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section 3 (vv.7-8) +
In Psalm 6, rare words (those occurring 10 … In Psalm 6, rare words (those occurring 10 times or less) cluster in the third section of the psalm (vv. 7-8). This section, which is indeed the “emotional peak (or nadir!)”'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D1E-QINU`"' of the psalm, is marked by dense alliteration as well as by rare vocabulary. The striking recurrence of gutturals + sonorants/sibilants (בְּֽאַנְחָתִ֗י, אַשְׂחֶ֣ה, עַרְשִׂ֥י אַמְסֶֽה, עָֽשְׁשָׁ֣ה מִכַּ֣עַס עֵינִ֑י), which gives the section cohesion and prominence, may explain the unique choice of words; these have been chosen, at least in part, for the sake of their sounds.</br></br>*'''v.7b.''' שׂחה</br>The verb שׂחה occurs three times in the Hebrew Bible (Isa. 25:11 [qal, x2]; Ps. 6:7 [hiphil]). In the qal stem, it means “to swim.”'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D1F-QINU`"' The Hiphil is causative: “to cause to swim” i.e., “to flood/drench.”'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D20-QINU`"' So Vulgate [Hebrew] (''natare faciam'' – “make swim/float”). Both the LXX and Aquila understand the word to mean “bathe” (λούσω/πλύνω).</br></br>*'''v.7c.''' ערשׂ</br>The noun עֶרֶשׂ, a synonym of מִטָּה, מִשְׁכָּב, and יָצוּעַ, refers to a “couch” or a “divan.”'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D21-QINU`"' This was a raised (Ps. 132:3) and covered (Prov. 7:16) platform, used during sleep, sex (Prov. 7:16; Song 1:16), and sickness (Ps. 6:7; 41:4). “The Semites from Canaan did not usually sleep on raised beds, but rather on skins spread on the floor. When the bed was a piece of raised furniture, it took a form similar to beds used in most cultures today.”'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D22-QINU`"'</br></br>*'''v.7c.''' מסה</br>The verb מסה (cf., מסס) occurs only in the hiphil stem (Josh. 14:8; Ps. 6:7; 39:12; 147:18). It means literally to “melt” or to “dissolve into liquid” (cf., the melting of ice in Ps. 147:18). In Psalm 6, it is used in the hyperbolic image of a flood of tears turning a couch to liquid. So LXX (βρέχω – “make wet,” cf. Lk. 7:38), Aquila (τήκω – “melt”), Targum (טמשׁ – “immerse”), and Vulgate (''rigabo'' – “make wet”).</br></br>*'''v.8a.''' עשׁשׁ</br>The verb עשׁשׁ occurs three times in the Bible, only in the Psalms (Ps. 6:8 [עֵינִי]; 31:10 [עֵינִי], 11 [עֲצָמַי]) in the qal stem. It is a stative verb (Ps. 31:11, עָשֵׁשָׁה). It’s precise meaning is uncertain. HALOT gives the following options, “(a) to become dark, clouded is acceptable for Ps. 6:8 and 31:10, and (b) to be weak is not necessarily excluded; on the other hand (c) to decompose is only relevant for Ps. 31:11; in all instances (d) to swell up is possible and therefore to be preferred.”'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D23-QINU`"' In Ps. 6:8, the first option is reflected in the Targum (חשׁך) and the Vulgate (''caligavit''), and the fourth option seems to have been taken by Symmachus (ἐφλεγμαίνω).</br></br>*'''v.8b.''' עתק</br>The verb עתק, occurring four times in the qal stem (Ps. 6:8; Job 14:18; 18:4; 21:7), has the concrete meaning “move (away)” (Job 14:18; 18:4).'"`UNIQ--ref-00000D24-QINU`"' This is metaphorically extended to mean “move on in years” i.e., “to be/grow old” (Ps. 6:8; Job 21:7). So LXX (ἐπαλαιώθην, “I have grown old”). The experiencer of the verb in Ps. 6:8 is either the Psalmist’s eye (עתקה // עיני; MT, Syriac, Targum), which has become worn out by so much crying, or the Psalmist himself (עתקתי; LXX, Aquila, Symmachus, Vulgate [Hebrew]). (See below on [[#Variants|Variants]])
אֻמְלַ֫ל (v.3b), אַשְׂחֶ֣ה (v.7b), עַרְשִׂ֥י (v.7c), אַמְסֶֽה (v.7c), עָֽשְׁשָׁ֣ה (v.8a), עָֽ֝תְקָ֗ה (v.8b) +
The clustering of rare words in the third section (vv.7-8), which corresponds with the phonological recursion of guttural + sonorant/sibilant identified [[#Sound combinations|above]], gives this section both cohesion and prominence. +
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