Psalm 6: A Prayer for Mercy
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Psalm 6 is a penitential prayer.
David is suffering physically, and his enemies are taunting him.
Surely he must be a sinner for God to be punishing him with such pain (v. 1, 2).
“In his anguish the psalmist assumes that God is displeased with him and therefore chastises him. The psalmist pleads that his well-deserved rebuke may be in mercy, not in anger (see Jer. 10:24).” David pleads with God to be merciful, for he is extremely weak.
The pain reaches his very bones (v. 2).
Even more painful than physical suffering is mental distress.
Is God displeased with him? How long must he endure the Lord’s anger (v. 3)? It appears God has forsaken him. Christ asked the same question from the cross: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). David begs for mercy (v. 4).
He reminds God that in death, there is no consciousness (v. 5).
“This verse constitutes evidence against the doctrine of a conscious intermediate state between death and the resurrection (see Ps. 88:10; 146:4; Isa. 38:18).” All night David weeps in physical and mental pain (v. 6). His enemies say he is finally getting what he deserves (v. 7).
Verse 8 sees a sudden transition in David’s mood.
“Light breaks suddenly on the darkness as if the sun had burst forth in the blackness of a moonless midnight. Faith triumphs; and by faith, seeing his enemies scattered, the psalmist commands them to leave. This is faith in action.” David is at peace, knowing that his troublers will be brought to justice (v. 9). Psalm 6 “should bring special comfort to the one who is afflicted with intense, seemingly incurable, physical or mental distress. ‘Prayer changes things.’” “When all my labors and trials are o’er, / And I am safe on that beautiful shore, / Just to be near the dear Lord I adore, / Will through the ages be glory for me.”
