Psalm 6 Academics
The sound of my weeping
Psalm 6
Academic Resources
Explore our academic Psalms resources for Psalm 6, including our Layer-by-Layer analysis, select Exegetical Issues, and Overview Videos.
Overview 
- This page will introduce and provide orientation to Psalm 6 as a whole. It covers the message, structure, background and participants of the psalm.
Layer-by-Layer Analysis 
- The heart of our process is our layer-by-layer exegetical analysis, where we unfold the semantics, story behind, discourse, and poetics of each psalm.
Grammar & Semantics
Semantics is the study of how language is used to represent meaning. The goal of semantic analysis is to understand the meaning of words and how they relate to each other in context. Our Semantics analysis consists of the following sub-layers:
- Grammar & Textual Criticism
- Lexical Semantics
- Phrase-Level Semantics
- Verbal Semantics
Story Behind
The Story Behind the Psalm shows how each part of the psalm fits together into a single coherent whole. Here, we analyze the meaning of sentences and larger units of discourse, up to and including the entire psalm. This also include historical background and figurative imagery.
Discourse
Our Discourse Layer moves beyond semantic-level meaning, and analyzes features of the text dependent on the speaker, addressee, and macrosyntax.
Poetics
Exploring the Psalms as poetry is crucial for understanding and experiencing the psalms and thus for faithfully translating them into another language.
Verse-by-Verse Notes 
- Explore the psalm verse-by-verse and section-by-section.
Psalm 6 Exegetical Issues 
- These issues examine the top three tough questions for each psalm, explaining different scholarly interpretations, and offering our perspective.
- Is there physical sickness in Psalm 6? The UBS Handbook on Psalms describes Psalm 6 as a "a lament by an individual who is sick and near death."[1] While most commentators would agree with this description, some think that the language of sickness is only figurative. Even among those who think the language of sickness is literal, there is not agreement on how sickness fits with the enemies mentioned in vv. 8b–11. Do the enemies cause the sickness, or does the sickness bring the enemies?
- The phrase עַל הַשְּׁמִינִית appears in the titles of Psalms 6 and 12 (cf. 1 Chron 15:21). Although most interpreters agree that sheminith literally means 'eighth' (cf. Lev 25:22) and that it is "probably a musical term" (NIV footnote), there is broad confusion and disagreement about the precise meaning of the word in this context.
- In this verse, there are three imperatives (שׁוּבָה...חַלְּצָה...הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי), by which the psalmist calls on YHWH to rescue him. Interpreters disagree on the precise meaning of the first imperative (שׁוּבָה) in this context. As Anderson notes, "This may be a plea to Yahweh to turn away from his wrath... or an appeal to him to turn to the sufferer... who has been seemingly abandoned by him."[2]
