Psalm 6 Hear my cry for mercy.

¹ LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
² Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint;
heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.
³ My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, LORD, how long?

⁴ Turn, LORD, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.
⁵ Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?

⁶ I am worn out from my groaning.

All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
⁷ My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.

⁸ Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the LORD has heard my weeping.
⁹ The LORD has heard my cry for mercy;
the LORD accepts my prayer.
¹⁰ All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

If you’ve ever felt really ill, if you’ve ever felt like your tired and worn down from groaning, then this prayer is one for you.  The Psalmist is crying out for God’s healing and God’s mercy.  He is so worn down that all the way down to his bones he hurts.  

Whether it’s the result of a physical illness or emotional turmoil, one can cry out to the Lord for help.  It is an honest and heartfelt plea.  Prayer is completely honest and vulnerable.  It lays it all out there.  In fact, prayer can be so heartfelt that words can fall short.   That all you have is groans.  Romans 8:26 says that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and interprets even our groans.  So if you’ve ever been in a situation where words escape you and all you can do is moan, God still searches out our heart and understands. 

In the end the Psalmist is able to give thanks for God has heard his cry for mercy.  The Lord accepts our heartfelt cry for help. 

Prayer….

Go through this Psalm again this time praying it.   Either pray it on your behalf or on behalf of someone you know who is going through a rough time. 

Or if you’re having trouble praying the scripture itself, here is a prayer based off it. 

Lord, have mercy.  Heal me.  Help me.  How long will I hurt? 

Lord, I need you.  I need you to hear my cry.  I need you to rescue me, and I lean upon your never-ending love to save me. 

I’m exhausted.  I have no words to even speak my pain.  I cry all night long. 

Yet, you have heard my plea.  You know my heart for it is completely laid bare before you.  So I give thanks for your mercy and your salvation.  Lord I praise you for you alone can save me. 

  

(song that this Psalm reminds me of is “I Love the Lord for he heard my voice, he heard my cry for Mercy. I love the Lord for He Has turned His ear to me, I will call upon Him as long as I shall live.” Promise Keepers song)