Introduction
To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. David, to whom this psalm is ascribed, is in great affliction, arising from two causes personal sickness and political enemies. The latter, it would seem, took advantage of his sufferings to reproach, and conspire against, him. His affliction is not one of those chastenings which a loving Father might appoint to a loving and obedient child; but a judgment, and in this light David accepts and bows to it. The psalm is the complaint of a penitent and subdued heart, and is the first of the so-called “SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS,” (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143,) although in this there is no confession of sin. This may be accounted for on the fact that the sin itself had been forgiven, though the temporal judgment, as a consequence of sin, was not averted. The natural outburst of the great affliction in tears, and moans, and complaints, are not inconsistent with the true heroism of David. His was not a heroism which despised danger and suffering as mere physical accidents, but a moral courage which viewed events in their moral relations. Here is no call for martial courage, but for penitence, sorrow, and humility. He that treats affliction as a trifle will treat sin as a trifle, and the divine law with contempt. Stoical indifference to suffering as the result of physical causes, and hence inevitable, will never cultivate the moral sensibility, and is grounded only in the doctrine of fate. This is not manliness, but, in the light of human accountability, is madness. The heroes of Scripture have no superiors in history for courage and fortitude, but their courage is grounded in the will of God and their consciousness of rectitude. They were fearless in the right, but had no courage to do wrong. Penitence is not a weakness, but a virtue, and he only is truly brave who fears to sin and dares to repent.
Our psalm, which we must date after David’s great sin, is divided into three strophes: Psalms 6:1-4, his prayer; Psalms 6:5-7, an argument why God should interpose, arising out of the imminence of death and the great force of his affliction; Psalms 6:8-10, the answer of his prayer, bringing assurance, and a call upon his enemies to desist from their works and depart.
TITLE:
On Neginoth (Plural of neginah,) stringed instruments; either a general name for all stringed instruments, or one similar to the kinnor, or harp of eight strings, probably played with a bow or plectrum, as among the Greeks. See note on title of Psalms 4:0.
Sheminith This word is an ordinal adjective, signifying the eighth, which some take as an instrument of eight strings; Furst, as the eighth division of the choristers; but it is better to understand it as denoting the lowest and gravest notes sung by men the modern bass, as opposed to alamoth, or soprano. Compare 1 Chronicles 15:20-21
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