◄ Psalm 6:3 ►
My soul is deeply distressed. How long, O LORD, how long?
Study Bible
My soul is deeply distressed.
This phrase reflects a profound emotional and spiritual turmoil. The psalmist, traditionally understood to be David, expresses a deep sense of anguish. In the Hebrew context, the "soul" (nephesh) encompasses the entire being, indicating that this distress affects every aspect of the psalmist's life. This mirrors other biblical instances where individuals experience deep sorrow, such as Hannah in 1 Samuel 1:10 and Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38). The distress could be due to personal sin, external persecution, or a sense of divine abandonment, all common themes in the Psalms. This expression of deep distress is a reminder of the human condition and the need for divine intervention.

How long, O LORD, how long?
This plea is a common refrain in the Psalms, reflecting a sense of waiting and longing for God's intervention. The repetition of "how long" emphasizes the intensity of the psalmist's impatience and desperation. This question is not just about the passage of time but also about the perceived delay in God's response. It echoes the cries of other biblical figures, such as Habakkuk (Habakkuk 1:2) and the martyrs in Revelation 6:10, who also question the timing of God's justice. This phrase highlights the tension between faith and experience, where believers trust in God's promises but struggle with the reality of their current suffering. It also points to the eschatological hope of ultimate deliverance and justice, a theme that runs throughout Scripture.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of this Psalm, David is expressing his deep emotional turmoil and seeking God's intervention.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, whom David is addressing in his plea for relief and deliverance.

3. Distress
The emotional and spiritual state of David, indicating a period of intense suffering or trial.

4. Israel
The broader context of the Psalm is within the life and struggles of the nation of Israel, often reflecting communal as well as individual lament.

5. Prayer
The act of communicating with God, which is central to this Psalm as David pours out his heart in supplication.
Teaching Points
The Reality of Distress
Acknowledge that even the most faithful believers, like David, experience deep emotional and spiritual distress. It is a part of the human condition and the journey of faith.

Crying Out to God
Encourage believers to bring their honest emotions and questions before God. David's example shows that God welcomes our cries for help and our questions about His timing.

Trust in God's Timing
While the question "How long?" reflects impatience and longing for relief, it also demonstrates a trust that God will act in His perfect timing.

The Role of Lament in Faith
Lament is a biblical practice that allows believers to express sorrow and seek God's presence in the midst of suffering. It is a vital part of a healthy spiritual life.

Hope in God's Deliverance
Despite the distress, there is an underlying hope that God will deliver and restore. This hope is rooted in God's character and past faithfulness.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does David's expression of distress in Psalm 6:3 resonate with your own experiences of waiting on God? Reflect on a time when you asked, "How long, O LORD?"

2. In what ways can the practice of lament, as seen in Psalm 6:3, deepen your relationship with God during times of suffering?

3. How do other biblical figures, such as Job or Habakkuk, provide insight into handling prolonged periods of distress and waiting on God?

4. What practical steps can you take to cultivate trust in God's timing, even when His answers seem delayed?

5. How can you support others in your community who are experiencing deep distress, using the principles found in Psalm 6:3 and related scriptures?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 13
Similar themes of distress and questioning "How long?" are present, showing a pattern of lament and trust in God's timing.

Habakkuk 1:2
The prophet Habakkuk also questions God with "How long?" reflecting a common biblical theme of waiting on God's intervention.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10
Paul speaks of being under great pressure, far beyond his ability to endure, which parallels David's deep distress and reliance on God for deliverance.

