Psalms 6:2

_HAVE MERCY UPON ME, O LORD; FOR I AM WEAK: O LORD, HEAL ME; FOR MY BONES ARE VEXED._ For I am weak - `faint' х_ 'UMLAL_ (H536), from _ 'AAMAL_ (H535), to droop as a plant]. David's plea is not that his sufferings are not deserved, but that his pain is in bringing him to that extremity from which God's fatherly mercy cannot but deliver His child. The believer is the object of God's love, even in thy sufferings, which God's anger at sin inflicts. When, then, he has been brought to the verge of his powers of endurance (1 Corinthians 10:13), God, who designs by sufferings to consume in him the remainders of sin, and not to destroy him as He does the ungodly, turns, and has mercy on him, in answer to his believing cry. HEAL ME - both, in body and spirit.

2._Have mercy upon me. _As he earnestly calls upon God to be merciful to him, it is from this the more clearly manifest, that by the terms _anger _and _indignation _he did not mean cruelty or undue severity, but only such judgment as God executes upon the reprobate, whom he does not spare in mercy as he does his own children. If he had complained of being unjustly and too severely punished, he would now have only added something to this effect: Restrain thyself, that in punishing me thou mayest not exceed the measure of my offense. In betaking himself, therefore, to the mercy of God alone, he shows that he desires nothing else than not to be dealt with according to strict justice, or as he deserved. In order to induce God to exercise his forgiving mercy towards him, he declares that he is ready to fail: _Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah, for I am weak _As I have said before, he calls himsel...

1-7 These verses speak the language of a heart truly humbled, of a broken and contrite spirit under great afflictions, sent to awaken conscience and mortify corruption. Sickness brought sin to his remembrance, and he looked upon it as a token of God's displeasure against him. The affliction of his body will be tolerable, if he has comfort in his soul. Christ's sorest complaint, in his sufferings, was of the trouble of his soul, and the want of his Father's smiles. Every page of Scripture proclaims the fact, that salvation is only of the Lord. Man is a sinner, his case can only be reached by mercy; and never is mercy more illustrious than in restoring backsliders. With good reason we may pray, that if it be the will of God, and he has any further work for us or our friends to do in this world, he will yet spare us or them to serve him. To depart and be with Christ is happiest for the sain...

Verse Psalms 6:2. _HAVE MERCY_] I have no _merit_. I deserve all I feel and all I fear. _O LORD, HEAL ME_] No earthly physician can cure my malady. _Body_ and _soul_ are both diseased, and only God can help me. _I AM WEAK_] אמלל _umlal_. I am _exceedingly weak_; I cannot take nourishment, and my strength is exhausted. _MY BONES ARE VEXED._] The disease hath entered into my bones....

HAVE MERCY UPON ME, O LORD - That is, be gracious to me; or, show me compassion. This language may be used either in view of sin, of suffering, or of danger. It is a cry to God to interpose, and remove some present source of trouble, and may be employed by one who feels that he is a sinner, or by one on a bed of pain, or by one surrounded by enemies, or by one at the point of death, or by one who is looking out with apprehension upon the eternal world. It is commonly, indeed (compare Psalms 51:1), a cry to God in view of sin, pleading for pardon and salvation; but here it is a cry in view of trouble and danger, outward sorrow and mental anguish, that had overcome the strength of the sufferer and laid him on a bed of languishing. See introduction to the psalm, Section 3. FOR I AM WEAK - The original word here,...

EXPOSITION This is the first of what have been called "the Penitential Psalms." It has been said that "there is much of grief in it, but nothing of penitence." The grief, however—such grief (see verse 6)—can scarcely be supposed to have arisen from any other source than consciousness of sin. dud grief of this kind is a main element in penitence. The title ascribes the psalm to David, and declares it to be addressed, like Psalms 4:1; "to the Chief Musician on Neginoth," by which we are probably to understand that it is intended to be set to an accompaniment of stringed instruments (see introductory paragraph to Psalms 4:1.). The further statement, that it is to be "upon Sheminith," is very obscure, but perhaps refers to some form of musical time (see Hengstenberg). The psalm seems to divide into fo

HAVE MERCY UPON ME, O LORD,.... He knew he was a sinner, both by original sin and actual transgression, which he was always ready to own; he knew that what he had done deserved the wrath of God, even his hot displeasure; and that for such things it came upon the children of disobedience: he knew that there was mercy with God through Christ, and therefore he flees unto it, pleads for it, and entreats the manifestation of forgiving love: he pleads no merits of his own, nor makes any mention of former works of righteousness done by him, but throws himself upon the mercy of God in Christ; giving this as a reason, FOR I [AM] WEAK; either in body, through some disease upon him; or in soul, being enfeebled by sin, and so without spiritual strength to do that which was good of himself; to exercise grace, and perform duty, and much less to keep the law of God, or make atonement for sin, or to be...

Here the psalmist asks for a visit from God, for he is sick at heart, heavy and depressed. Be very thankful if that is not your case; but if it is, be very grateful that here is a prayer ready-made for you. Here you are taught how to cry to God, and what to expect from him. If you are very sick and sad, you are not worse off than David was. Send for David's Physician; you cannot have a better doctor than the royal Physician. He who waited on King David is prepared to wait on you. Psalms 6:1. _O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger,_ «Rebuke me; it will do me good; I need it; but not in anger. Be gentle and tender with me: ‘Rebuke me not in thine anger.'» Psalms 6:1. _Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure._ «Chasten me; it may be that the rod will be very curative

Psalms 6 _ 1. The cry of repentance (Psalms 6:1)_ 2. In deep distress (Psalms 6:4) 3. Jehovah has heard (Psalms 6:8) Psalms 6:1. Here we have the deep soul exercise of the godly expressed. In the midst of the trials and sorrows they search their hearts. The persecution of the enemies is used under God to bring His people in the dust. And so they feel the trial and sorrow which passeth over them as divine displeasure against sin. They feel it is the chastening hand of God which rests heavily upon them. Perhaps bodily sickness is also indicated. They cry, Jeh

VI. A RIGHTEOUS MAN'S PRAYER IN DISTRESS. (_a_) Notice (Psalms 6:1) the recognition of the fact that suffering is not always the proof of guilt and of God's wrath. Sometimes it is sent to prove, correct, and purify the righteous. So here 1, Psalms 66:8; Job 6:17, and especially Proverbs 3:11 f.* (_b_) Reward or penalty, if they come at all, must, according to the general teaching of the Psalter, come in this life; the life beyond the grave is scarcely worthy of the name. The dead are gathered together in the subterranean pit of Sheol. They are cut off from the light of the world, and above all, from the light of God's presence and fro