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;

O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Title.-See the note on Title of Psa 4:1-8. Upon Sheminith - [feminine of Shªmiyniyt (H8067)], the eighth (Exodus 22:30).

Psalms 6 Neginoth; of which See Poole "". Upon Sheminith; or, upon the eighth. It is thought to be the shrillest or loftiest note, as alamoth is the lowest; of which see ,21; and, as some add, Muth-labben, Psalms 9$, the mean. But all this is only conjecture; and the Jews themselves have no certain knowledge of their own ancient music, and of the signification of the terms belonging to it. A Psalm of David: the occasion of the Psalm seems plainly to have been some grievous distress or disease of the body then upon him, accompanied also with great trouble of conscience for his sins, whereby he had brought it upon himself. David, being very weak and feeble, presenteth his misery before God, ; prayeth for his mercy and recovery, ; and being assured of a gracious hearing, triumphs over all his enemies, . Rebuke me not, i.e. do not chasten or correct me, as the next clause explains it, and as this word is frequently used, as . In thine anger; with rigour or severity, as my sins deserve, but with gentleness and moderation, 46:28, or so as it may not be the effect of thy strict justice or anger, but of thy mercy and faithfulness. Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure; the same thing repeated, after the manner.

Psalms 6:1 « To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. » O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.To the chief Musician on Neginoth] Upon Sheminith] Or, upon the eight, i.e. Intentissimo sono et clarissima voce, to be sung aloud. An eight is the highest note in music. See 1 Chronicles 15:21. Others say, that hereby is meant the bass and tenor, as fittest for a mourner. Ver. 1. O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger] In this and some other psalms David begins so heavily, ends so merrily, that one might think they had been composed by two men of a contrary humour, as Merlin observeth. Every new man is two men, Romans 7:9-25 The Shulamite hath in her, as it were, the company of two armies, Son 6:13. The Lord also chequereth his providence white and black, he speckleth his work (represented by those speckled horses, Zechariah 1:8). Mercies and crosses are interwoven. Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure] Chastened David desires to be, as Jeremiah 10:24 1 Corinthians 11:32 Hebrews 12:7-8; but in mercy, and in measure, 1 Corinthians 10:13. "Fury is not in me," saith God, however it may sometimes seem to be, Isaiah 27:4. Of furious people the philosopher giveth this character, that they are angry, 1. οιςουδει, against those whom they should not; 2. εφουδει, for matters they should not; 3. μαλλονηδει, more than they should be. But none of all these can be affirmed of God. Anger is not in him secundum affectum, but seemeth so to be secundum effectum, when he chideth and smiteth (as angry people use to do) when there is no other remedy, 2 Chronicles 36:13. His anger is in Scripture put, 1. For his threatenings, Hosea 11:9 Jonah 3:10 2. For his punishments, Matthew 3:7 Romans 2:8. But as God therefore threateneth that he may not punish, Amos 6:12, so in the midst of judgment he remembereth mercy, and it soon repenteth him concerning his people.

(1) O Lord, rebuke me not.—Repeated with change of one word in Psalms 38:1. The sublime thought that pain and sorrow are a discipline of love might be found in these words (as in Psalms 94:12; Proverbs 3:11-12; Jeremiah 10:24; Hebrews 12:3; Hebrews 12:11; Revelation 3:19), did not the context show that the sufferer in this case is praying for the chastisement to be altogether removed.

PSALM VI This Psalm contains a deprecation of eternal vengeance, 1; a petition to God for mercy, 2. This is enforced from a consideration of the psalmist's sufferings, 3; from that of the Divine mercy, 4; from that of the praise and glory which God would fail to receive if man were destroyed, 5; from that of his humiliation and contrition, 6, 7. Being successful in his supplication, he exults in God, 8, 9; and predicts the downfall of all his enemies, 10. NOTES ON PSALM VI This Psalm has the following inscription: To the chief Musician on Neginoth, upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David; which the Chaldee translates, "To be sung on neginoth, a harp of eight strings." The various interpretations given to this inscription, both by ancients and moderns, show us that nothing is known concerning it. We have already seen that neginoth probably signifies all instruments which emitted sounds by strokes, or stringed instruments in general. This Psalm was to be accompanied with such instruments; but one of a particular kind is specified, viz., sheminith; so called from its having eight strings. The chief musician is directed to accompany the recital of this Psalm with the above instrument. Verse 1. O Lord, rebuke me not] This Psalm, Which is one of the seven Penitential Psalms, is supposed to have been written during some grievous disease with which David was afflicted after his transgression with Bath-sheba. It argues a deep consciousness of sin, and apprehension of the just displeasure of God. It is the very language of a true penitent who is looking around for help, and who sees, as Bishop Horne well expresses it, "above, an angry God, ready to take vengeance; beneath, the fiery gulf, ready to receive him; without, a world in flames; within, the gnawing worm." Of all these, none so dreadful as an angry God; his wrath he particularly deprecates. God rebukes and chastens him, and he submits; but he prays not to be rebuked in anger, nor chastened in hot displeasure, because he knows that these must bring him down to total and final destruction.

1–3. The Psalmist pleads for mercy, deprecating the severity of God’s visitation.

O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger - As if God was rebuking him by the affliction which he was bringing upon him. This is the point on which the attention of the psalmist is now fixed.

1. Rebuke me not—The strong depreciations of this verse indicate that the heavy affliction was a divine judgment for sin. The words “rebuke,” “chasten,” “anger,” “hot displeasure,” fully corroborate this view.