The Psalmist in Sickness Complains of Enemies and False Friends.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

41 Blessed is one who (A)considers the [a]helpless;
The Lord will save him (B)on a day of [b]trouble.
The Lord will (C)protect him and keep him alive,
And he will be called [c](D)blessed upon the earth;
And (E)do not turn him over to the desire of his enemies.
The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed;
In his illness, You [d]restore him to health.

As for me, I said, “Lord, be gracious to me;
(F)Heal my soul, for (G)I have sinned against You.”
My enemies (H)speak evil against me,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
And [e]when he comes to see me, he (I)speaks [f]empty words;
His heart gathers wickedness to itself;
When he goes outside, he tells it.
All who hate me whisper together against me;
They (J)plot my harm against me, saying,
“A wicked thing is poured out [g]upon him,
So that when he lies down, he will (K)not get up again.”
Even my [h](L)close friend in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread,
Has lifted up his heel against me.

10 But You, Lord, be gracious to me and (M)raise me up,
That I may repay them.
11 By this I know that (N)You are pleased with me,
Because (O)my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.
12 As for me, (P)You uphold me in my integrity,
And You place me (Q)in Your presence forever.

13 (R)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 41:1 Or poor
  2. Psalm 41:1 Or evil
  3. Psalm 41:2 Or happy
  4. Psalm 41:3 Lit turn all his bed
  5. Psalm 41:6 Or if he
  6. Psalm 41:6 Lit worthlessness
  7. Psalm 41:8 Or within
  8. Psalm 41:9 Lit man of peace

Psalm 41

Assurance of God’s Help and a Plea for Healing

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

Happy are those who consider the poor;[a]
    the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.(A)
The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;
    they are called happy in the land.
    You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.(B)
The Lord sustains them on their sickbed;
    in their illness you heal all their infirmities.[b](C)

As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
    heal me, for I have sinned against you.”(D)
My enemies wonder in malice
    when I will die and my name perish.(E)
And when they come to see me, they utter empty words
    while their hearts gather mischief;
    when they go out, they tell it abroad.(F)
All who hate me whisper together about me;
    they imagine the worst for me.(G)

They think that a deadly thing has fastened on me,
    that I will not rise again from where I lie.(H)
Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
    who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.(I)
10 But you, O Lord, be gracious to me,
    and raise me up, that I may repay them.(J)

11 By this I know that you are pleased with me:
    because my enemy has not triumphed over me.(K)
12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity
    and set me in your presence forever.(L)

13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
                Amen and Amen.(M)

Footnotes

  1. 41.1 Or weak
  2. 41.3 Heb you change all his bed