Psalm 6

Psa 6:1

Outline:
Vv 1-4: Prayer for help from God
Vv 5-8a: Tears, grief, exhaustion
Vv 8b-10: Confidence in final victory

SUPERSCRIPTION: "A PSALM OF DAVID": Historical background: One of the penitential psalms (Psa 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143). These psalms prob ref to David's sins with Bathsheba and Uriah, and the aftermath. Prob order of these psalms: (1) Psa 6: where David is weak, weary, and vexed by his disease. (2) Psa 38: where he sees his sickness as a divine punishment, and more seriously prays to God. (3) Psa 51: the sincerest and most abject confession and repentance. (4) Psa 32: Finally, "Blessed in the man whose sins are covered."

Perhaps it is this illness that leaves David's kingdom susceptible to the plotting of Ahithophel and the open rebellion of Absalom.

See Lesson, Psalms, "Messianic" sin?

V 1: Virtually identical with Psa 38:1. Psa 38 is much more detailed in describing David's serious illness.

Psa 6:2

I AM FAINT: "Weak" (AV), ie "drooping as a blighted plant" (Kay); "languishing" (RSV). Messianic? Jesus places himself in the hands of the Father, knowing that of himself he can do nothing (Joh 5:19; 7:16; 8:28; 12:49).

MY BONES ARE IN AGONY: A disease penetrating the whole frame: Job 4:14; 30:17,30; 33:19-21.

Psa 6:3

MY SOUL IS IN ANGUISH: (1) David's exhaustion from a sin-related illness, or (2) Christ's exhaustion from the conflict with "sin" -- caused by the unclean, defiling "disease" of human nature. The stress and agony in a constant denial of his flesh, esp at the end, is seen in Isa 52:14; 53:2-4; and Luk 22:43,44.

HOW LONG?: That is, how long before deliverance comes (Psa 74:10; 90:13; 94:3; Isa 6:11; Dan 8:13,15; Hab 2:6; Rev 6:10,11)? With God, what (humanly speaking) seems to be "delay" is actually the orderly maturing of His purpose. Our problem is the inability to discern, in a frenzied age like ours, the slow but inevitable outworkings of God's timetable.

Psa 6:4

SAVE ME BECAUSE OF YOUR UNFAILING LOVE: "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour" (Joh 12:27).

SAVE ME: The source of the NT "Hosanna".

Psa 6:5

NO ONE REMEMBERS YOU WHEN HE IS DEAD. WHO PRAISES YOU FROM THE GRAVE [Heb Sheol]?: Death as an unconscious state: Psa 104:33; 146:3,4; Isa 38:18; Ecc 9:5,6,10. Yet there is deliverance from Sheol for some: Psa 16:10; 17:15; 49:15; 73:24; Isa 26:19; Dan 12:1-3. The OT does not have the word "resurrection", but the principle is plainly taught throughout.

"Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks and years all follow each other relentlessly, never stopping to allow us to relive even one second of our time. Once that time has gone it can never be retrieved and we are another moment closer to the end of our life. And we do not even know when the end of our life will be -- it could be only minutes away, or it could be decades. So the important action that follows on from this knowledge is that we must make the most of every moment of life that God gives us. The very best we can ever do with our time is to give it to God -- in service, meditation, praise, reading his Word, prayer, building godly relationships and godly families. The Psalmist says, 'No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from his grave?' Life is the time to serve the Lord. So let us use our lives wisely. Make every second count. Use the time you have been given for the important things in your life because you will never have the same opportunity again" (RP).

Psa 6:6

ALL NIGHT LONG I FLOOD MY BED WITH WEEPING AND DRENCH MY COUCH WITH TEARS: Christ's 'bed' was the ground, in Gethsemane, where "with strong crying and tears" (Heb 5:7; Luk 22:41-44) he sought relief from the burden he bore. Other refs to Christ's weeping: Psa 39:12; 42:3; 56:8; 69:10; 116:8.

Psa 6:7

"That eye of his that had looked and lusted after his neighbor's wife is now dimmed and darkened with grief and indignation. He had wept himself almost blind" (Trapp).

WEAK: "Consumed" (AV), "withered" or "sunken", grown old before his time. Withered away like the sapless tree, or the dry ground burned by the sun (Psa 129:6,7; Isa 40:6; 1Pe 1:24).

Psa 6:8

Vv 8,9: 3 times the Psalmist expresses his confidence that his prayers have been heard. (Cp with 3 times Christ prays in the garden: Mat 26:39,42,44. Also, 3 times Paul beseeches the Lord about his "thorn in the flesh": 2Co 12:8.)

AWAY FROM ME, ALL YOU WHO DO EVIL: Words spoken to hypocritical, deceitful enemies -- not to open, avowed enemies. (1) In his sickness, David was dealing with men who professed friendship and concern, but who were whispering and plotting behind his back (Psa 38:11,12; 41:5-9). Yet he knows all that is going on (Psa 38:13,14). (2) This v is quoted by Christ in Mat 7:23; 25:41; Luk 13:27: those who hypocritically professed allegiance to him, but always served their own selfish interests instead.

Psa 6:9

THE LORD HAS HEARD: Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus, where his weeping (cp vv 6,8) was heard (Joh 11:35): "Father, I thank you that you have heard me" (vv 41,42).