Please read Psalm 6 (10 verses)

The Psalmist is deeply troubled. He feels he is near to death and the grave beckons him as the place where he should be. He is tired of all the complaining of his body, soul and mind and the throws of mind illness are dogging his steps each day. He is so sad that all his tears have gone into his sickbed and the chair he sits on is saturated with the crying and weeping over his situation. His eyes are dissolving and pouring out from their sockets because he is being so bullied and oppressed by the enemies of his person. No one understands and no one cares about him and he thinks the Lord may also have turned against him.

He thinks his suffering is something to do with his sin and asks God not to rebuke him or chastise him any more. He asks for mercy and healing and wants to know the reality of it straight away, for he is so weary of the sorrow. Even his bones hurt him, the pain going on in his life is so deep. His body aches with the pain of the effort of living, which makes him weary and sad. He pleads for mercy that he will not descend into death and the grave, for in that place, there is no hope and no remembrance of God.

The writer rallies at the end of the lament and the mood changes dramatically. He is assured that the Lord has heard his cries and has given him the strength to deal with his enemies and get them to leave. This could be physical enemies, but could also be depression, guilt and fear, the inner enemies of the psyche. He is glad that the Lord has heard his prayer and the voice of his weeping. God has intervened for him and changed him, making him stronger and more resilient.