Psalm 6:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.

NIV: My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.

NASB: My eye has wasted away with grief; It has grown old because of all my enemies.

CSB: My eyes are swollen from grief; they grow old because of all my enemies.

NLT: My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.

KJV: Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

NKJV: My eye wastes away because of grief; It grows old because of all my enemies.

Whether from an illness, fearful stress, or simply from tears, David's grief caused his eyesight to fail. Here, he lays the blame for his poor eyesight on his foes. Unfortunately, in a lapse of faith he had taken his eyes off the Lord and placed them on his enemies. It is debilitating to stop looking to the Lord for protection and guidance.

When a fierce storm arose on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus walked on the water toward the disciples, whose boat was being buffeted by the waves and wind. The disciples saw Jesus, but they thought they were seeing a ghost. However, the Lord assured them that it was He and told them not be afraid. Peter answered, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water" (Matthew 14:28). At Jesus' command, Peter began walking on the sea toward Jesus. But, when he took his eyes off Jesus and saw the wind, Peter began to sink. Jesus saved Peter, though, by taking hold of him and escorting him back to the boat.

Whatever the cause, David must have felt that he was sinking. His eyes were dull, and he needed to focus on the Lord.

Psalm 6:6–7 continues to depict David's intense struggle with anguish and a fear of death. He describes sleeplessness and intense grief. He writes that he filled his bed and couch with tears. His sleeplessness and grief even affected his eyesight.

David begins Psalm 6 by asking the Lord to withhold discipline from him. He describes the anguish he is experiencing. His bones are in pain and his soul is troubled. It's not clear whether David is literally experiencing some illness, sorrow for his sin, danger from enemies, or some combination of all these concerns. Whatever the situation, David's health is failing and so is his confidence. And yet, he is ultimately assured that God will intervene. The psalm begins in repentance and ends in confidence.

This psalm is ascribed to David. No exact incident in David's life is identified in this passage. There seems to be a connection to a disease or other health issue. He may have written it during his old age, when his son Absalom rebelled against him (2 Samuel 15:12–14). Another possible inspiration is David's sorrow over his sin with Bathsheba (Psalm 51; 2 Samuel 12:9). Psalm 6 is one of seven penitential psalms: songs expressing confession and repentance. The other six are Psalms 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/4/2024 4:29:45 AM