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David wrote this song for the music leader.

A prayer[a]

41 If someone is kind to poor people,
    God blesses him.
When he is in trouble,
    the Lord rescues him.
The Lord keeps him safe.
    The Lord saves his life!
God causes him to be happy
    here in the land where he lives.
The Lord will not put him under the power of his enemies.
The Lord takes care of him
    when he is ill in bed.
Whenever he is ill,
    you will make him completely well again.

I said, ‘Lord be kind to me
    and forgive me.
I have done wrong things against you,
    but please make me well again.’
My enemies say cruel things about me.
They say, ‘Surely he must die soon!
    Then everyone will forget about him.’
When they come to see me,
    they say that they are my friends.
But they think of ways to make me ashamed.
When they leave,
    they tell everyone bad things about me.
All the people who hate me
    insult me to other people.
My enemies make plans to hurt me.
They say, ‘He has a dangerous disease.
    He will never get up from his bed.’
Even my special friend has turned against me.
He was someone that I trusted.
    I often ate food with him in my home.[b]

10 But you, Lord, please be kind to me.
    Raise me up to be well again.
Then I can punish my enemies as they have punished me.[c]
11 They have not won against me,
    so I know that you are pleased with me!
12 You continue to help me because I do what is right.
    You will let me stay near to you for ever.

13 Let us all praise the Lord,
    who is Israel's great God!
Yes, praise him now and for ever!
Amen! Amen!

Footnotes

  1. 41:1 David wrote this psalm when he was ill. He says he was ill because he had not obeyed God's laws. When David was ill, many people came to visit him. David thought that they were his friends, but they were not. They wanted him to die so that there would be a new king. One of David's visitors was his best friend, but he was not kind to David. It is only God who can really take care of David.
  2. 41:9 Jesus used these words to speak about Judas. See John 13:18.
  3. 41:10 David was king, so it was his job to punish his enemies for the bad things that they had done to him.

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