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Assurance of God’s Help and a Plea for Healing

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

41 Blessed is he who considers the poor![a]
    The Lord delivers him in the day of trouble;
the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;
    he is called blessed in the land;
    thou dost not give him up to the will of his enemies.
The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;
    in his illness thou healest all his infirmities.[b]

As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
    heal me, for I have sinned against thee!”
My enemies say of me in malice:
    “When will he die, and his name perish?”
And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,
    while his heart gathers mischief;
    when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
All who hate me whisper together about me;
    they imagine the worst for me.

They say, “A deadly thing has fastened upon him;
    he will not rise again from where he lies.”
Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted,
    who ate of my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
10 But do thou, O Lord, be gracious to me,
    and raise me up, that I may requite them!

11 By this I know that thou art pleased with me,
    in that my enemy has not triumphed over me.
12 But thou hast upheld me because of my integrity,
    and set me in thy presence for ever.

13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
    Amen and Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 41:1 Or weak
  2. Psalm 41:3 Heb thou changest all his bed

The psalmist in sickness complains of enemies and false friends.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

41 Blessed is he that considereth [a]the poor:
Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.
Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive,
And he shall be blessed [b]upon the earth;
And deliver not thou him unto the will of his enemies.
Jehovah will support him upon the couch of languishing:
Thou [c]makest all his bed in his sickness.
I said, O Jehovah, have mercy upon me:
Heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
Mine enemies speak evil against me, saying,
When will he die, and his name perish?
And if he come to see me, he speaketh falsehood;
His heart gathereth iniquity to itself:
When he goeth abroad, he telleth it.
All that hate me whisper together against me;
Against me do they devise my hurt.
[d]An evil disease, say they, [e]cleaveth fast unto him;
And now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted,
Who did eat of my bread,
Hath lifted up his heel against me.
10 But thou, O Jehovah, have mercy upon me, and raise me up,
That I may requite them.
11 By this I know that thou delightest in me,
Because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.
12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity,
And settest me before thy face for ever.

13 Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel,
From everlasting and to everlasting.
Amen, and Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 41:1 Or, the weak
  2. Psalm 41:2 Or, in the land
  3. Psalm 41:3 Hebrew turnest, or, changest.
  4. Psalm 41:8 Or, Some wicked thing
  5. Psalm 41:8 Or, is poured out upon him