Psalm 41
Psalm 41 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. I said, “O Lord, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you.” 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. 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. Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.
The Hebrew word “Hesed” is not used in this Psalm, but its presence is seen all throughout it. As we have already covered, “Hesed” is the Old Testament expression of grace. God’s lovingkindness given to us who are undeserving. We see God’s grace meeting David in the descriptions of life and its daily routines…even in sickness.
We see the image of God as a nurse at the bedside of one who is very ill in verse 3. This tender image is a God who heals, helps, and restores. We also see David saying that God literally “holds him up” in verse 12. God is the one he can put all his weight upon, as a patient in a hospital would do who is being helped as he walks. That support that can bear our weight (which is the burden of sin)…is the grace that God grants to us daily.
David employs beautiful imagery in the Psalm to help communicate that we are made sick by our sin but healed and held up by the grace of God!
Pray
Thank you, heavenly Father, for healing me of my true sickness. Thank you for not leaving me to die in my sins.