Psalm 41 - Blessed Is He That Considereth the Poor
A psalm on caring for the poor that turns to the pain of betrayal by a close friend.
Psalm 41 follows the deliverance narrative of Psalms 40 by opening with a blessing on the one who considers the poor, promising that the LORD will preserve, strengthen, and heal such a person in time of trouble. David then asks for mercy on his own soul, confessing, "I have sinned against thee."
To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. O the happiness of him Who is acting wisely unto the poor, In a day of evil doth Jehovah deliver him.
Jehovah doth preserve him and revive him, He is happy in the land, And Thou givest him not into the will of his enemies.
Jehovah supporteth on a couch of sickness, All his bed Thou hast turned in his weakness.
I -- I said, `O Jehovah, favour me, Heal my soul, for I did sin against Thee,'
Mine enemies say evil of me: When he dieth -- his name hath perished!
And if he came to see -- vanity he speaketh, His heart gathereth iniquity to itself, He goeth out -- at the street he speaketh.
All hating me whisper together against me, Against me they devise evil to me:
A thing of Belial is poured out on him, And because he lay down he riseth not again.
Even mine ally, in whom I trusted, One eating my bread, made great the heel against me,
And Thou, Jehovah, favour me, And cause me to rise, And I give recompence to them.
By this I have known, That Thou hast delighted in me, Because my enemy shouteth not over me.
As to me, in mine integrity, Thou hast taken hold upon me, And causest me to stand before Thee to the age.
Blessed `is' Jehovah, God of Israel, From the age -- and unto the age. Amen and Amen.