Psalms

Psalm 6:1–7

¹For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments, according to Sheminith.^a A Psalm of David.

O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger

or discipline me in Your wrath.

²Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am frail;

heal me, O LORD, for my bones are in agony.

³My soul is deeply distressed.

How long, O LORD, how long?

⁴Turn, O LORD, and deliver my soul;

save me because of Your loving devotion.

⁵For there is no mention of You in death;

who can praise You from Sheol?

⁶I am weary from groaning;

all night I flood my bed with weeping

and drench my couch with tears.

⁷My eyes fail from grief;

they grow dim because of all my foes.

Footnotes

a 6:1 Sheminithis probably a musical term; here and in 1 Chronicles 15:21|1CH 15:21and Psalm 12:1.

Read all of Psalm 6

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 6:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
With stringed instruments	בִּ֭נְגִינוֹת	bin·ḡî·nō·wṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural	H5058 music
according to	עַֽל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Sheminith	הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית	haš·šə·mî·nîṯ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H8067 eight-stringed lyre
A Psalm	מִזְמ֥וֹר	miz·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H4210 melody
of David	לְדָוִֽד׃	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
O LORD	יְֽהוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
rebuke me	תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי	ṯō·w·ḵî·ḥê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H3198 decide, adjudge, prove
in Your anger	בְּאַפְּךָ֥	bə·’ap·pə·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H639 nostril, nose, face, anger
or	וְֽאַל־	wə·’al-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
discipline me	תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי׃	ṯə·yas·sə·rê·nî	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H3256 discipline, chasten, admonish
in Your wrath	בַּחֲמָתְךָ֥	ba·ḥă·mā·ṯə·ḵā	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2534 heat, rage

Psalm 6:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Be merciful to me	חָנֵּ֥נִי	ḥān·nê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H2603 shew favour, be gracious
O LORD	יְהוָה֮	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
for	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I	אָ֥נִי	’ā·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am frail	אֻמְלַ֫ל	’um·lal	Adjective - masculine singular	H536 feeble
heal me	רְפָאֵ֥נִי	rə·p̄ā·’ê·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H7495 heal
O LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
for	כִּ֖י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
my bones	עֲצָמָֽי׃	‘ă·ṣā·māy	Noun - feminine plural construct; first person common singular	H6106 bone, substance, self
are in agony	נִבְהֲל֣וּ	niḇ·hă·lū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H926 alarm, dismay

Psalm 6:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My soul	וְ֭נַפְשִׁי	wə·nap̄·šî	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
is deeply distressed	נִבְהֲלָ֣ה	niḇ·hă·lāh	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H926 alarm, dismay
How long	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
O	וְאַתְּ	wə·ʾat	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
LORD	יְ֝הוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
how long	מָתָֽי׃	mā·ṯāy	Interrogative	H4970 when?

Psalm 6:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Turn	שׁוּבָ֣ה	šū·ḇāh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H7725 turn back, return
O LORD	יְ֭הוָה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
deliver	חַלְּצָ֣ה	ḥal·lə·ṣāh	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H2502 draw off or out, withdraw
my soul	נַפְשִׁ֑י	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
save me	ה֝וֹשִׁיעֵ֗נִי	hō·wō·šî·‘ê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H3467 deliver
because of	לְמַ֣עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Preposition	H4616 purpose, intent
Your loving devotion	חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃	ḥas·de·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2617 goodness, kindness

Psalm 6:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
there is no	אֵ֣ין	’ên	Adverb	H369 nothing, nought
mention of You	זִכְרֶ֑ךָ	ziḵ·re·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2143 remembrance, memorial
in death	בַּמָּ֣וֶת	bam·mā·weṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4194 death
who	מִ֣י	mî	Interrogative	H4310 who?
can praise	יֽוֹדֶה־	yō·w·ḏeh-	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3034 throw, cast
You	לָּֽךְ׃	lāḵ	Preposition; second person feminine singular
from Sheol	בִּ֝שְׁא֗וֹל	biš·’ō·wl	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular	H7585 underworld

Psalm 6:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I am weary	יָגַ֤עְתִּי׀	yā·ḡa‘·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H3021 toil, grow or be weary
from groaning	בְּֽאַנְחָתִ֗י	bə·’an·ḥā·ṯî	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H585 sighing, groaning
all	בְכָל־	ḇə·ḵāl-	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
night	לַ֭יְלָה	lay·lāh	Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
I flood	אַשְׂחֶ֣ה	’aś·ḥeh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H7811 swim
my bed with	מִטָּתִ֑י	miṭ·ṭā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H4296 couch, bed
drench	אַמְסֶֽה׃	’am·seh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H4529 melt, dissolve, be liquefied
my couch	עַרְשִׂ֥י	‘ar·śî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H6210 couch, divan
with tears	בְּ֝דִמְעָתִ֗י	bə·ḏim·‘ā·ṯî	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H1832 tears

Psalm 6:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
My eyes	עֵינִ֑י	‘ê·nî	Noun - common singular construct; first person common singular	H5869 eye
fail	עָֽשְׁשָׁ֣ה	‘ā·šə·šāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H6244 waste away
from grief	מִכַּ֣עַס	mik·ka·‘as	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H3708 vexation, anger
they grow dim	עָֽ֝תְקָ֗ה	‘ā·ṯə·qāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H6275 move, proceed, advance
because of all	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
my foes	צוֹרְרָֽי׃	ṣō·wr·rāy	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H6887 bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped