Psalms 38:6 Meaning: When Mourning Lasts All Day
I am in pain and bowed down greatly. I go mourning all day long.
I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
I am pained and bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
I have been bent down, I have been bowed down--unto excess, All the day I have gone mourning.
I am depressed; I am bowed down beyond measure; I go mourning all the day.
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 38:6 shows David bent under sin and mourning all day. Learn what this honest lament means for your own sorrow and guilt.
Context
Psalm 38 is the third of the seven penitential psalms. David wrote it as a memorial of his own desperate condition and as a prayer for mercy. In the verses leading up to verse 6, he describes God's arrows piercing him and his sin weighing him down. His body is sick, his bones are weak, and his wounds fester because of his foolishness. By verse 6, the picture is complete: he is bent over, unable to stand tall, and every day is a walk of mourning. This is not distant theology. This is a man who feels the full weight of what he has done.
Key Words
Two words carry the weight of this verse. The first is bowed down. The Hebrew verb behind it means to twist, to writhe in convulsions of pain or sorrow. One commentator notes it is the same word used of a woman in labor. David is not just sad; his whole frame has been contorted by the pressure of his guilt and the God he has offended.
The second word is mourning. The Hebrew term suggests going about in black garments, the outward sign of inward grief. David wears his sorrow like a garment that never comes off. All day long, without relief, he carries the weight of his sin. But notice: he says this to God. He is not hiding in isolation. He brings his darkness into the light of God's presence.
How Christians Read This Verse
Most Christian readers have understood this verse as David's honest confession that his suffering is directly connected to his sin and God's displeasure. Matthew Henry, for instance, says times of sickness are times to bring sin to remembrance. Calvin also sees David acknowledging the cause. Yet others, while not denying the psalm's context, have drawn comfort from this verse in their own experiences of unrelenting sorrow, whether or not they can point to a specific sin. Across traditions, the honest truth remains: when we feel crushed by life and conscience, this psalm gives us words to speak.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to think this verse is simply about emotional sadness or physical pain without any moral dimension. In fact, the whole psalm connects the suffering to David's own sin: “my iniquities have gone over my head” (v.4). The mourning is not just human grief but the weight of guilt. That does not mean every ache is caused by personal sin, but it does mean David faced his own sin directly in his pain.
Living This Out
This week, you may wake with a heaviness that you cannot shake. Maybe it is the result of something you did. Maybe it is a sorrow that has no clear cause. David's verse invites you to say it out loud: “I am bent over. I am mourning all day.” Do not minimize it. Say it to God, who is not shocked by your honesty. Then, like David, wait. The same psalm ends with a plea for help and the claim that God hears. Your mourning does not disqualify you from hope. It may be the very place where hope starts.
Main takeaway: When sin and sorrow bow you down, you can still bring your honest mourning to God.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
When you feel sad because you did something wrong, you can tell God. He loves you and will help you feel better.
For ages 9, 12
David was honest about how bad he felt. His body hurt and he was sad all day because of his sin. But he did not hide from God. He told God everything. When you mess up or feel really down, you can talk to God too. He listens and He forgives.
Questions People Ask
What does 'bowed down greatly' mean in Psalm 38:6?
The Hebrew word behind 'bowed down' means to writhe, twist in pain, or be contorted. It is the same word used for a woman in labor. David is describing a physical and spiritual collapse under the weight of guilt and divine discipline.
Is Psalm 38:6 about clinical depression?
The verse describes unrelenting sorrow and physical pain that lasts all day. It can resonate with experiences of depression, but the psalm specifically connects the suffering to David's sin and God's chastening. Christians have used it to express both guilt and raw lament before God.
Why does David say he goes mourning 'all the day long'?
To emphasize that his sorrow has no break. He is not having a bad hour; his condition is constant. The Hebrew word for mourning suggests wearing black garments. David lives in a state of perpetual grief, which he brings honestly before God.
Does this verse mean God punishes sickness because of sin?
Not necessarily for all cases. David interprets his suffering as the result of his sin, but New Testament teaching does not always connect suffering to personal sin (John 9:1-3). However, when sin is the cause, confession and repentance are the path to relief. This verse models honesty about that link.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study