Psalm 6

This is one of the penitential psalms in which David repented for some sin he had committed and for which he was suffering discipline (cf. Pss. 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143).³³We do not know what he did to bring on this illness that almost resulted in his death or how this incident fits into the Scriptural record of his life. Having been chastened by the Lord David asked for forgiveness. Then with the assurance that God had heard him he warned his adversaries to leave him alone because God was about to put them to shame.

". . . the psalm gives words to those who scarcely have the heart to pray, and brings them within sight of victory."³⁴

 1. Plea for relief 6:1-3

6:1 A more literal translation of this verse would be, "O Lord, not in Your anger rebuke me; not in Your wrath chasten me."By putting the negative first David emphasized the manner of the Lord's discipline. David knew his was no ordinary illness, but God had sent it as the consequence of some sin. He felt God was dealing with him very severely and despaired of enduring much more suffering.

6:2 The king then expressed his request positively. He begged for relief from his extreme discomfort. David spoke of his bones as representing his whole body (cf. 31:10; 32:3; 38:3; 42:10; 102:3, 5).³⁵

6:3 His suffering was not just physical. It had led to the distress of his soul as well. "How long?"expresses the frustration he felt.

 2. Prayer for deliverance 6:4-5

6:4 David appealed for deliverance from his ailment first claiming God's loyal love to him. God had promised to bless David and had delivered him many times before. The king besought Him to prove faithful to His character and save him again.

6:5 The second reason David cited was this. If he died he could not give God public praise for delivering him, and God would therefore not receive honor among His people as He would if He spared David's life. Believers in David's time had some revelation of life after death (cf. Job 19:25). David's expression here does not deny that knowledge. He was saying God would lose praise among the living if David died. Sheol was the place where Old Testament saints believed the spirits of the dead went. This term often occurs in the Old Testament as a synonym for death and the grave.

 3. Lament over illness 6:6-7

David described his condition in extreme (hyperbolic) language to indicate how terrible he felt. Evidently his adversaries had been responsible for his condition to some extent, perhaps by inflicting a wound.

 4. Assurance of recovery 6:8-10

Apparently David received an answer to his petition. It may have come through a prophet or just the inner conviction that he would recover. In any case he closed the psalm with a warning to his adversaries (v. 7) to get out of his way. He was on the mend and would frustrate their attempts to supplant him. Jesus may have quoted the first part of this verse to Satan (Matt. 7:23).

Physical sickness is sometimes, but not always, chastening from the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 11:30; 1 John 5:16; Job 1-2). God does not always grant recovery to His saints. Consequently believers should not use this psalm to claim physical healing from the Lord. Nevertheless sometimes God does remove His hand of chastening in response to prayer (cf. Exod. 32:9-14; James 5:13-16). This psalm is a good example of a prayer for deliverance based on the grace (v. 2), loyal love (v. 4), and glory (v. 5) of God. God will or will not grant all such petitions ultimately on the basis of His sovereign will (Mark 14:36).