Psalm 6
לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ בִּ֭נְגִינוֹת עַֽל הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד
BSB
Do Not Rebuke Me in Your Anger
(Psalms 38:1–22)
For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments, according to Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
1O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger
or discipline me in Your wrath.
2Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am frail;
heal me, O LORD, for my bones are in agony.
3My soul is deeply distressed.
How long, O LORD, how long?
4Turn, O LORD, and deliver my soul;
save me because of Your loving devotion.
5For there is no mention of You in death;
who can praise You from Sheol?
6I am weary from groaning;
all night I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
7My eyes fail from grief;
they grow dim because of all my foes.
8Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity,
for the LORD has heard my weeping.
9The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
the LORD accepts my prayer.
10All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed;
they will turn back in sudden disgrace.
Introduction
Psalms 6
David was a weeping prophet as well as Jeremiah, and this psalm is one of his lamentations: either it was penned in a time, or at least calculated for a time, of great trouble, both outward and inward. Is any afflicted? Is any sick? Let him sing this psalm. The method of this psalm is very observable, and what we shall often meet with. He begins with doleful complaints, but ends with joyful praises; like Hannah, who went to prayer with a sorrowful spirit, but, when she had prayed, went her way, and her countenance was no more sad. Three things the psalmist is here complaining of: - 1. Sickness of body. 2. Trouble of mind, arising from the sense of sin, the meritorious cause of pain and sickness. 3. The insults of his enemies upon occasion of both. Now here, I. He pours out his complaints before God, deprecates his wrath, and begs earnestly for the return of his favour (Psa 6:1-7). II. He assures himself of an answer of peace, shortly, to his full satisfaction (Psa 6:8-10). This psalm is like the book of Job.
To the chief musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith. A psalm of David.
Cross-references: Ps 6:1 · Ps 6:8