Psalm 6, “O Lord, rebuke me not in thy indignation, nor chastise me in thy wrath,” is the first of the seven penitential psalms, the cry of someone sick in body and soul: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.” It moves from tears, “every night I will wash my bed,” to confidence: “The Lord hath heard my supplication.” Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.
Psalm 6 in the Douay-Rheims Bible
Unto the end, in verses, a psalm for David, for the octave.
O Lord, rebuke me not in thy indignation, nor chastise me in thy wrath.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
And my soul is troubled exceedingly: but thou, O Lord, how long?
Turn to me, O Lord, and deliver my soul: O save me for thy mercy’s sake.
For there is no one in death, that is mindful of thee: and who shall confess to thee in hell?
I have laboured in my groanings, every night I will wash my bed: I will water my couch with my tears.
My eye is troubled through indignation: I have grown old amongst all my enemies.
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity: for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord hath heard my supplication: the Lord hath received my prayer.
Let all my enemies be ashamed, and be very much troubled: let them be turned back, and be ashamed very speedily.
Psalm 6: the same number in every Bible
Psalm 6 has the same number in the Douay-Rheims and in modern Bibles: the Greek and Latin numbering used by the Douay only differs from the Hebrew numbering between Psalms 10 and 147. In Latin the psalm begins Domine, ne in furore tuo arguas me. See how many psalms are there?
What the psalm means
- Mercy, not anger: the psalmist does not deny he deserves correction, but begs God to correct him as a merciful Father.
- Weakness of body and soul: sin and suffering affect the whole person, and God heals both.
- “But thou, O Lord, how long?”: a cry of patience tested.
- Tears in the night: honest grief poured out before God.
- Sudden confidence: “the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.” Prayer itself brings assurance.
How the Church uses Psalm 6
- Among the seven penitential psalms, prayed especially in Lent and before confession. See the seven penitential psalms.
- In times of illness, as a prayer for healing. See the Catholic prayer for healing.
A prayer with Psalm 6
Written for this page:
Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger; have mercy on me, for I am weak.
Heal my body and my soul, which are deeply troubled.
Turn to me and save me, for the sake of your mercy.
You have heard my weeping, Lord; receive my prayer. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What are the seven penitential psalms?
Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130 and 143 (6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129 and 142 in the Douay-Rheims), prayed for centuries as prayers of repentance.
Is Psalm 6 the same number in Catholic Bibles?
Yes. The Greek and Latin numbering only differs from the Hebrew between Psalms 10 and 147.
More psalms and prayers
- Psalms for healing
- The Seven Penitential Psalms
- Psalm 51 (Miserere)
- Psalm 32
- Catholic prayer for healing
- How many psalms are there?
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 6, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayer was written for this page.