic individual lament, moving from intense complaint and petition (vv. 1-7) to an expression of confidence and deliverance (vv. 8-10). Verse 3, with its desperate "how long?", marks the peak of the psalmist's internal distress, following his appeal for mercy in verse 2, and setting the stage for the physical and emotional descriptions of his suffering that follow. It is a pivotal moment where the internal state is laid bare before God.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** While traditionally attributed to King David, the specific historical occasion for Psalm 6 is not explicitly stated. However, David's life was replete with periods of intense suffering, including physical illness (perhaps linked to sin, as was often understood in ancient Israel), persecution from enemies (like Saul or Absalom), and the deep spiritual burden of his own transgressions (e.g., [2 Samuel 12](/2_samuel/12 "2 Samuel 12 - David's Sin with Bathsheba and Nathan's Rebuke")). In the ancient Near East, illness and misfortune were frequently interpreted as signs of divine displeasure or judgment, intensifying the sufferer's spiritual and psychological distress. The act of lament, as seen in this psalm, was a culturally accepted and biblically sanctioned means of expressing profound distress directly to God, often in a public or communal setting, seeking relief and restoration.
* **Key Themes:** Psalm 6:3 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the Psalms and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **profound human suffering and lament**, demonstrating that it is permissible, even necessary, to express raw, intense pain and confusion to God. This honesty is a hallmark of biblical prayer, as seen in other laments like [Psalm 13](/psalms/13 "Psalm 13 - A Lament of Despair and Hope") or [Psalm 42](/psalms/42 "Psalm 42 - Longing for God"). Secondly, it highlights the theme of **divine sovereignty and perceived delay**, where the "how long?" question challenges God's timing while simultaneously affirming His ultimate control and ability to intervene. This tension between human impatience and divine patience is a recurring motif. Finally, the verse subtly introduces the theme of **trust amidst turmoil**, as the psalmist, despite his vexation, directs his plea to "O LORD" (Yahweh), indicating an underlying faith in God's covenant faithfulness and His capacity to hear and respond.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **sore vexed (Hebrew, _bâhal_):** This verb conveys a profound sense of terror, dismay, agitation, or being thrown into utter confusion. It is not merely annoyance or discomfort, but a deep, unsettling emotional and spiritual turmoil that affects the entire being. The psalmist's soul is not just troubled, but overwhelmed by a sudden, intense, and disorienting panic or distress, suggesting an inner state of profound disquiet and even terror.
* **how long (Hebrew, _'ad mâtay_):** This common rhetorical question in biblical laments (e.g., [Psalm 13:1](/psalms/13-1 "Psalm 13:1 - David's 'How Long' Lament")) expresses stretched endurance, impatience, and an earnest desire for the duration of suffering to cease. It is a cry of desperation, not necessarily doubt, reflecting a soul that has reached its limit and yearns for immediate divine intervention. It implies a belief that God *can* act, but a frustration that He *has not yet* acted.
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yahweh_):** The use of the covenant name of God, Yahweh, is significant. Despite the psalmist's deep distress and questioning, he addresses the personal, relational, and faithful God of Israel. This choice of address indicates that even in his rawest moment of complaint, the psalmist's plea is rooted in a foundational trust in God's character and His covenant promises, appealing to the One who is sovereign and intimately involved with His people.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"My soul is also sore vexed":** The psalmist describes the depth of his suffering, emphasizing that it is not merely physical or external, but profoundly internal and spiritual. The Hebrew word for "soul" (נֶפֶשׁ, _nephesh_) often refers to the whole person, the very core of one's being, including mind, will, and emotions. Thus, his entire inner self is in a state of extreme agitation, distress, and confusion, indicating a comprehensive and overwhelming sense of anguish that permeates his existence.
* **"but thou, O LORD":** This phrase marks a dramatic and abrupt shift, a powerful turning point in the psalmist's lament. From describing his own internal turmoil, he suddenly pivots to address God directly. The "but thou" (וְאַתָּה, _v'attah_) highlights the contrast between his dire state and God's sovereign power and presence. It is an appeal from the depths of despair to the height of divine authority and compassion, demonstrating that even in his questioning, his gaze remains fixed on God.
* **"how long?":** This rhetorical question is a passionate plea for God to intervene and bring an end to the suffering. It is an expression of deep impatience and yearning for deliverance, reflecting the psalmist's inability to endure the trial any longer. It is not a question born of theological doubt, but of experiential agony, crying out for the cessation of distress and for God to reveal His active presence and power in his situation.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 6:3 effectively employs several **literary devices** to convey its powerful message. The entire psalm is a prime example of a **Lament**, a poetic genre characterized by cries of distress, appeals to God, expressions of trust, and often vows of praise. Within this verse, the phrase "how long?" functions as a potent **Rhetorical Question**, not seeking information but expressing the intensity of the psalmist's suffering, his stretched endurance, and his desperate plea for divine intervention. The direct address to "O LORD" is an instance of **Apostrophe**, where the speaker directly addresses an absent or abstract entity (in this case, God), intensifying the personal and intimate nature of the prayer. Furthermore, the use of "My soul" (נֶפֶשׁ, _nephesh_) to describe the psalmist's internal state is a form of **Synecdoche** or **Holistic Language**, where a part (the soul) represents the whole person, emphasizing that his entire being is consumed by this profound vexation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 6:3 profoundly connects to the biblical understanding of suffering and God's relationship with His people. It affirms that genuine faith does not preclude honest lament or even questioning God's timing. Instead, it provides a framework for bringing our deepest pain and confusion directly to the Lord, trusting that He is big enough to handle our raw emotions. This verse teaches that our cries of "how long?" are not signs of weak faith, but often expressions of desperate hope in a God who is ultimately faithful and will, in His perfect time, bring an end to suffering and injustice. It highlights the tension between God's eternal perspective and humanity's finite experience of pain, inviting believers to persevere in prayer even when answers are delayed.

