Psalm Category: Psalm of Penitence or Individual Lament

Key Word: Grave (Sheol). This word is widely used in the Old Testament and has a broad semantic range. It may be translated as grave, pit, or hell. There is great debate among scholars as to the exact meaning of Sheol, but what is clear is that it is a place for the dead. Our comfort comes in knowing that we will not be abandoned to Sheol, because Jesus conquered death through His resurrection (Ps. 16:10).

Central Thought: Psalm 6 reminds us of the devastating impact that unrepentant sin can have on our whole being. It also tells us that the way to relieve our anguish is to go to our merciful and loving God.

Psalm 6

Psalm 6 takes us on a journey from anguish to assurance. The psalmist’s assurance, like ours, ultimately rests in the reality that God hears and answers the prayers of His people.

The Depths of Despair (vv. 1-3, 6-8). The psalm begins with its writer in anguish, but the source of his anguish is not clear. Traditionally, this psalm has been interpreted as a penitential psalm; therefore, the psalmist’s anguish has been attributed to unrepentant sin. However, the absence of an actual confession of sin has led many commentators to suggest alternative sources. These include physical sickness, mental depression, and attacking enemies. It is my suggestion that sin is the nucleus of the psalmist’s suffering, and these other distresses are manifestations of his struggle with sin.

Verse 1 supports the view that sin is the heart of the problem, because the psalmist implies that he deserves rebuke and discipline. Verses 2-3 demonstrate the pervasive power of sin. His sin has an impact on his whole existence, as evidenced by the use of the words “bones” (physical) and “soul” (entire being).

Verses 6-8 provide further details regarding the psalmist’s suffering. He is worn out and groaning. He has cried so much that his bed is flooded and his eyes are weak. This suffering culminates in the desperate cry of the penitent, “How long, O Lord?”

Is this your cry today? Are you suffering under the weight of unrepentant sin? Don’t run from God, but rather run to Him. Follow the pattern of the psalmist. He is fearful of rebuke, but also expectant of mercy. Most importantly, the psalmist’s life is God-centered. He mentions the name “Lord” four times in the first three verses. He understands that he is in covenant with the Lord and that sin must be dealt with for that relationship to thrive. The same is true for us; therefore go to Him and cry, “Be merciful!”

A Plea for Salvation (vv. 4-5). In verse 4, the writer cries out for deliverance. He strikingly addresses God with three imperatives: turn, deliver me, and save me. Don’t mistake this as irreverence. It is further evidence that the psalmist recognizes that he is in covenant with the Lord. He understands that his only hope rests in his God.

The psalmist provides two reasons why God should deliver him. The first reason is God’s unfailing covenant love. In essence, the psalmist is contending that God must deliver him to preserve His reputation as a graceful God.

Second, the psalmist argues that a dead man cannot praise God. This should not be construed as a denial of the afterlife. Remember, the psalms are poetic, and the psalmist is using hyperbolic language here to incline God to deliver him. In essence, the psalmist is trying to plead with God by saying, “If You don’t deliver me, You will have one less worshiper.”

The Assurance of Pardon (vv. 9-10). The psalm takes a radical turn in the last section. The psalmist expresses both a present assurance of being heard and a future assurance that his enemies will be ashamed. What causes this radical shift toward assurance? One possible explanation is that by contemplating God’s character, the psalmist became assured of his deliverance. A second possibility is that a temple servant or priest declared to the psalmist that God heard his prayer (known as an “oracle of salvation”). In this context, the psalmist would understand this declaration as confirmation that his sins are forgiven.

People of God, if unrepentant sin has you in the midst of despair, anguish, and suffering, then cast yourselves on God’s unfailing love displayed in Jesus. It is Jesus, our great High Priest, who declares to us the great oracle of salvation that our sins are forgiven (1 John 1:9). It is only when we relinquish our lives to Him that we can travel out of anguish and into assurance.

––Anthony T. Selvaggio