Job 7:19
Job's lament and questioning of God's timing echo the sentiments found in Psalm 6:3, highlighting the human struggle with suffering and divine timing.
Sermons
Broken PrayersG. Edward Young.Psalm 6:3
The Delays of GodA. Symson, B. D.Psalm 6:3
Yoke Fellows in Sin, Yoke Fellows in PunishmentA. Symson, B. D.Psalm 6:3
A Cry to God, and its ResponseW. Forsyth Psalm 6:1-10
A Revengeful God the Creation of a Guilty ConscienceHomilistPsalm 6:1-10
A Song of SorrowA. Maclaren, D. D.Psalm 6:1-10
Angerless Reproof Often Quite EffectiveLife of Bishop John Selwyn.Psalm 6:1-10
Angry Chastening DeprecatedSir Richard Baker.Psalm 6:1-10
Deliverance from Sore TroubleC. Short Psalm 6:1-10
God's Anger Against SinA. Symson.Psalm 6:1-10
God's Anger TerriblePsalm 6:1-10
Great Afflictions, Greater ConsolationW. Forsyth Psalm 6:1-10
Night and Morning in the SoulW. Forsyth Psalm 6:1-10
Rebuke Combined with AngerSir Richard Baker.Psalm 6:1-10
Rebuke NeededSir Richard Baker.Psalm 6:1-10
The Anger of God as Pure as His MercyA. Symson.Psalm 6:1-10
The Cry of the PenitentWilliam Nicholson, D. D.Psalm 6:1-10
The Difference Between a Cross and a CurseA. Symson.Psalm 6:1-10
The Moan of a Saint, and the Mercy of His GodC. Clemance Psalm 6:1-10
The Penitent SuppliantJohn Donne.Psalm 6:1-10
The Prayer of the a Afflicted SoulA. Symson.Psalm 6:1-10
People
David, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Affrighted, Anguish, Bitter, Dismayed, Disquieted, Exceedingly, Greatly, Lord-how, O, Sore, Sorely, Soul, Till, Trembleth, Trouble, Troubled, Vexed
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 6:3

     5418   monotony

Psalm 6:1-7

     5831   depression

Psalm 6:2-3

     5782   agony

Psalm 6:2-4

     1055   God, grace and mercy
     8724   doubt, dealing with

Psalm 6:2-6

     5933   restlessness

Library
The Life of Mr. James Renwick.
Mr. James Renwick was born in the parish of Glencairn in Nithsdale, Feb. 15, 1662. His parents though not rich, yet were exemplary for piety. His father Andrew Renwick (a weaver to trade) and his mother Elizabeth Corsan, had several children before Mr. James, who died young; for which when his mother was pouring forth her motherly grief, her husband used to comfort her with declaring, that he was well satisfied to have children, whether they lived or died, young or old, providing they might be heirs …
John Howie—Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies)

Weep Not.
"Weine nicht!" "The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping."--Psalm 6:8. [3]B. Schmolk transl., Sarah Findlater, 1854 Weep not--Jesus lives on high, O sad and wearied one! If thou with the burden sigh, Of grief thou canst not shun, Trust Him still, Soon there will Roses in the thicket stand, Goshen smile in Egypt's land. Weep not--Jesus thinks of thee When all beside forget, And on thee so lovingly His faithfulness has set, That though all Ruin'd fall, Every thing on earth be shaken, Thou wilt …
Jane Borthwick—Hymns from the Land of Luther

Pleading for Mercy. Ps 6
 …
John Newton—Olney Hymns

"O Save Me for Thy Mercies' Sake. " --Ps. vi. 4
"O save me for thy mercies' sake."--Ps. vi. 4. Mercy alone can meet my case; For mercy, Lord, I cry;-- Jesus! Redeemer! show thy face In mercy, or I die. Save me, for none beside can save; At thy command I tread, With failing step, life's stormy wave; The wave goes o'er my head. I perish, and my doom were just; But wilt thou leave me? No: I hold Thee fast, my hope, my trust, I will not let Thee go. Still sure to me Thy promise stands, And ever must abide; Behold it written on Thy hands, And graven …
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

Letters of St. Bernard
I To Malachy. 1141.[924] (Epistle 341.) To the venerable lord and most blessed father, Malachy, by the grace of God archbishop of the Irish, legate of the Apostolic See, Brother Bernard called to be abbot of Clairvaux, [desiring] to find grace with the Lord. 1. Amid the manifold anxieties and cares of my heart,[925] by the multitude of which my soul is sore vexed,[926] the brothers coming from a far country[927] that they may serve the Lord,[928] thy letter, and thy staff, they comfort …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

