Psalm 41, Healing

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Psalm 41:1-3, Regard for the weak

Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; 

the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.

The LORD will protect him 

and preserve his life; 

he will bless him in the land 

and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.

The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed 

and restore him from his bed of illness.

Caring for the weak is an indication of compassion and goodness and calls upon the LORD's protection. Here David praises God for protecting him and healing him.

Both Alter and Kidner translate the Hebrew of verse 3 to mean, "turn over his bed from his sickness". There is an image of a bed being flipped over or, possibly, a bed being made up after someone has risen from his illness.

Psalm 41:4, Healing and mercy

I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me; 

heal me, for I have sinned against you."

David recalls his earlier pleas.  They included a request for help, healing ... and mercy and forgiveness.  (This is reminiscent of Psalm 38.)

Psalm 41:5-9, Enemies

My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?"

Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;

then he goes out and spreads it abroad.

All my enemies whisper together against me; 

they imagine the worst for me, saying,

"A vile disease has beset him; 

he will never get up from the place where he lies."

Even my close friend, whom I trusted, 

he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

David has been seriously ill, long enough for enemies to plot against him and pass on gossip about his impending death.  For David (and for most of us) the most vicious acts are those of deceit and betrayal, the acts of people lying about you and deliberately working against you.

Is this a messianic allusion to Judas?  Or was Judas simply a later example?

Psalm 41:10-12, Uphold me

But you, O LORD, have mercy on me; 

raise me up, that I may repay them.

I know that you are pleased with me, 

for my enemy does not triumph over me.

In my integrity you uphold me 

and set me in your presence forever.

Once again, David expresses sudden confidence that God has heard and that David is forgiven. David expresses praise and joy as makes plans to move forward in integrity and purpose with "the God of Israel."

A common pattern in David's psalms: 

• Help me, lift me up!
• But my enemies...
• I have made a decision to trust You

There is often an ABA pattern: first a "vertical" plea, followed by a "horizontal" pointing at the earthly causes of his pain, followed by a "vertical" decisive statement of trust.

Psalm 41:13a, Everlasting to everlasting

Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, 

from everlasting to everlasting. 

Once again, David expresses sudden confidence that God has heard and that David is forgiven. David expresses praise and joy as he makes plans to move forward in integrity and purpose with "the God of Israel."

Psalm 41: 13b, Conclusion to Book I

Amen and Amen.

Alter says that this phrase is intended to close out Book I.  Kidner points out that the phrase, translated here "Amen and Amen" (or a similar one) closes each of the five books of the Psalms.