* [Psalm 13:1](/psalms/13-1 "Psalm 13:1 - David's 'How Long' Lament")
* [Psalm 77:7](/psalms/77-7 "Psalm 77:7 - Questioning God's Forgetfulness")
* [Habakkuk 1:2](/habakkuk/1-2 "Habakkuk 1:2 - Prophet's Cry for Justice")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 6:3 offers profound comfort and guidance for believers navigating their own seasons of distress. It grants us permission to be utterly honest with God about our pain, our impatience, and our confusion. The psalmist's raw cry of "My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?" validates the human experience of deep, unsettling anguish that permeates one's very being. It reminds us that authentic prayer is not about sanitizing our emotions but about bringing our whole, broken selves before a God who sees, hears, and cares. Even in the midst of questioning "how long?", the psalmist's turning to "O LORD" demonstrates an underlying, resilient faith that God is the ultimate source of relief and that His faithfulness will ultimately prevail. This verse encourages us to persevere in prayer, to pour out our hearts, and to wait with expectant hope for God's perfect timing, knowing that He is intimately acquainted with our suffering and will respond in His perfect wisdom and love.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life do you feel "sore vexed" or deeply troubled right now?**
* **How comfortable are you in expressing raw, honest emotions, including impatience or questioning, to God in prayer?**
* **What does the psalmist's direct address to "O LORD" (Yahweh) in his distress teach you about the nature of God and His relationship with His people?**
* **How does the "how long?" question resonate with your own experiences of waiting for God's intervention or deliverance?**
* **What steps can you take to bring your current "vexation" before God with both honesty and underlying trust?**

### FAQ
**Is it truly acceptable to question God's timing or express impatience, as the psalmist does here?**

Answer: Yes, absolutely. The Psalms, particularly the laments, provide a divine precedent for expressing the full spectrum of human emotion, including frustration, impatience, and even questioning God's perceived delay. The "how long?" motif (e.g., [Psalm 13:1](/psalms/13-1 "Psalm 13:1 - David's 'How Long' Lament") or [Revelation 6:10](/revelation/6-10 "Revelation 6:10 - Martyrs' Cry for Justice")) is a common and biblically affirmed cry from those who suffer and long for God's intervention. It is not a sign of a lack of faith, but rather an expression of deep trust that God is indeed sovereign and capable of acting, combined with the human longing for an end to suffering. God invites us into honest dialogue, even with our complaints, knowing that true faith can endure and grow through such transparency.

**What does "my soul is sore vexed" mean for a modern believer?**

Answer: For a modern believer, "my soul is sore vexed" speaks to the profound internal distress that goes beyond mere physical discomfort or external problems. It encompasses deep emotional anguish, spiritual turmoil, anxiety, depression, or a sense of being utterly overwhelmed and disoriented. It means that one's entire inner being—thoughts, emotions, will, and spirit—is in a state of profound disquiet and agitation. This verse validates the experience of mental and emotional suffering as a legitimate form of human pain that God acknowledges and cares about, encouraging us to bring our whole selves, including our psychological and spiritual burdens, before Him.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The raw lament of Psalms 6:3, with its cry of a "sore vexed" soul and the desperate "how long?", finds its ultimate echo and fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist's vexation stemmed from personal sin and affliction, Jesus, though sinless, experienced the ultimate "vexation" on behalf of humanity. In [the Garden of Gethsemane](/matthew/26-39 "Matthew 26:39 - Jesus' Agony in Gethsemane"), His soul was "very sorrowful, even to death," a profound spiritual anguish far exceeding any human experience, as He contemplated bearing the world's sin. His cry from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")), is the ultimate "how long?" from the One who became the [Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"). Jesus' suffering fully encompasses and transcends every human cry of distress, for He bore the full weight of sin and its consequences. Through His resurrection, He is the definitive answer to "how long?" for all who believe, ushering in an era where, ultimately, God will wipe away every tear and there will be [no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor any more pain](/revelation/21-4 "Revelation 21:4 - No More Tears or Pain"). As our great High Priest, He sympathizes with our weaknesses ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")) and [He ever lives to make intercession for them](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - Christ's Eternal Intercession"), transforming our laments into hope.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 90:13

Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

John 12:27

¶ Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Psalms 38:8

I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

Psalms 77:2

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

Psalms 77:3

I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

Luke 18:7

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

Psalms 22:14

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.