Psalm 6
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 6
A Prayer for Mercy
For the choir director: with stringed instruments, according to Sheminith.(A) A Davidic psalm.
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger;
do not discipline me in Your wrath.(B)
2 Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am weak;[a](C)
heal me,(D) Lord, for my bones are shaking;(E)
3 my whole being is shaken with terror.(F)
And You, Lord—how long?(G)
4 Turn, Lord! Rescue me;
save me because of Your faithful love.(H)
5 For there is no remembrance of You in death;
who can thank You in Sheol?(I)
6 I am weary from my groaning;(J)
with my tears I dampen my pillow[b]
and drench my bed every night.(K)
7 My eyes are swollen from grief;(L)
they[c] grow old because of all my enemies.
Psalm 6
Contemporary English Version
(A psalm by David for the music leader. Use stringed instruments.[a])
A Prayer in Time of Trouble
1 (A) Don't punish me, Lord,
or even correct me
when you are angry!
2 Have pity on me and heal
my feeble body.
My bones tremble with fear,
3 and I am in deep distress.
How long will it be?
4 Turn and come to my rescue.
Show your wonderful love
and save me, Lord.
5 If I die, I cannot praise you
or even remember you.
6 My groaning has worn me out.
At night my bed and pillow
are soaked with tears.
7 Sorrow has made my eyes dim,
and my sight has failed
because of my enemies.
8 (B) You, Lord, heard my crying,
and those hateful people
had better leave me alone.
9 You have answered my prayer
and my plea for mercy.
10 My enemies will be ashamed
and terrified,
as they quickly run away
in complete disgrace.
Footnotes
- Psalm 6 instruments: The Hebrew text adds “according to the sheminith,” which may refer to a musical instrument with eight strings.
Psalm 6
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Prayer for Recovery from Grave Illness
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
6 O Lord, rebuke me not in thy anger,
nor chasten me in thy wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
3 My soul also is sorely troubled.
But thou, O Lord—how long?
4 Turn, O Lord, save my life;
deliver me for the sake of thy steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee;
in Sheol who can give thee praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief,
it grows weak because of all my foes.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil;
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my supplication;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and sorely troubled;
they shall turn back, and be put to shame in a moment.
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The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.