Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 38:6
I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
6. I am bent, I am bowed down exceedingly, as one whose frame is contracted and drawn together by pain, or whose gestures indicate mental anguish. Cp. Psa 35:14; Isa 21:3. Notice the vigorous archaism wried in A.V. margin, i.e. twisted.
mourning ] In the guise of a mourner. See note on Psa 35:14.
In later times at any rate it was customary for the accused to appear before the court in mourning. “Whosoever comes before this court of the Sanhedrin to take his trial, presents himself in the guise of humility and fear, appealing to your compassion, with hair neglected, and clad in black garments.” (Josephus, Antiq. xiv. 9. 3). If the custom prevailed in earlier times, in mourning garb may suggest that he feels himself, like Job, under the divine accusation. Cp. Zec 3:1 ff.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I am troubled – Margin, wearied. The Hebrew word means to bend, to curve; then, to be distorted, to writhe with pain, convulsions, and spasms. In Isa 21:3, the same word is rendered, I was bowed down at the hearing of it; that is, Sorrow so took hold of him, that at the intelligence he writhed with pain as a woman in travail. So here it means that he was bent, or bowed down, or that he writhed in pain as the result of his iniquities.
I am bowed down greatly – Compare Psa 35:14. The word means properly to bow down; then, to be brought low; to be depressed with pain, grief, sorrow: Psa 10:10; Isa 2:11.
I go mourning all the day long – Constantly; without any intermission. On the word rendered go mourning – qadar – see the notes at Psa 35:14. The idea here is, that, on account of sin, he was crushed and bowed down as a mourner is with his sorrows, and that he appeared constantly as be walked about with these badges of grief and heavy sorrow. The disease which he had, and which was so offensive to himself Psa 38:5, and to others Psa 38:11, was like the filthy and foul garments which mourners put on as expressive of their sorrow. See Job 1:20, note; Job 2:8, note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 38:6
I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly: I go mourning all the day long.
On religious despondency
Those who have lived without Christ and only unto themselves, whether in greater or less degree, are apt, when brought to serious spiritual concern, to fall into despondency.
I. To describe this despondency. They are under a delusion, they imagine all things are against them; they become restless, nervous, averse to all exertion; agitated in mind, neglect all duty; they sink into listless melancholy. And all this makes them worse. The worldly prescribe dissipation and amusement for them. They themselves attempt by austerities, or religious reading, to get relief. The Bible does not help them. They think themselves to be becoming more and more odious in the sight of God. Some try to turn them from all religious thought; others censure them severely. But all the while the soul only becomes confirmed in its distress,
II. Consider how a cure is to be wrought.
1. By seeing to it that repentance is real.
2. By assurance that God will have mercy upon him.
III. Hindrances to the reception of these truths.
1. Some urge that they have sinned beyond all hope of mercy.
2. Others think that they have committed the sin against the Holy Ghost. But the very fact of their repentance disproves that, for repentance is the gift of the Holy Ghost. He, therefore, cannot have forsaken them.
3. Others despair because they have led others into sin. But so did Aaron, Manasseh, Paul, and in short all great sinners; but yet they found forgiveness.
4. Others conclude that as they have been so long time without comfort and peace, though sincere in seeking it, therefore it cannot be designed for them.
