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Thanksgiving for God’s Provision in Time of Sickness

For the music director. A psalm of David.[a]

41 Blessed is the one who has regard for the poor;
in the day of disaster, Yahweh delivers him.
Yahweh protects him and keeps him alive;
he is blessed in the land,
and you do not give him
into the will[b] of his enemies.
Yahweh sustains him on his sick bed.
In his illness, you restore to health.[c]
As for me, I said, “O Yahweh, be gracious to me.
Heal me,[d] for I have sinned against you.”
My enemies speak evil about me,
“When will he die and his name perish?”
And when one comes to see me, he speaks falsely;
his heart gathers disaster for itself.
He goes out to the street; he speaks.
All who hate me speak together against me.
Against me they assume the worst[e] for me:
“A ruinous thing is poured out on him,
and now that he lies down, he will not rise up again.”
Even my close friend,[f] whom I trusted,
who ate my bread,
has lifted his heel against me.
10 But you, O Yahweh, be gracious to me and raise me up
that I may repay them.
11 By this I know that you delight in me:
because my enemy has not shouted in triumph over me.
12 As for me, you have upheld me in my integrity,
and you have set me in your presence forever.
13 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 41:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 41:2 Hebrew “soul”
  3. Psalm 41:3 Literally “his every bed you change”
  4. Psalm 41:4 Or “my soul”
  5. Psalm 41:7 Literally “evil”
  6. Psalm 41:9 Literally “the man of my peace”

Psalm 41

For the music leader. A psalm of David.

41 Those who pay close attention to the poor are truly happy!
    The Lord rescues them during troubling times.
The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;
    they are widely regarded throughout the land as happy people.
    You[a] won’t hand them over to the will of their enemies.
The Lord will strengthen them when they are lying in bed, sick.
    You will completely transform the place where they lie ill.

But me? I said, “Lord, have mercy on me!
    Heal me because I have sinned against you.”
My enemies speak maliciously about me:
    “When will he die and his name disappear?”
Whenever they come to visit, they say nothing of value.
    Their hearts collect evil gossip;
    once they leave, they tell it to everybody.
All of those who hate me talk about me, whispering to each other,
    plotting evil against me:
“Some horrible thing has been poured into him;
    the next time he lies down, he won’t get up.”
Even my good friend,
    the one I trusted,
    who shared my food,
    has kicked me with his heel—a betrayer!
10 But you, Lord, please have mercy on me and lift me up
    so I can pay them back!
11 Then I’ll know you are pleased with me
    because my enemy won’t be shouting in triumph over me.
12 You support me in my integrity;
    you put me in your presence forever.

13 Bless the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from forever to forever!
        Amen and Amen!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 41:2 LXX, Syr; Vulg God won’t