Psalm 6
A Plea for Mercy in Distress
The psalmist cries out to God for relief from divine discipline and the overwhelming weight of personal suffering.
Do not punish me in your fury or discipline me in anger and distress. Instead, Lord, be merciful to me.✦ For I am weak and sick; therefore, heal me. I am terrified to the depths of my being; stand by me with your grace. My soul is afraid and deeply troubled. So, O God, how long? When will my prayer be heard? How long will you delay, Lord?
Tears and the Burden of Enemies
The psalmist describes the depth of his sorrow and the physical toll taken by his enemies and his own weeping.
Lord, in your mercy, rescue my soul and come to my aid, for whoever dies and goes down to hell forgets your majesty.1 I have sighed in deep sorrow; my bed will be soaked. With tears I lament my distress; my eyes are worn out from weeping. My eye is utterly worn out, troubled and dismayed, because my many enemies oppressed me whenever I was among them.
Confidence in God's Deliverance
The psalmist finds assurance that God has heard his prayer and calls for the defeat of those who oppose him.
All of you who do evil, get away from me, for God heard my sorrowful heart when I was overwhelmed with weeping. The Lord has heard my lament and all my prayers, and without delay has received my prayer in this earthly vale. May God always shame my enemies here who hate me. Let those who gather against me be shamed and turned back.
Read the original Latin
IN dinen grim en straft mi niet Noch mi met toornigen schijn En wilt castyen in mijn verdriet Maer Heer wilt mijns ghenadich zijn.
Want ick ben cranck ende onghesont Daer om gheneest doch my Ick ben verbaest in minen gront Staet mi met v ghenaden by.
Mijn siel is bang, en seer verstoort Daer om o God wanneer. Wanneer so sal ick zijn verhoort. Hoe lang suldijt vertrecken Heer.
O Heer doer v bermherticheyt Verlost mijn siel, bi staet, Want dyen vergheet v maiesteyt Die doot is, en ter hellen gaet.
Ick heb ghesucht in droefheyt groot Mijn bed sal worden nat Met tranen beclaech ick mijnen noot Mijn ooghen zijn van weenen sat.
Mijn ooch dat is verslaghen heel Beroert, verbaest, certeyn Dat mi verdructen mijn vyanden veel Wanneer ick was bi haer ghemeyn.
Ghi alle die daer boosheyt doet Wilt van mi scheyden haest Want God verhoorde minen droeuen moet Als ick doer weenen was verbaest.
Die Heer verhoorde mijn gheclach En mijn ghebeden al En heeft ontfanghen sonder verdrach Mijn bidden in dit aertsche dal.
Mijn vianden die hier haten mijn Moet God altijt beschamen. Beschaemt, ende om ghekeert laet zijn Die teghens my versamen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.6.1 — For the director of music. With stringed instruments. On the Sheminith. A psalm of David.
Notes
- 1 ↩The historical Dutch wording is uncertain; it is understood here as a plea for the Lord to stand by or aid the speaker.
Souterliedekens (Psalm Songs) companion
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