Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 6
Sixth PSALM.
God having brought upon David a fore sickness (or some grievous affliction) he intreats to be chastized with fatherly gentleness, and that he would compassionate the great miserie he sustained both in bodie and soul, and restore him to health and comfort, and not prosecute him to death, but let him live to give him thanks: professing how many tears and prayers his sin and sickness had cost him, and the rather, because of the malicious insolencie of his enemies, whom he concludes, God will certainly defeat of their hope and desire, having heard his prayer and pittied his case, and assures them, it shall not be long before they see it to their shame and grief.
To him that is most skilful upon the stringed instrument Neginoth; To the chief musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.to be sung with a high voice to the eighth tune, or instrument of eight strings called Sheminith, whereto this Psalm is chiefly set, do I David that made it recommend it.
1O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.1 O Lord thou hast many ways afflicted me, for besides my many enemies, thou hast now brought upon me a very soar and painful sickness, which make me fear thine anger is kindled against me, which I humbly knowledge my sins have deserved. But good Lord remember merciemercy, and chastize me for them, not in thy heavie displeasure, but according to thy Fatherly compassion.
2Have merciemercy upon me O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed.2 For though sin doth provoke thee to anger, yet miserie is wont to move thee to shew merciemercy, and truly, O Lord, my case is very woful, for I am exceeding low brought by my disease, therefore have pittie upon me, for certainly thou mayest do a great cure, and get thee a great deal of honour in recovering me now I am grown to that extremitie, that my very bones are tortured with pain, and are not of strength to support me.
3My soul is also soar vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long?3 Nor am I onelyonly sick in bodie, but that which most makes me fear thy displeasure towards me, is this. That my soul is also soar troubled, and as my bodie can find no ease, so nor my soul find comfort, which indeed is a grievous sadning to me. But thou O Lord, who I am sure art a God of merciemercy and compassion, as well as of just displeasure, how long canst thou behold me in this case, and forbear to help me, specially with soul-comfort?
4Return, O Lord, deliver my soul; o save me for thy merciemercy sake.4 Good Lord change thy mind, and now after so great and long affliction become my God again, by setting my soul (at least) at libertie from its comfortless state. Look no longer at my sins to punish them, but consider and cast an eye upon thine own merciful nature now a while, and for its sake restore me to health and inward peace.
5 And so shall I live to praise thee,5For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? whereas if thou pursue me to death, what good wilt thou get by that, here if thou letst me live I shall remember from time to time this merciemercy of my recoverie, with many other good turns done me, to thy glorie and praise; but in the grave I shall forget all, for both the knowledge of thee, and the remembrance of all the mercies thou hast shewed me (which I was wont to celebrate with thankfulness in this life) must needs vanish when life it self departs, and be buried in the grave with me in oblivion and silence.
6 Truly,6I am wearie with my groaning, all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears: Lord, I have had a very sad time of it, and a heavie burthen have I born a long while, which hath cost me much sorrow and grief, in so much as my groans have been incessant and without any ease or intermission, so that I am now quite spent and wearie, ready to give over for want of breath and spirit to express my moanings, night nor day have I had any quiet, nor taken any rest, but instead of sleep I have spent the night in continual weeping, and in stead of repose upon my couch in the day time, I have done nothing but shed tears.
7 In so much as my sight is decaied,7Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies. and mine eyes wasted with incessant sorrowing, and sunck into my head, as it were with old age, because of thy heavie hand, and chiefly for the insultations of my many enemies over me because of mine affliction.
8 But blessed be thy name;8Depart from me all ye workers of iniquitie; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. me thinks of a sudden upon this my prayer I find my heart much cleared, and my spirit well assured of thy favour and future merciemercy to me, so that now I hope mine enemies shall have small cause to rejoyce over me; for that I know thou wilt speedily disappoint that malicious and wicked desire they had of my destruction, and wilt restore me, for though my grief hath cost me many tears, yet the Lord I perceive hath taken notice of them, and pitied me for them.
9The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.9 Yea he hath listned to the supplications I made in mine extremitie and will not reject them, but according to my prayer will shew me merciemercy, receive me to favour, and restore me to health and comfort.
10Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.10 So that now I am confident it shall be mine enemies turn to hang their heads for shame and vexation, and mine to triumph over them, when they see such an unexpected and sudden alteration, and God to appear so much for me in it, who they thought had been quite out of favour, and should have now perished in his displeasure.