John Calvin Commentary Psalms 6:3

"My soul also is sore troubled: And thou, O Jehovah, how long?" — Psalms 6:3 (ASV)

And you, O Jehovah, how long? This elliptical form of expression serves to express more strongly the vehemence of grief, which not only holds people's minds bound up, but also their tongues, breaking and cutting short their speech in the middle of the sentence. The meaning, however, in this abrupt expression is doubtful.

Some, to complete the sentence, supply the words, Will you afflict me, or continue to chasten me? Others read, How long will you delay your mercy? But what is stated in the next verse shows that this second sense is the more probable, for there he prays to the Lord to look upon him with an eye of favor and compassion.

He, therefore, complains that God has now forsaken him, or has no regard for him, just as God seems to be far off from us whenever His assistance or grace does not actually manifest itself on our behalf. God, in His compassion towards us, permits us to pray to Him to make haste to help us. But when we have freely complained of His long delay, we must submit our case entirely to His will, so that our prayers or sorrow on this account do not become excessive; and we must not wish Him to make greater haste than seems good to Him.