5. Yet others are darkened still more by erroneous doctrine. They deem themselves predestined to wrath.
IV. Practical suggestions to the desponding. Read the Bible as a whole. Regard your sins as reasons for humility and watchfulness, not as preventing forgiveness. If despondency recur, regard it as your trial and temptation, and resist it (Psa 57:7-10). Take care of your bodily health. Keep calm and quiet. Be actively and usefully employed. (Thomas Gisborne, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 6. I am troubled] In mind. I am bowed down – in body. I am altogether afflicted, and full of distress.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Troubled, Heb. distorted, or depressed; or, as it is expressed by another word, signifying the same thing,
bowed down, to wit, in my body, as diseased persons commonly are, and withal dejected in my mind. I go mourning, Heb. in black, the sign of mourning, which may here signify the thing, as signs oft do. When for my ease I rise out of my bed and walk, or rather creep about in my chamber, I do it with a sad heart and dejected countenance. Or if he did walk further, his disease had some intervals and mitigations. Or going may be here meant of his languishing, or going towards the grave, as this same word is used, Gen 15:2, compared with Gen 25:32; Jos 23:14.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
I am troubled,…. Discomposed and perplexed in mind; his thoughts were disturbed and irregular, and in the utmost confusion and distress: this trouble was not only on account of the affliction that was upon him, but chiefly because of his sin; and which was increased by the view he had of the displeasure of God, concluding he was come forth against him in wrath and fury;
I am bowed down greatly; not in his body, at least not in that only, as if he was bowed together by his disorder, that he could not lift himself up; for he is said to walk in the next clause: or rather he bowed down his head as a bulrush voluntarily, and through sorrow and shame could not lift it up before the Lord; though it may chiefly design the pressure of his mind, that his soul was cast down within him, and with all his spiritual reasonings he could not erect himself; it is the Lord that raiseth up those that are bowed down in this sense; see Ps 42:5;
I go mourning all the day long; or “I go black”, or “in black” i; meaning either that his skin was black, through the disease upon him, and the trouble that was in him, Job 30:30; or that he was clothed in black garments, as a token of mourning; as white garments were of joy and cheerfulness, Ec 9:7; and he was blacker still in his own apprehension, by reason of inward corruptions and outward transgressions, which appeared in a very black hue, attended with aggravating circumstances; see So 1:5.
i “atratus”, Montanus, Tigurine version, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6 I am bent This description clearly shows that this holy man was oppressed with extreme grief, so much so, that it is marvellous how, under such a vast accumulation of miseries, his faith was sufficiently strong to bear up his mind. When he says bowed down, he seems tacitly to contrast his humility and dejection with the pride and stubbornness of many, who refuse to be humbled by the many chastisements with which God afflicts them, but rather harden themselves, daring to resist and oppose him. They must, no doubt, of necessity, feel the pain of their afflictions, but they fall into such a state of insensibility, that they are not affected by it. David then, from this circumstance, draws an argument to induce his heavenly Judge to have compassion on him, showing that he was not one of those who obstinately rebel against him, and refuse to bow in humble submission, even while the hand of God is upon them; but that he is abased and humbled, even as the Apostle Peter exhorts all the godly to
“
humble themselves under the mighty hand of God.” (1Pe 5:6)
Let us therefore learn, that there is no other way by which we can obtain consolation under our afflictions, than by laying aside all stubbornness and pride, and humbly submitting to the chastisement of God. The word כודר, koder, which I have translated black, is rendered by others clad in black, (53) and explained as referring to the outward apparel, the black color of which has always been a token of grief. But the opinion of those who understand it of the blackness of the skin is more correct; for we know that grief renders men’s countenances lean, wan, and black. David, therefore, by this token of grief, describes the greatness of his affliction, because the natural color of his face had faded, and he was like a corpse, already withered and shrunk.
(53) “ קדר is literally ‘dressed in mourning;’ hence it may, by an easy figure, denote the melancholy looks of a mourner.” — Horsley. This is the sense put upon the expression by the Septuagint, “ Ολην τὴν ἡμερον σχυθρωπάζ ων ἐπορευόμης;” — “I went with a mourning countenance all the day.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) I am troubled.Better,
I am made to writhe (see margin),
I am bowed down exceedingly,
All day long I go about squalid.
(See Psa. 35:14, and comp. Isa. 21:3.) The usual Oriental signs of mourning are alluded to in the last clause.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. I am troubled Literally, I was bent, or writhed.
I am bowed down greatly The writhing pains of his body caused him to bend together, and this was in sympathy with his dejected soul.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 38:6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
Ver. 6. I am troubled (Heb. wryed;) I am bowed down, &c.] Incurvus et prorsus obstipus, atroque vultu squallidus, vix corpus traho, I am a pitiful poor creature, and in a most heavy condition, as appeareth by my gait, my gesture, my looks, and habit. See Psa 35:14 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
troubled: Heb. wearied
bowed: Psa 35:14, Psa 42:5, *marg. Psa 57:6, Psa 145:14
mourning: Psa 6:6, Psa 31:10, Psa 42:9, Psa 43:2, Psa 88:9, Job 30:28, Isa 38:14
Reciprocal: Psa 38:17 – sorrow Psa 55:2 – I mourn Psa 116:3 – I found Pro 12:25 – Heaviness Luk 13:11 – bowed