לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת עַל־הַשְּׁמִינִית מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃   6:1

Psal. 6:1   For the musician with stringed instruments, on the eight-stringed lyre; a psalm of

David's.

יְהוָה אַל־בְּאַפְּךָ תוֹכִיחֵנִי וְאַל־בַּחֲמָתְךָ תְיַסְּרֵנִי׃   6:2

Psal. 6:2   O Lord, would You not cause me to be rebuked in Your “anger,”

                             and would You not chasten me in Your “wrath?”

חָנֵּנִי יְהוָה כִּי אֻמְלַל אָנִי רְפָאֵנִי יְהוָה כִּי נִבְהֲלוּ עֲצָמָי׃   6:3

Psal. 6:3   Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am ailing.

                            Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are trembling.

וְנַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָה מְאֹד (וְאַתְּ) [וְאַתָּה] יְהוָה עַד־מָתָי׃   6:4

Psal. 6:4   Also my soul is trembling greatly.

                            So You, O Lord, until when!

This verse contains a poignant cry for early rescue in its second line.  David calls to the Lord, how much longer

must I wait!  Notice that the word in parentheses is missing a final heh.  The correction is in the brackets.

שׁוּבָה יְהוָה חַלְּצָה נַפְשִׁי הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ׃   6:5

Psal. 6:5   Return, O Lord, deliver my soul!

                                    Save me out of Your mercy!

כִּי אֵין בַּמָּוֶת זִכְרֶךָ בִּשְׁאוֹל מִי יוֹדֶה־לָּךְ׃   6:6

Psal. 6:6   For in death there is no memory of You.

                            In the nether world who gives thanks to You?

From this verse it might be surmised that David didn’t believe in the afterlife.  The popular belief of the time seems

to have been that the soul resides in the netherworld until the righteous souls are brought into God’s presence.

יָגַעְתִּי בְּאַנְחָתִי אַשְׂחֶה בְכָל־לַיְלָה מִטָּתִי בְּדִמְעָתִי עַרְשִׂי אַמְסֶה׃   6:7

Psal. 6:7   I am weary with my groaning.

                          Must I inundate my bed every night?

                  Must I melt my couch with my tears?

עָשְׁשָׁה מִכַּעַס עֵינִי עָתְקָה בְּכָל־צוֹרְרָי׃   6:8

Psal. 6:8   My eye is dimmed by vexation;

                           it grows old with all my distress.

סוּרוּ מִמֶּנִּי כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן כִּי־שָׁמַע יְהוָה קוֹל בִּכְיִי׃   6:9

Psal. 6:9   Depart from me, all you workers of affliction!

                            For the Lord hears the sound of my weeping.

שָׁמַע יְהוָה תְּחִנָּתִי יְהוָה תְּפִלָּתִי יִקָּח׃   6:10

Psal. 6:10   The Lord hears my supplication;

                           the Lord can receive my prayer.

יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיִבָּהֲלוּ מְאֹד כָּל־אֹיְבָי יָשֻׁבוּ יֵבֹשׁוּ רָגַע׃   6:11

Psal. 6:11   My enemies shall be ashamed and greatly dismayed;

                                     they shall turn back, shall be suddenly confounded.

I can imagine the music that might accompanied this psalm.  Dramatic sounds of anguish as only a lyre may provide!

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