7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.
7 The sockets of my eyes are black holes; nearly blind, I squint and grope.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief; It grows old because of all my enemies.
7 My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.
10 My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes--it also has gone from me.
10 My heart's about to break; I'm a burned-out case. Cataracts blind me to God and good;
10 My heart pants, my strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
10 My heart beats wildly, my strength fails, and I am going blind.
(Read Psalm 38:1-11)
Nothing will disquiet the heart of a good man so much as the sense of God's anger. The way to keep the heart quiet, is to keep ourselves in the love of God. But a sense of guilt is too heavy to bear; and would sink men into despair and ruin, unless removed by the pardoning mercy of God. If there were not sin in our souls, there would be no pain in our bones, no illness in our bodies. The guilt of sin is a burden to the whole creation, which groans under it. It will be a burden to the sinners themselves, when they are heavy-laden under it, or a burden of ruin, when it sinks them to hell. When we perceive our true condition, the Good Physician will be valued, sought, and obeyed. Yet many let their wounds rankle, because they delay to go to their merciful Friend. When, at any time, we are distempered in our bodies, we ought to remember how God has been dishonoured in and by our bodies. The groanings which cannot be uttered, are not hid from Him that searches the heart, and knows the mind of the Spirit. David, in his troubles, was a type of Christ in his agonies, of Christ on his cross, suffering and deserted.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 6:7
Commentary on Psalm 6:1-7
(Read Psalm 6:1-7)
These verses speak the language of a heart truly humbled, of a broken and contrite spirit under great afflictions, sent to awaken conscience and mortify corruption. Sickness brought sin to his remembrance, and he looked upon it as a token of God's displeasure against him. The affliction of his body will be tolerable, if he has comfort in his soul. Christ's sorest complaint, in his sufferings, was of the trouble of his soul, and the want of his Father's smiles. Every page of Scripture proclaims the fact, that salvation is only of the Lord. Man is a sinner, his case can only be reached by mercy; and never is mercy more illustrious than in restoring backsliders. With good reason we may pray, that if it be the will of God, and he has any further work for us or our friends to do in this world, he will yet spare us or them to serve him. To depart and be with Christ is happiest for the saints; but for them to abide in the flesh is more profitable for the church.