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(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

A Prayer in Time of Sickness

You, Lord God, bless everyone
    who cares for the poor,
and you rescue those people
    in times of trouble.
You protect them
    and keep them alive.
You make them happy here
    in this land,
and you don't hand them over
    to their enemies.
You always heal them
and restore their strength
    when they are sick.
I prayed, “Have pity, Lord!
Heal me, though I have sinned
    against you.”

My vicious enemies ask me,
“When will you die
    and be forgotten?”
When visitors come,
all they ever bring
    are worthless words,
and when they leave,
    they spread gossip.

My enemies whisper about me.
They think the worst,
    and they say,
“You have some fatal disease!
    You'll never get well.”
(A) My most trusted friend
has turned against me,
    though he ate at my table.

10 Have pity, Lord! Heal me,
    so I can pay them back.
11 Then my enemies
    won't defeat me,
and I will know
    that you really care.
12 You have helped me
    because I am innocent,
and you will always
    be close to my side.

13 (B) You, the Lord God of Israel,
will be praised forever!
    Amen and amen.

Psalm 41[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Blessed(A) are those who have regard for the weak;(B)
    the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.(C)
The Lord protects(D) and preserves them—(E)
    they are counted among the blessed in the land—(F)
    he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.(G)
The Lord sustains them on their sickbed(H)
    and restores them from their bed of illness.(I)

I said, “Have mercy(J) on me, Lord;
    heal(K) me, for I have sinned(L) against you.”
My enemies say of me in malice,
    “When will he die and his name perish?(M)
When one of them comes to see me,
    he speaks falsely,(N) while his heart gathers slander;(O)
    then he goes out and spreads(P) it around.

All my enemies whisper together(Q) against me;
    they imagine the worst for me, saying,
“A vile disease has afflicted him;
    he will never get up(R) from the place where he lies.”
Even my close friend,(S)
    someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
    has turned[b] against me.(T)

10 But may you have mercy(U) on me, Lord;
    raise me up,(V) that I may repay(W) them.
11 I know that you are pleased with me,(X)
    for my enemy does not triumph over me.(Y)
12 Because of my integrity(Z) you uphold me(AA)
    and set me in your presence forever.(AB)

13 Praise(AC) be to the Lord, the God of Israel,(AD)
    from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.(AE)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 41:1 In Hebrew texts 41:1-13 is numbered 41:2-14.
  2. Psalm 41:9 Hebrew has lifted up his heel

O Lord, Be Gracious to Me

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

41 (A)Blessed is the one who considers the poor![a]
    (B)In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;
the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;
    he is called blessed in the land;
    you (C)do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;
    in his illness you restore him to full health.[b]

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

They say, “A deadly thing is poured out[e] on him;
    he will not rise again from where he lies.”
Even my (G)close friend in whom I trusted,
    who (H)ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
10 But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,
    and raise me up, that I may repay them!

11 By this I know that (I)you delight in me:
    my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.
12 But (J)you have upheld me because of (K)my integrity,
    and (L)set me in your presence (M)forever.

13 (N)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 Hebrew you turn all his bed
  3. Psalm 41:4 Hebrew my soul
  4. Psalm 41:7 Or they devise evil against me
  5. Psalm 41:8 Or has fastened