Every verse here opens — tap a number for what that one means.
1O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
3My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?
4Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake.
5For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
6I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
7Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
8Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.
9The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.
10Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.
Commentary
Psalm 6, explained
What Psalm 6 is saying
Psalm 6 is the first of the seven Penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143), a prayer from deep physical and emotional suffering. The psalmist pleads 'How long?' (ad-matai), the quintessential lament question, while describing tears that flood his bed. The abrupt shift at verse 8—'Depart from me, all you workers of evil'—marks a dramatic turn from despair to confidence.
The background behind it
The superscription assigns this to David with instruction for sheminith (possibly a low-pitched instrument or 'eighth' mode), suggesting liturgical use for penitential occasions. The tradition of seven Penitential Psalms was formalized in Christian liturgical practice by the early medieval period.
Themes running underneath
The psalm explores the intersection of sin, suffering, and divine compassion, with the crucial petition based not on the psalmist's merit but on God's chesed (steadfast love). The mention that 'in Sheol who will praise You?' appeals to God's own interest in preserving the worshiper.
Why it still matters
Psalm 6 validates the experience of being simultaneously broken by suffering and desperate for God. Its sudden turn to confidence models how honest prayer can shift one's spiritual posture even before circumstances change.
Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.