The Comfortless Couch of the Righteous One

This is the first of seven psalms, which are called the Penitential psalms. The others are: 32, 38, 51, 102, 130 and 143. It seems that David was in the middle of some great bodily distress or illness, as well as being plagued by attacks from his enemies. There is no mention of sin on his part, but a realisation that it is God’s chastening he is experiencing. And it is in the throes of such an experience that he is convicted that God would answer his prayer for deliverance. Twice, in vv. 8 & 9, he declares, “The Lord hath heard.” He knew assuredly that God had received his prayer. This gives us a further lesson in learning how to pray, by coming to a solid persuasion that God has heard, and will answer.

Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Psalm 6 – Second Version (common metre)

¹In thy great indignation,
O LORD, rebuke me not;
Nor on me lay thy chast’ning hand,
In thy displeasure hot.

²LORD, I am weak, therefore on me
Have mercy, and me spare:
Heal me, O LORD, because thou know’st
My bones much vexed are.

³My soul is vexed sore: but, LORD,
How long stay wilt thou make?
⁴Return, LORD, free my soul; and save
Me, for thy mercies’ sake.

⁵Because of thee in death there shall
No more remembrance be:
Of those that in the grave do lie,
Who shall give thanks to thee?

⁶I with my groaning weary am,
And all the night my bed
I caused for to swim; with tears
My couch I watered.

⁷By reason of my vexing grief,
Mine eye consumed is;
It waxeth old, because of all
That be mine enemies.

⁸But now, depart from me all ye
That work iniquity:
For why? the LORD hath heard my voice,
When I did mourn and cry.

⁹Unto my supplication
The LORD did hearing give:
When I to him my prayer make,
The LORD will it receive.

¹⁰Let all be sham’d and troubled sore,
That en’mies are to me;
Let them turn back, and suddenly
Ashamed let them be.