The Tears of the Penitent.
Adversity had taught David self-restraint, had braced his soul, had driven him to grasp firmly the hand of God. And prosperity had seemed for nearly twenty years but to perfect the lessons. Gratitude had followed deliverance, and the sunshine after the rain had brought out the fragrance of devotion and the blossoms of glad songs. A good man, and still more a man of David's age at the date of his great crime, seldom falls so low, unless there has been previous, perhaps unconscious, relaxation of the …
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David

If Then to Sin, that Others May not Commit a Worse Sin...
21. If then to sin, that others may not commit a worse sin, either against us or against any, without doubt we ought not; it is to be considered in that which Lot did, whether it be an example which we ought to imitate, or rather one which we ought to avoid. For it seems meet to be more looked into and noted, that, when so horrible an evil from the most flagitious impiety of the Sodomites was impending over his guests, which he wished to ward off and was not able, to such a degree may even that just …
St. Augustine—Against Lying

Out of the Deep of Suffering and Sorrow.
Save me, O God, for the waters are come in even unto my soul: I am come into deep waters; so that the floods run over me.--Ps. lxix. 1, 2. I am brought into so great trouble and misery: that I go mourning all the day long.--Ps. xxxviii. 6. The sorrows of my heart are enlarged: Oh! bring Thou me out of my distress.--Ps. xxv. 17. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping: the Lord will receive my prayer.--Ps. vi. 8. In the multitude of the sorrows which I had in my heart, Thy comforts have refreshed …
Charles Kingsley—Out of the Deep

Epistle xxxix. To Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria.
To Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria. Gregory to Eulogius, &c. As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country (Prov. xxv. 25). But what can be good news to me, so far as concerns the behoof of holy Church, but to hear of the health and safety of your to me most sweet Holiness, who, from your perception of the light of truth, both illuminate the same Church with the word of preaching, and mould it to a better way by the example of your manners? As often, too, as I recall in …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Epistle xv. To George, Presbyter.
To George, Presbyter. Gregory to George, Presbyter, and to Theodore, deacon, of the Church of Constantinople. Mindful of your goodness and charity, I greatly blame myself, that I gave you leave to return so soon: but, since I saw you pressing me importunately once and again for leave to go, I considered that it might be a serious matter for your Love to tarry with us longer. But, after I had learnt that you had lingered so long on your journey owing to the winter season, I confess that I was sorry …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Epistle Xlvi. To Isacius, Bishop of Jerusalem .
To Isacius, Bishop of Jerusalem [159] . Gregory to Isacius, &c. In keeping with the truth of history, what means the fact that at the time of the flood the human race outside the ark dies, but within the ark is preserved unto life, but what we see plainly now, namely that all the unfaithful perish under the wave of their sin, while the unity of holy Church, like the compactness of the ark, keeps her faithful ones in faith and in charity? And this ark in truth is compacted of incorruptible timber, …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Rules to be Observed in Singing of Psalms.
1. Beware of singing divine psalms for an ordinary recreation, as do men of impure spirits, who sing holy psalms intermingled with profane ballads: They are God's word: take them not in thy mouth in vain. 2. Remember to sing David's psalms with David's spirit (Matt. xxii. 43.) 3. Practise St. Paul's rule--"I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the understanding also." (1 Cor. xiv. 15.) 4. As you sing uncover your heads (1 Cor. xi. 4), and behave yourselves in comely reverence as in the …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Motives to Holy Mourning
Let me exhort Christians to holy mourning. I now persuade to such a mourning as will prepare the soul for blessedness. Oh that our hearts were spiritual limbecs, distilling the water of holy tears! Christ's doves weep. They that escape shall be like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity' (Ezekiel 7:16). There are several divine motives to holy mourning: 1 Tears cannot be put to a better use. If you weep for outward losses, you lose your tears. It is like a shower …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Epistle Lxiv. To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli .
To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli [174] . Here begins the epistle of the blessed Gregory pope of the city of Rome, in exposition of various matters, which he sent into transmarine Saxony to Augustine, whom he had himself sent in his own stead to preach. Preface.--Through my most beloved son Laurentius, the presbyter, and Peter the monk, I received thy Fraternity's letter, in which thou hast been at pains to question me on many points. But, inasmuch as my aforesaid sons found me afflicted with the …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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