PSALM SIX

     This psalm also claims to be a production of David, and we are without reason to doubt that.  As to occasion, the psalmist seems to be suffering some great illness, most probably an illness of the soul.  I believe that the psalm itself gives sufficient indication that David is still writing with the rebellion of Absalom in mind.  Barnes gives the following outline (abbreviated) of the psalm:  I. A plea of the author for mercy and compassion in trouble, under the apprehension that God was rebuking and punishing him for his sins (verses 1-2); II. A description of his sufferings (verses 2-7); III. The assurance that God had heard his prayer, and that he would triumph over all his enemies, and that all his troubles would pass away (verses 8-10).

1 “O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger” -- The psalmist seems to have been contemplating his sufferings and is considering the possibility that they have (as their origin) his very own God.  With this in mind, he pleads that God not deal harshly with him as a result of His anger concerning any unrighteousness on David's part.  He does not, in my opinion, presume to ascribe the particular acts of evil against him to God; but, the fact that he is suffering is considered here as being as a result of his having rejected God's will in sin.  "Neither chasten me" -- Chasten meaning punish, the thought is a restatement of the first concept:  David realizes his sin and seeks deliverance from its consequences.  "In thy hot displeasure" -- Anger (displeasure) is here spoken of in the common sense of being a consuming or burning force.  David appeals for a reconsideration of the matter, hoping upon such a reconsideration to find grace in God's sight.

2 "Have mercy upon me, O Lord" -- Though he stood devoid of sufficient righteousness to demand God's help, he pleas for grace.  "For I am weak" -- The word "weak" comes from a word meaning 'to droop, or languish'; and was used of plants that were blighted (Isaiah 24:7), or fields who suffered from drought (Isaiah 16:8).  It is used here of a sick person whose strength is gone.  "O Lord, heal me" -- Restore my health, for it is fast slipping away.  The idea being, in the present treatise, that David's spiritual distress was quickly overtaking him, and that he would soon fall beneath the weight of his troubles should God choose not to deliver him.  "For my bones are vexed" -- To be vexed here indicated that he was suffering anguish or great torment, and to be vexed in his bones indicated that he was suffering this anguish or great torment to the very source of his strength and support.

3 "My soul is also sore vexed" -- His very life was filled with anguish and great torment.  "But thou, O Lord" -- It is as though, in mid-sentence, he turns from his own wretched condition to a plea to God in behalf of relief.  "How long?" -- How long will his sufferings continue?  He turns to God for help, seeking it before he reaches the 'breaking point'.

4 "Return, O Lord, deliver my soul" -- It is as if God had deserted him because of his sin, and he now calls Him back.  "O save me" -- He pleads for deliverance from his present troubles.  "For thy mercies sake" -- As an act of mercy, and that God's mercy might be shown.  David uses these as the ground of his request.

5 "For in death" -- In the state of the dead; in the grave (Barnes).  "There is no remembrance of thee" -- It is too late to think of God in death.  A similar thought is expressed in Psalm 30:9 -- "What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit?  Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?" and in Psalm 88:11 -- "Shall thy loving-kindnes be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?"  and in Isaiah 38:18 -- "The grave cannot praise thee; death cannot celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth."  The meaning does not speak to the condition or state of the dead, but to the practical use of calling on God when dead.  David affirms that in death a call to the Lord would be of no value.  "In the grave" -- lit. Sheol.  Used here in reference to the grave.  "Who shall give thee thanks? Who shall praise thee?" -- It would do no good to praise God in the grave, nor to give him thanks; therefore David is asking for deliverance in life that he might continue to praise his God.

6 "I am weary with my groaning" -- His overwhelming anguish and torment had moved him to groaning, to an exhausting pouring out of his soul.  Because of this groaning, he had become weak, worn out.  "All the night make I my bed to swim" -- His tears were so numerous that it was as though he was in water rather than his bed.  "I water my couch with my tears" -- He caused his couch to overflow with his tears.  He wept continually.

7 "Mine eye is consumed" -- He indicates that he 'wasted away' his eye due to the abundance of the tears it cried.  "It waxeth old" -- He has cried so many tears, it made his eye to grow old out of due season.  "Because of all mine enemies" -- David here refers to Absalom and his confederates as the source of these troubles with which he was faced.

8 "Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity" -- He seems here to be indicating that God had heard (granted) his sincere requests.  He orders the enemies to comply with the (perceived) order of God.  "For the Lord hath heard" -- That is, God gave ear to my request and has granted it.  "The voice of my weeping" -- His request was sincere and emotionally appropriate.  Tears accompanied his prayer to the throne of God.

9     "The Lord hath heard my supplication" -- This is a repeat of the sentiment of the preceding verse, and naturally so; for what is more natural than dwelling on a joyous thought?  "The Lord will receive my prayer" -- This is an affirmation of the present and future attention of God based on the past attention.  As God had been with him and attended unto his prayers in the past, so he would in the present crisis.  "The state of mind here is this:  "The Lord has heard my prayer; I am assured that he will do it hereafter; I have, therefore, nothing to fear"." (Barnes)

10    "Let all mine enemies be ashamed" -- His desire is that his enemies would be made to see their folly and, upon such a viewing, they would be ashamed of their past conduct.  The psalmist (presumably David) is just in his desire here, for he wishes them to come into an understanding of their error and therefore the shame experienced would be self-induced and deserved.  "And sore vexed" -- "The same Hebrew word is used here which occurs in vers. 2,3, and rendered vexed.  It is a word which denotes trouble, trembling, consternation; and the meaning here is, that the psalmist prayed that they might be confounded or disconcerted in their plans -- a prayer which is certainly proper in regard to all the purposes of the wicked.  No one should desire that the purposes of the wicked should prosper; and not to desire this is to desire that they may be foiled and overcome in their schemes.  This must be the wish of every good man." (Barnes)  "Let them return" -- The gist of the wish is repentance on the part of those who wronged the psalmist.  He prays that they might, having seen their error, and having been made ashamed of their actions, and having been troubled over their sin; may they now turn from their sin in repentance.  Again, this is not only a good thing to wish, but one would not be truly good who did not pray and wish this concerning his enemies and all sinners.  "And be ashamed suddenly" -- The Hebrew word for "suddenly" means literally, "in a moment"; and therefore the applied meaning carries with it the idea of instantaneous action.  As the psalmist was proper in wishing these things concerning his enemies, he was right in praying that they might come to fruition at once.  "The sooner the plans of sinners are confounded, the better."  (Barnes)

QUESTIONS:  PSALM SIX

 1. In what did the psalmist not wish to be rebuked?___________________________

 2. In what did he not wish to be chastened?_________________________________

3. What did the psalmist wish to be "upon" him?_______________________________

 4. Why did he make this request?__________________________________________

 5. Why did he seek to be healed?_________________________________________

 6. How did the psalmist describe the state of his soul?_________________________

 7. For the sake of what did the psalmist wish to be saved?______________________

 8. Is it possible for one to turn to God after death?___________________________

 9. Who shall give God thanks in the grave?___________________________________

10. To what did "make my bed to swim" have reference?_________________________

11. Why was the Psalmist's eye consumed?___________________________________

12. Why was it "waxed old"?_______________________________________________

13. Whom did the psalmist wish to depart from him?____________________________

14. What had God done for the psalmist?____________________________________
 

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