Psalms 6:1

1 To the overcomer in psalms, the psalm of David, on the eighth. Lord, reprove thou not me in thy strong vengeance; neither chastise thou me in thine ire. (To the overcomer, in songs, the song of David, on the eighth. Lord, do not thou condemn me in thy fury; nor chastise thou me in thy anger.)

Psalms 6:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 6:1

O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger,
The Lord sometimes rebukes or reproves men by his spirit, and sometimes by his word and ministers, and sometimes by his providences, and that on account of sin; to bring to a sense and acknowledgment of it; and particularly for remissness in duty, or neglect of it; and for trusting in the creature, or in any outward enjoyment, boasting of it, and loving it too much; and these rebukes of his own people are always in love, and never in wrath, though they sometimes fear they are; see ( Psalms 88:7 Psalms 88:16 ) ( Lamentations 3:1 ) ; and therefore deprecate them, as the psalmist here does; not the thing itself, but the manner in which it is apprehended it is done, or doing;

neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure;
when God chastens his own people it is not in a way of vindictive wrath, or as a proper punishment for sin; for this would be contrary to Christ's suretyship engagements and performances, and to the doctrine of his satisfaction for sin; it would draw a veil over it, and render it of none effect; it would be contrary to the justice of God to punish both surety and principal; and to the everlasting love of God to them, in which he always rests, and from which there can be no separation; nor would they be dealt with as children; and besides would be condemned with the world, and killed with the second death; whereas they will not, though chastened of God, it is the chastening of a father, is very instructive to them, and is always for their good, spiritual and eternal; is in measure, in judgment, and in love; and never in fury and hot displeasure; but this being feared, is deprecated.

Psalms 6:1 In-Context

1 To the overcomer in psalms, the psalm of David, on the eighth. Lord, reprove thou not me in thy strong vengeance; neither chastise thou me in thine ire. (To the overcomer, in songs, the song of David, on the eighth. Lord, do not thou condemn me in thy fury; nor chastise thou me in thy anger.)
2 Lord, have thou mercy on me, for I am sick (for I am weak, or feeble); Lord, make thou me whole, for all my bones be troubled.
3 And my soul is troubled greatly; but thou, Lord, how long? (And my soul is greatly troubled; but thou, O Lord, how long shalt thou wait?)
4 Lord, be thou converted/be thou turned again, and deliver my soul; make thou me safe, for thy mercy. (Lord, return thou, and rescue my soul; save thou me, in thy mercy/for the sake of thy love.)
5 For none there is in death, that is mindful of thee; but in hell who shall acknowledge to thee? (For there is no one among the dead, who remembereth thee; who shall praise thee in Sheol, or the land of the dead?/who shall praise thee in the grave?)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.