Verse 1
"To the conductor, with instruments, upon the Sheminith, a psalm of David."
"To the conductor" means the leader of the music. "With instruments" means the psalm was meant to be sung with musical accompaniment. "Sheminith" is likely a musical term. "A psalm of David" means a sacred song connected to King David.
Verse 2
"Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, and do not discipline me in Your wrath."
"Rebuke" means correct or criticize strongly. "Discipline" means teach through hardship. David does not deny that he needs correction, but he asks God not to punish him with severe anger.
Verse 3
"Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak; heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaken."
"Have mercy" means show compassion. "I am weak" means David feels broken and without strength. "My bones are shaken" describes deep fear and pain, not only in the body but in the whole person.
Verse 4
"And my soul is greatly shaken; and You, Lord, how long?"
"My soul" means my inner self. "Greatly shaken" means frightened, disturbed, and overwhelmed. "How long?" is the cry of someone who feels the suffering has gone on too long.
Verse 5
"Return, Lord, rescue my soul; save me for the sake of Your kindness."
"Return" means turn back toward me with mercy. "Rescue my soul" means save my life and my inner self. "Your kindness" means God’s loyal love and compassion.
Verse 6
"For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave, who will thank You?"
David says that he wants to live in order to praise God. "Remembrance" means speaking of God and remembering His goodness. "The grave" here means the place of death and silence.
Verse 7
"I am worn out with my sighing; every night I soak my bed; with my tears, I flood my couch."
"Worn out" means exhausted. "Sighing" means deep groaning from pain. The image of tears soaking the bed shows extreme sadness and a long night of crying.
Verse 8
"My eye wastes away from grief; it grows weak because of all my foes."
"My eye wastes away" means crying and sorrow have weakened him. "Grief" means deep sadness. "Foes" means enemies. David’s pain is both inner sorrow and pressure from outside.
Verse 9
"Depart from me, all workers of iniquity, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping."
"Depart from me" means go away. "Workers of iniquity" means people who do evil. Here the psalm changes direction: David is no longer only crying; he becomes confident that God has heard him.
Verse 10
"The Lord Has Heard My Plea; the Lord will receive my prayer."
"Plea" means a deep request for mercy. "Receive my prayer" means God accepts and listens to it. This is the turning point of the chapter: pain becomes faith.
Verse 11
"All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly shaken; they will turn back and be ashamed suddenly."
"Ashamed" means their evil will fail and be exposed. "Greatly shaken" means they will be frightened and confused. "Turn back" means they will retreat. David trusts that God will reverse the situation.
Psalm 6 teaches that tears are not the end of faith. A person can bring weakness, fear, and sorrow before God, and still rise with the certainty that the Lord has heard his plea.