Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 6:7

"Mine eye wasteth away because of grief; It waxeth old because of all mine adversaries." — Psalms 6:7 (ASV)

My eye is consumed - The word here rendered “consumed” - עשׁשׁ ‛ âshêsh - means properly to fall in, to fall away, and is applied here to the “eye” as pining or wasting away from care, anxiety, and sorrow. Tears were poured out from the eye, and it seemed to be exhausting itself in this manner. The meaning is, that it had grown “dim,” or that its sight began to fail, like that of an old man, because of his troubles. Many have understood the word here rendered “eye” as referring to the “countenance;” but it is doubtful whether the word ever has this meaning; and at any rate the common meaning, referring it to the “eye,” best suits this connection.

It grows old - It seems to grow old; it experiences the effects commonly produced by age in blunting the power of vision. This is not an uncommon effect of grief and sadness. Even while I am writing this I am called in my pastoral visitations to attend on a young lady lying on a bed of languishing, and probably of death, one of whose symptoms is a quite diminished, and indeed almost total loss of vision, as the effect of trouble and disease.

Because of all my enemies - From the trouble which they have brought upon me. The reference here, according to the interpretation proposed of the psalm, is to Absalom and those who were associated with him. Their conduct had been such as to bring upon David this overwhelming tide of sorrows.