Psalms 6
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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?
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?
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.
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.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Psalm 6:1-10
O Lord, Deliver My Life
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
1O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath.
2Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
3My soul also is greatly troubled.
But you, O Lord—how long?
4Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol who will give you praise?
6I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7My eye wastes away because of grief;
it grows weak because of all my foes.
8Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Psalm 6:1-10
Psalm 6
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith. A psalm of David.
1Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
2Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
3My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, Lord, how long?
4Turn, Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.
5Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?
6I am worn out from my groaning.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
7My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.
8Away from me, all you who do evil,
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 overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
David, the song writer, the harpist, does not hold back when it comes to expressing his sorrow and his anger, as well as his joy, to God. I think this is one of the things that makes the Psalms so endearing. David talks to God, he sings to God, as one could only speak to a best friend, to someone he trusts entirely.
He begs God for mercy, he pours out his sorrow, his weariness, his distress. By the end of the song, he shows the confidence he still has in God, his Friend, who also happens to be the God of the universe. The Lord has heard me, let all my troubles depart.
God is not offended when we take our troubles to Him. In fact, He wants us to, and He is the best One in the universe to help us carry our burdens. He is always available, never gets tired of hearing us, never stops loving us, and has the power to help us in our distress. He promises wisdom, peace, and hope.
Let’s take David’s example to heart. Lay your troubles down with Jesus and lean on His power to face them.
Lisa Ward
Clerk, Country Life Seventh-day Adventist Church
Cleburne, Texas USA