Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.

For the choir director; with stringed instruments, [a]upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, (A)do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor chasten me in Your wrath.
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am (B)pining away;
(C)Heal me, O Lord, for (D)my bones are dismayed.
And my (E)soul is greatly dismayed;
But You, O Lord(F)how long?

Return, O Lord, (G)rescue my [b]soul;
Save me because of Your lovingkindness.
For (H)there is no [c]mention of You in death;
In [d]Sheol who will give You thanks?

I am (I)weary with my sighing;
Every night I make my bed swim,
I dissolve my couch with (J)my tears.
My (K)eye has wasted away with grief;
It has become old because of all my adversaries.

(L)Depart from me, all you who do iniquity,
For the Lord (M)has heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord (N)has heard my supplication,
The Lord (O)receives my prayer.
10 All my enemies will (P)be ashamed and greatly dismayed;
They shall [e]turn back, they will (Q)suddenly be ashamed.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 6:1 Or according to a lower octave (Heb Sheminith)
  2. Psalm 6:4 Or life
  3. Psalm 6:5 Or remembrance
  4. Psalm 6:5 I.e. the nether world
  5. Psalm 6:10 Or again be ashamed suddenly

Psalm 6[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[b] A psalm of David.

Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger(A)
    or discipline me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me,(B) Lord, for I am faint;(C)
    heal me,(D) Lord, for my bones are in agony.(E)
My soul is in deep anguish.(F)
    How long,(G) Lord, how long?

Turn,(H) Lord, and deliver me;
    save me because of your unfailing love.(I)
Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
    Who praises you from the grave?(J)

I am worn out(K) from my groaning.(L)

All night long I flood my bed with weeping(M)
    and drench my couch with tears.(N)
My eyes grow weak(O) with sorrow;
    they fail because of all my foes.

Away from me,(P) all you who do evil,(Q)
    for the Lord has heard my weeping.
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;(R)
    the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;(S)
    they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.(T)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-10 is numbered 6:2-11.
  2. Psalm 6:1 Title: Probably a musical term