Psalm 6

Introduction to Psalm 6

Let us read what it says:

Psalm 6 NKJV

To the Chief Musician. With Stringed Instruments. On An Eight-Stringed Harp. A Psalm of David. 1 O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. 2 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. 3 My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O Lord—how long? 4 Return, O Lord, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! 5 For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks? 6 I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. 7 My eye wastes away because of grief; It grows old because of all my enemies. 8 Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. 9 The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer. 10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.

Intro

Psalm 6, is an evening Psalm. This Psalm is considered to be one of the seven confessional or penitential Psalms, the most famous of which is, of course, Psalm 51 after his affair with Bathsheba.

1-3

But unlike that Psalm nothing specific is mentioned here except that David associates his present suffering as a result of something he has done.

Sometimes God disciplines us through the actions of others and sometimes it can be our health that suffers. We do have to be aware that this is not saying that all actions of others or all our ill health is because of personal sin; that is a step way too far. But, I think that if the situation has arisen because of God’s discipline we will know this through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and it is usually because of unrepentant sin.

I might be wrong, but I think that such occasions are rare because Jesus paid the price for our sin in full. If anything the discipline of the Lord comes when there are edges that need to be knocked off us.

I do sympathise with David with his bones being in agony as anyone who suffers arthritis would know but he was also suffering mentally and emotionally.

4-5

He begs the Lord to forgive, to return back to him and save him. And he says, what is the point of my dying, who will praise you then? A little bit of arm twisting this seems to me… of course, we can’t twist God’s arm but sometimes we are in such dire straights that we attempt to bargain with God. I’ll live a better life, Lord, if you do so and so...

6-7

The pain inwardly and outwardly is enormous and not only that for David, but his enemies are taking advantage of his sickness.

8-10

David relies upon the mercy of God and His unfailing love. We really need to meditate on these. We are told in 1 Peter 4:1 that those who suffer have had done with sin and this seems evidenced in verse 8 when he says ‘away from me all you who do evil.’

Interestingly, what we find is a further prayer that the same kind of anguish that has come upon David would fall upon his enemies - that they might be ashamed of their action, ashamed that they ridiculed a man who trusted God, ashamed because God answered his prayer.

And David’s faith shines through for he has had a break-through in prayer - the Lord has heard me and He accepts me, he proclaims.

We are told in

1 John 1:9 NKJV

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Conclusion

Oh how often I have had to come to the Lord like this to ask forgiveness and though I know from Scripture He freely gives it, it is when I have made it through to the Lord that relief and freedom truly comes.

Bibliography

Boice, J. M. (2005). Psalms 1–41: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.