Old Testament Commentary - Psalms 6

by Don R. Hender

If one has ever sore repented before the Lord and has felt that the spirit and blessings of the Lord have departed from them, then they can associate some similar feeling with David as he attempts to repent and shares his own pleadings and inner feelings toward his attempt to repent and become reconciled unto the Lord. What might be well mentioned is that David's sins were of grave consequence, perhaps greater than those which most have committed. And while David does likely obtain a degree of recompense and recognition upon the part of the Lord, David's sins were of the nature that he would have lost his great reward in the eternities to come and would obtain such as that lesser reward which he still might qualify for.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

CHAPTER 6
David cries unto the Lord for mercy—He asks to be healed and saved.

To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.

1 O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am ^aweak: O LORD, ^bheal me; for my bones are vexed.
3 My soul is also sore vexed^a: but thou, O LORD, how long?^a
4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
3^a My soul is also sore vexed ... how long? Joseph Smith experienced a sore repentance and vexation of his soul and the withdrawal of that spirit which he had possessed when the first 116 pages of the translation of the Book of Mormon was lost and the angel took the records from him. He did fear that he had been cast off forever from the work he had been called upon by the Lord to perform. Joseph's suffering was sore and his soul was vexed but only for a season. King David's soul and vexation would have likely haunted him for the rest of his life, for he had lost the greatest reward of God, the Celestial Kingdom. And his wives would be taken from him and given to another. David's case is a very bitter-sweet circumstance. When most would have rebelled against the Lord as did Cain and others, David relentlessly pursued the Lord and tried to hold fast to him. For as in the words of the Apostles of the Lord, 'where else are we to go?' On the one hand, despite David's sore repentance, which was necessary to obtain the degree of forgiveness which David would evetually have obtained, David would never regain that position in the Kingdom of God, which he was once bound for and a possible heir of. David is one who knows what could have been his and never will be. He will live with that forever. Yet through the mercies of God, David will gain a reward and a peace and a kingdom of glory, though it be of the lesser glory that what could have been.

5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the ^agrave who shall give thee thanks?
6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my ^atears.
7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

8 Depart from me, all ye workers of ^ainiquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.
9 The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.
10 Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 6 David cries unto the Lord for mercy—He asks to be healed and saved.
To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David.
1 O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am ^aweak: O LORD, ^bheal me; for my bones are vexed. 3 My soul is also sore vexed^a: but thou, O LORD, how long?^a 4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.	3^a My soul is also sore vexed ... how long? Joseph Smith experienced a sore repentance and vexation of his soul and the withdrawal of that spirit which he had possessed when the first 116 pages of the translation of the Book of Mormon was lost and the angel took the records from him. He did fear that he had been cast off forever from the work he had been called upon by the Lord to perform. Joseph's suffering was sore and his soul was vexed but only for a season. King David's soul and vexation would have likely haunted him for the rest of his life, for he had lost the greatest reward of God, the Celestial Kingdom. And his wives would be taken from him and given to another. David's case is a very bitter-sweet circumstance. When most would have rebelled against the Lord as did Cain and others, David relentlessly pursued the Lord and tried to hold fast to him. For as in the words of the Apostles of the Lord, 'where else are we to go?' On the one hand, despite David's sore repentance, which was necessary to obtain the degree of forgiveness which David would evetually have obtained, David would never regain that position in the Kingdom of God, which he was once bound for and a possible heir of. David is one who knows what could have been his and never will be. He will live with that forever. Yet through the mercies of God, David will gain a reward and a peace and a kingdom of glory, though it be of the lesser glory that what could have been.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the ^agrave who shall give thee thanks? 6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my ^atears. 7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
8 Depart from me, all ye workers of ^ainiquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. 9 The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. 10 Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.