Psalm 6

A Cry of Anguish

• 6:1 "do not rebuke me in your anger" - Psalm 38 A parent should not discipline their children in anger. David is not really acusing God of disciplining in anger, but describing how he feels. Hebrews 12:7 "rebuke" contrasts with "chastise".
• 6:2 "I am weak ... my soul also is greatly troubled" David is in pain both physically and spiritually. "bones" contrasts with "soul". Weakness of body can be psychosomatic, or part of chastisement, or both.
• 6:3 "how long?" David is again praying for an "indulgence" in Catholic terms, a shortening of his chastisement.
• 6:4 "Return O LORD" - David feels distant from God because of his sin. "for Your mercies' sake" - he knows he does not deserve it.
• 6:5 "In death there is no remembrance" - he feels like he will die from the severity of the consequences of sin. David did believe in the resurrection, e.g. Psalm 17:15 This is more about who will praise Him on earth.
• 6:6 "I make my bed to swim" - a vivid description of how he feels. Contrasts with "water my couch".
• 6:7 "my eyes wax old" - red and bleary from weeping.
• 6:8 "depart from me you workers of iniquity" - apparently those that tempted him to sin. We are not told the specific incident, but my guess is when he registered the people for the draft. 1 Chronicles 21
• 6:9 "the LORD has heard my supplication" - the indulgence is granted.
• 6:10 "let them return and be suddenly ashamed" - let those tempting him also feel their shame.