The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 6
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
Tap Fathers under a verse to read what the saints said about it.
For the end, a Psalm of David among the Hymns for the eighth.
Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ἐν ὕμνοις ὑπὲρ τῆς ὀγδόης, ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυίδ.
O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath, Neither chasten me in thine anger.
Κύριε, μὴ τῷ θυμῷ σου ἐλέγξῃς με, μηδὲ τῇ ὀργῇ σου παιδεύσῃς με.
In fear of which condemnation the Church prays in this Psalm, and says, "Reprove me not, O Lord, in Your anger". The Apostle too mentions the anger of the judgment; "You treasure up unto yourself," he says, "anger against the day of the anger of the just judgment of God." [Romans 2:5] In which he would not be…
Pity me, O Lord; for I am weak: Heal me, O Lord; for my bones are vexed.
Ἐλέησόν με Κύριε, ὅτι ἀσθενής εἰμι· ἴασαί με Κύριε, ὅτι ἐταράχθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου.
He proceeds accordingly to say, "Pity me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled", that is, the support of my soul, or strength: for this is the meaning of "bones." The soul therefore says, that her strength is troubled, when she speaks of bones. For it is not to be supposed, that the soul…
My soul also is grievously vexed: But thou, O Lord, how long?
Καὶ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐταράχθη σφόδρα· καὶ σὺ Κύριε ἕως πότε;
Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: Save me for thy mercy’s sake.
Ἐπίστρεψον Κύριε, ῥῦσαι τὴν ψυχήν μου· σῶσόν με ἕνεκεν τοῦ ἐλέους σου,
"Turn, O Lord, and deliver my soul". Turning herself she prays that God too would turn to her: as it is said, "Turn ye unto Me, and I will turn unto you, says the Lord." [Zechariah 1:3] Or is it to be understood according to that way of speaking, "Turn, O Lord," that is make me turn, since the soul in this her turning…
For in death no man remembers thee: And who will give thee thanks in Hades?
ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ ὁ μνημονεύων σου, ἐν δὲ τῷ ᾅδῃ τίς ἐξομολογήσεταί σοι;
"For in death there is no one that is mindful of You". He knows too that now is the time for turning unto God: for when this life shall have passed away, there remains but a retribution of our deserts. "But in hell who shall confess to You?" [Luke xvi] That rich man, of whom the Lord speaks, who saw Lazarus in rest,…
I am wearied with my groaning; I shall wash my bed every night; I shall water my couch with my tears.
Ἐκοπίασα ἐν στεναγμῷ μου, λούσω καθʼ ἑκάστην νύκτα τὴν κλίνην μου, ἐν δάκρυσί μου τὴν στρωμνήν μου βρέξω.
Wherefore he goes on to say, "I have laboured in my groaning." And as if this availed but little, he adds, "I will wash each night my couch". That is here called a couch, where the sick and weak soul rests, that is, in bodily gratification and in every worldly pleasure. Which pleasure, whoso endeavours to withdraw…
Mine eye is troubled because of my wrath; I am worn out because of all my enemies.
Ἐταράχθη ἀπὸ θυμοῦ ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου, ἐπαλαιώθην ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς μου.
"My eye is disordered by anger": is it by his own, or God's anger, in which he makes petition that he might not be reproved, or chastened? But if anger in that place intimate the day of judgment, how can it be understood now? Is it a beginning of it, that men here suffer pains and torments, and above all the loss of…
Depart from me, all ye that work iniquity; For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
Ἀπόστητε ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν, ὅτι εἰσήκουσε Κύριος τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ κλαυθμοῦ μου.
Wherefore after the labour, and groaning, and very frequent showers of tears, since that cannot be ineffectual, which is asked so earnestly of Him, who is the Fountain of all mercies, and it is most truly said, "the Lord is near unto them that are of a broken heart:" after difficulties so great, the pious soul, by…
The Lord has hearkened to my petition; The Lord has accepted my prayer.
Εἰσήκουσε Κύριος τῆς δεήσεώς μου, Κύριος τὴν προσευχήν μου προσεδέξατο.
Let all mine enemies be put to shame and sore troubled: Let them be turned back and grievously put to shame speedily.
Αἰσχυνθείησαν καὶ ταραχθείησαν σφόδρα πάντες οἱ ἐχθροί μου, ἐπιστραφείησαν καὶ αἰσχυνθείησαν σφόδρα διὰ τάχους.
"Let all mine enemies be ashamed and vexed". He said above, "depart from me all you:" which can take place, as it has been explained, even in this life: but as to what he says, "let them be ashamed and vexed," I do not see how it can happen, save on that day when the rewards of the righteous and the punishments of the…
Every note is a real passage, quoted word for word from a published English translation, with its source. Nothing here is summarised or written by us. Some verses have many notes and some have none, because the Fathers wrote more on some passages than others.
All of these translations are in the public domain. The passages were matched to their verses by the Historical Christian Commentaries project, which also hosts the full texts we link to. The Fathers are a treasury of the Church's mind, and they are best read alongside the life of the Church: if a passage raises a question, bring it to your priest.