Psalms 6
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 6 is given here in full, verse by verse, in Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), with the Greek text of the Septuagint set beneath each verse. The text follows the Septuagint tradition received throughout the Orthodox Church.
9 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (1) follow the text.
Psalms 6
1For the End, a Psalm of David among the Hymns for the eighth.Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ἐν ὕμνοις ὑπὲρ τῆς ὀγδόης, ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυίδ.
2O Lord, rebuke me not in your wrath, neither chasten me in your anger.Κύριε, μὴ τῷ θυμῷ σου ἐλέγξῃς με, μηδὲ τῇ ὀργῇ σου παιδεύσῃς με.
3Pity me, O Lord; for I am weak: heal me, O Lord; for my bones are vexed.Ἐλέησόν με Κύριε, ὅτι ἀσθενής εἰμι· ἴασαί με Κύριε, ὅτι ἐταράχθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου.
4My soul also is grievously vexed: but you, O Lord, how long?Καὶ ἡ ψυχή μου ἐταράχθη σφόδρα· καὶ σὺ Κύριε ἕως πότε;
5Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: save me for your mercy's sake.Ἐπίστρεψον Κύριε, ῥῦσαι τὴν ψυχήν μου· σῶσόν με ἕνεκεν τοῦ ἐλέους σου,
6For in death no man remembers you: and who will give you thanks in Hades?ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ ὁ μνημονεύων σου, ἐν δὲ τῷ ᾅδῃ τίς ἐξομολογήσεταί σοι;
7* I am wearied with my groaning; I shall wash my bed every night; I shall water my couch with tears.Ἐκοπίασα ἐν στεναγμῷ μου, λούσω καθʼ ἑκάστην νύκτα τὴν κλίνην μου, ἐν δάκρυσί μου τὴν στρωμνήν μου βρέξω.
8My eye is troubled because of my wrath; I am worn out because of all my enemies.Ἐταράχθη ἀπὸ θυμοῦ ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου, ἐπαλαιώθην ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς μου.
9Depart from me, all you that work iniquity; for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.Ἀπόστητε ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν, ὅτι εἰσήκουσε Κύριος τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ κλαυθμοῦ μου.
10The Lord has listened to my petition; the Lord has accepted my prayer.Εἰσήκουσε Κύριος τῆς δεήσεώς μου, Κύριος τὴν προσευχήν μου προσεδέξατο.
11Let all my enemies be put to shame and sore troubled: let them be turned back and grievously put to shame speedily.Αἰσχυνθείησαν καὶ ταραχθείησαν σφόδρα πάντες οἱ ἐχθροί μου, ἐπιστραφείησαν καὶ αἰσχυνθείησαν σφόδρα διὰ τάχους.
Translator's Notes
These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.
- v. 6*Gr. I have laboured. * 7: Lit. son of Jemini.
The Fathers on Psalms 6
Saint Augustine of Hippo comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Psalms 6:2Saint Augustine of Hippo3. In fear of which condemnation the Church prays in this Psalm, and says, “Reprove me not, O Lord, in Thine anger” (ver. 1). The Apostle too mentions the anger of the judgment; “Thou treasurest up unto thyself,” he says, “anger against the day of the anger of the just judgment of God.” In which he would not be reproved, whosoever longs to be healed in this life. “Nor in Thy rage chasten me.” “Chasten,” seems…
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On Psalms 6:3–4Saint Augustine of Hippo4. He proceeds accordingly to say, “Pity me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled” (ver. 2), that is, the support of my soul, or strength: for this is the meaning of “bones.” The soul therefore says, that her strength is troubled, when she speaks of bones. For it is not to be supposed, that the soul has bones, such as we see in the body. Wherefore, what follows tends to explain it,…
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On Psalms 6:5Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “Turn, O Lord, and deliver my soul” (ver. 4). Turning herself she prays that God too would turn to her: as it is said, “Turn ye unto Me, and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord.” Or is it to be understood according to that way of speaking, “Turn, O Lord,” that is make me turn, since the soul in this her turning feels difficulty and toil? For our perfected turning findeth God ready, as says the Prophet, “We…
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On Psalms 6:6Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “For in death there is no one that is mindful of Thee” (ver. 5). He knows too that now is the time for turning unto God: for when this life shall have passed away, there remaineth but a retribution of our deserts. “But in hell who shall confess to Thee?” That rich man, of whom the Lord speaks, who saw Lazarus in rest, but bewailed himself in torments, confessed in hell, yea so as to wish even to have his…
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On Psalms 6:7Saint Augustine of Hippo7. Wherefore he goes on to say, “I have laboured in my groaning.” And as if this availed but little, he adds, “I will wash each night my couch” (ver. 6). That is here called a couch, where the sick and weak soul rests, that is, in bodily gratification and in every worldly pleasure. Which pleasure, whoso endeavours to withdraw himself from it, washes with tears. For he sees that he already condemns carnal lusts;…
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On Psalms 6:8Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “Mine eye is disordered by anger” (ver. 7): is it by his own, or God’s anger, in which he maketh petition that he might not be reproved, or chastened? But if anger in that place intimate the day of judgment, how can it be understood now? Is it a beginning of it, that men here suffer pains and torments, and above all the loss of the understanding of the truth; as I have already quoted that which is said, “God…
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On Psalms 6:9Saint Augustine of Hippo10. Wherefore after the labour, and groaning, and very frequent showers of tears, since that cannot be ineffectual, which is asked so earnestly of Him, who is the Fountain of all mercies, and it is most truly said, “the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart:” after difficulties so great, the pious soul, by which we may also understand the Church, intimating that she has been heard, see what she adds:…
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On Psalms 6:9Saint Augustine of Hippo11. “For the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping; The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord hath received my prayer” (ver. 9). The frequent repetition of the same sentiments shows not, so to say, the necessities of the narrator, but the warm feeling of his joy. For they that rejoice are wont so to speak, as that it is not enough for them to declare once for all the object of their joy. This is the fruit…
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On Psalms 6:11Open Psalms 6 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint Augustine of Hippo12. “Let all mine enemies be ashamed and vexed” (ver. 10). He said above, “depart from me all ye:” which can take place, as it has been explained, even in this life: but as to what he says, “let them be ashamed and vexed,” I do not see how it can happen, save on that day when the rewards of the righteous and the punishments of the sinners shall be made manifest. For at present so far are the ungodly from being…
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