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

A Prayer for Mercy in Troubled Times

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. By the sheminith. A song of David.

Lord, don’t correct me when you are angry.
    Don’t punish me when you are very angry.
Lord, be kind to me because I am weak.
    Heal me, Lord, because my bones ache.
I am very upset.
    Lord, how long will it be?

Lord, return and save me.
    Save me because of your kindness.
Dead people don’t remember you.
    Those in the grave don’t praise you.

I am tired of crying to you.
    Every night my bed is wet with tears.
    My bed is soaked from my crying.
My eyes are weak from so much crying.
    They are weak from crying about my enemies.

Get away from me, all you who do evil.
    The Lord has heard my crying.
The Lord has heard my cry for help.
    The Lord will answer my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed and troubled.
    They will turn and suddenly leave in shame.

O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long?

Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.

For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.

Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.

The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.

10 Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.