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Psalm 6:4

Return, LORD. Deliver my soul, and save me for your loving kindness’ sake.

2Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint. LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
3My soul is also in great anguish. But you, LORD—how long?
4Return, LORD. Deliver my soul, and save me for your loving kindness’ sake.
5For in death there is no memory of you. In Sheol, who shall give you thanks?
6I am weary with my groaning. Every night I flood my bed. I drench my couch with my tears.
Notice

The plea for God to return names the distress of his seeming absence, while the appeal for rescue rests on his loving kindness.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

Where does the plea “Return, LORD.” match what you want to say to God today?

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What would you ask God to deliver you from in the words of this prayer?

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How does appealing to God's loving kindness shape what you want to write?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

10 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Jeremiah 17:14Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved; for you are my praise.Both prayers ask the LORD to save, placing the plea for rescue before the God who can grant it.
Psalm 31:16Make your face to shine on your servant. Save me in your loving kindness.Both prayers appeal to God's loving kindness as they ask him to save.
Psalm 12:1For the Chief Musician; upon an eight-stringed lyre. A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceases. For the faithful fail from among the children of …Both address the LORD with an urgent plea for help, though Psalm 12 names the loss of faithful people.
Psalm 3:7Arise, LORD! Save me, my God! For you have struck all of my enemies on the cheek bone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked.Both plead for God to act and save; Psalm 3 also recounts his blows against enemies.
Daniel 9:18My God, turn your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by your name; for we do not present our petitions before …Both prayers ground their appeal in God's mercy or loving kindness, asking him to attend to distress.
Psalm 25:7Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, LORD.Both appeal to the LORD's loving kindness, with Psalm 25 seeking remembrance according to his goodness.
Ephesians 2:7–8that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;The psalm appeals to God's loving kindness; Ephesians describes God's kindness toward people in Christ Jesus.
Malachi 3:7Both speak of return: the psalm asks the LORD to return, while Malachi records God's command for his people to return.
Isaiah 38:17Behold, for peace I had great anguish, but you have in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back.The psalm asks for deliverance grounded in God's loving kindness; Isaiah recounts deliverance from destruction grounded in God's love.
Ephesians 1:6to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved.Both speak of God's generosity: the psalm appeals to his loving kindness, while Ephesians praises his grace and favor.
Where this verse fits

Feeling distant from God. illness or diagnosis. grief.

One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Pray this verse, naming where you need deliverance

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Encouragement

You do not need to hide anguish when you pray. This plea comes from distress, and its stated reason for seeking rescue is God's loving kindness.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 6:4. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 6 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).