A Study in Psalms Psalm 6

1 ¶ <<To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.>> O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

• neginoth – stringed instruments

• sheminith – octave – specifically the lowest octave sung by male voices

• a Psalm of the prophet, David

• This is a prayer, a cry to God in time of deep trial and difficulty; we know that David was loved by and particularly special to God, for God called him a man after his own heart: “ But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.” 1Sa 13:14 God was speaking to Saul through his prophet, Samuel. (See also Acts 13:22) God chose David to be the beginning of the family line of kings leading to the King of kings, Jesus Christ. David was not a righteous man by nature – he was guilty of many sins like any man; some of them were quite horrendous. However, he trusted God and put his faith in the promised Saviour. As a man, David suffered health problems, pain, and guilt like any man. In this prayer he comes to God admitting his natural tendency to be worthy only of wrath, but at the same time he comes to God knowing that God IS merciful

• A good relationship with a human father is a picture of our relationship with our heavenly father. Just as it can be a fearsome thing to be corrected by our human father when he is angry and would rather he cooled down before dealing with us, it is natural for us to expect our heavenly father to be even more fearsome. Note that above all else, our prayer needs to be honest and transparent – it is worse to fake a right attitude toward God than to simply agree with what he already knows and be honest with him. He understands when we are scared, hurt or angry – or when we are afraid He is going to lash out at us in anger.

• David also fully understood that God was the giver of life and also the one with the power to take life

2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

• We are all weak and unable to conquer sin and death on our own – it is only because of God's mercy and grace that we are able to stand.

• We do not know what particular thing was causing David's trial at this time, but we know from his prayer that he was suffering greatly, possibly in great physical pain, possibly from sickness.

3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?

• Often when we are sick we become depressed and begin to remember sin that has already been confessed and forgiven. One thing that Satan never stops doing is reminding us of our sins even though God has told us in Jeremiah 31:33: “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake.

• We can conquer the agony of our soul when we turn to God and pray for deliverance from despair; God IS merciful and WILL deliver us.

5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

• Much as it would be a blessing to leave this life, it is built into us to desire life over death. It should be our desire to live as long as we can in this life to be able to serve God and reach others who need to be saved. We struggle in this life, desiring to live, yet desiring to be free of the struggles. Paul said: “ I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Ro 7:21 – 25 God is sovereign; it is up to God to deliver us and perfect us in His time.

6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.

• When we struggle with sin, perhaps because we have chosen for a time to go our own way, we who are God's children will eventually be brought under such conviction that it will bring us to our knees in grief and prayer.

• The sin of the world and the desperate condition of those around us should fill us with grief and bring us before God in prayer. The vast majority of the people we know, love, work with and see every day do not know God and are turning their backs on His great gift of Salvation. They are presently separated from God (dead) and will spend all eternity separated from a loving God in a place reserved for the Devil and his angels, consciously aware of what they have given up. This should make us WEEP before God. Jesus wept (John 11:35) because of the unbelief of the people around him. So should we.

7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

• We should grieve for our sin, for those who need a Saviour and keep ignoring him, and for the sin of a world that is at enmity with a God who loved the whole world so much that he gave his only begotten Son to die in place of humanity. Note that Jesus did not just die physically – he took the sins of the whole world upon himself, became sin for us (2 Cor 5:21), and was separated from God for us (spiritual death – see Mt 27:46)

8 ¶ Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.

• Prayer should renew our certainty of victory – God hears the prayers of his children and gives us the strength to withstand those who deny Him, especially those in high places: “ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Jas 4:7

9 The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.

• When we pray, we know that God hears us and will answer us. When we have been uncertain and fearful, God restores our confidence in Him and in what He has done for us. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” Jas 4:8 – 10

10 Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.

• God's enemies are our enemies. They are living this life separated from God (dead spiritually). Our prayer is not that they will be immediately destroyed – Jesus Christ has put a desire in our hearts to see them convicted of their sin to the point of shame and grief, broken and ready to trust in Him and receive the free gift of eternal life while they still have breath. Remember that Jesus died for ALL. ” For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” 2Cor 5:14 – 15

Amen