A Prayer of Faith in Time of Distress

To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. (A)On [a]an eight-stringed harp. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, (B)do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;
O Lord, (C)heal me, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is greatly (D)troubled;
But You, O Lord—how long?

Return, O Lord, deliver me!
Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!
(E)For in death there is no remembrance of You;
In the grave who will give You thanks?

I am weary with my groaning;
[b]All night I make my bed swim;
I drench my couch with my tears.
(F)My eye wastes away because of grief;
It grows old because of all my enemies.

(G)Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;
For the Lord has (H)heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my supplication;
The Lord will receive my prayer.
10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;
Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 6:1 Heb. sheminith
  2. Psalm 6:6 Or Every night

Psalm 6

Do Not Rebuke Me in Your Anger

Heading

For the choir director. With stringed instruments.
According to sheminith.[a] A psalm by David.

Anxious Prayer

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger.
Do not discipline me in your wrath.
Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am fading away.
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are trembling,
and my soul is terrified.
But you, O Lord—how long?
Turn, O Lord, and deliver my soul.
Save me because of your mercy.
For in death no one remembers you.
In the grave who praises you?
I am worn out from my groaning.
I flood my bed all night long.
With my tears I drench my couch.
My eyes are blurred by sorrow.
They are worn out because of all my foes.

Confident Trust

Turn away from me, all you evildoers,
because the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord accepts my prayer.
10 They will be put to shame.
All my enemies will be terrified.
They will turn back.
They will be put to shame in an instant.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 6:1 Sheminith seems to be derived from the Hebrew word for eight. It may refer to an eight-stringed instrument, to the bass voice, to low-pitched stringed instruments, or, most likely, to a method for tuning a stringed instrument (1 Chronicles 15:21).