Psalms 6:8

Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity,.... The psalmist being fully assured that God had heard his prayer, that he should recover from his disorder, or be delivered out of his calamities,

Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.

Depart from me; I advise you for your own sakes to cease from opposing or molesting me, or insulting over me, or approaching to me with design of deceiving and betraying me; for all your labour will be lost. All ye workers of iniquity; all you wicked enemies of mine. The Lord hath heard, i.e. he will hear, the past time being put for the future, as is usual in prophetical passages, such as this was; David having received by the Spirit of God particular assurance that God would hear and deliver him. The voice of my weeping, i.e. of my fervent prayers joined with my tears.

Psalms 6:8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.Ver. 8. Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity] What a strange change is here all of a sudden! Well might Luther say, Oratio est hirudo animae, Prayer is the leech of the soul, that sucks out the venom and swelling thereof. Prayer, saith another, is an exorcist with God, and an exorcist against sin and misery. The prophet Isaiah calleth it a charm, Isaiah 26:16, because it lays our soul distempers, and, like David’ s harp, drives away the evil spirit that is upon us. Pray, therefore, when out of order, though not so fit to pray; fall upon the duty, by David’ s example here, and that will further fit thee for the duty. Thy leaden lumpish heart, cast into this holy fire, will heat and melt. Quoties me oratio, quem pene desperantem susceperat, reddidit exultantem et praesumentem de venia? saith Bernard: How oft hath prayer found me despairing almost, but left me triumphing and well assured of pardon! The same in effect saith David here, "Depart from me," &c. What a word is that to his insulting enemies, Avoid, come out, vanish! These be words used to devils and dogs, but good enough for a Doeg or a Shimei. And the Son of David shall say the same to his enemies when he comes to judgment. For the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping] Tears then have a voice (as well as blood hath), and God hath an ear for them. And as music upon the waters soundeth farther and more harmoniously than upon the land, so do prayers joined with tears: Portae lachrymarum ne sint clausae, let not the wounds of godly sorrow be ever so healed up in us but that they may bleed afresh upon every just occasion (R. Obad. Gaon in Psalms 6:1-10).

(8) Depart from me.—After the night of sorrow comes the morning of revived faith and confidence, if not of joy. The poet can turn to address his maligners with the assurance that God has heard his prayer, which in his agony he poured out, as he feared at the time, into deaf and unsympathising ears.

Verse 8. Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity] It seems that while he was suffering grievously through the disease, his enemies had insulted and mocked him;-upbraided him with his transgressions, not to increase his penitence, but to cast him into despair. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.] The Lord pitifully beheld the sorrows of his heart, and mercifully forgave his sins.

8–10. The cloud breaks. Heaviness is turned to joy. With a sudden inspiration of faith the Psalmist realises that his prayer is heard, and predicts the speedy confusion of his enemies.

Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity - Referring, by the “workers of iniquity,” to his enemies, as if they now surrounded him, and calling on them “now” to leave him, since God had heard his

8. Depart from me—The psalmist suddenly assumes a new character. From the darkness and storm of his sufferings he announces the answer of his prayer, and warns his oppressors to withdraw and desist.