Psalms 6:6 Meaning and Explanation
“I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →I am exhausted from grief; my tears drench my bed all through the night.
The Context of Psalms 6:6
Concrete description of night-long anguish and weeping.
What Does Psalms 6:6 Mean?
The vivid imagery of tears literally soaking the bed conveys despair that is constant and involuntary. The parallelism (weary/bed swim, groaning/tears) uses bodily sensation to communicate emotional devastation. In Hebrew poetry, hyperbole is not deception but honest expression of overwhelming feeling.
Groaning (nagi'ah) refers to inarticulate sound—the body's cry when words fail. Sleeplessness paired with tears suggests both acute pain and the body's natural responses breaking down. This is not theatrical suffering but the physical reality of grief lived through the long darkness of night.
Psalms 6:6 in the Original Language
groaning (נָגִיחַ, nagiah) — the sound of physical strain or lament; inarticulate vocal expression of pain.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 6:6
What does Psalms 6:6 mean?
I am exhausted from grief; my tears drench my bed all through the night.
What is the context of Psalms 6:6?
Concrete description of night-long anguish and weeping.