Psalms 41

1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Blessed is the one who cares for the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble.

To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David. Happy is the man who gives thought to the poor; the Lord will be his saviour in the time of trouble.

2 The LORD will protect and preserve him; He will bless him in the land and refuse to surrender him to the will of his foes.

The Lord will keep him safe, and give him life; the Lord will let him be a blessing on the earth, and will not give him into the hand of his haters.

3 The LORD will sustain him on his bed of illness and restore him from his bed of sickness.

The Lord will be his support on his bed of pain: by you will all his grief be turned to strength.

4 I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against You.”

I said, Lord, have mercy on me; make my soul well, because my faith is in you.

5 My enemies say with malice: “When will he die and be forgotten?”

My haters say evil against me, When will he be dead, and his name come to an end?

6 My visitor speaks falsehood; he gathers slander in his heart; he goes out and spreads it abroad.

If one comes to see me, deceit is in his heart; he keeps a store of evil, which he makes public in every place.

7 All who hate me whisper against me; they imagine the worst for me:

All my haters are talking secretly together against me; they are designing my downfall.

8 “A vile disease has been poured into him; he will never get up from where he lies!”

They say, He has an evil disease, which will not let him go: and now that he is down he will not get up again.

9 Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

Even my dearest friend, in whom I had faith, who took bread with me, is turned against me.

10 But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up, that I may repay them.

But you, O Lord, have mercy on me, lifting me up, so that I may give them their punishment.

11 By this I know that You delight in me, for my enemy does not triumph over me.

By this I see that you have pleasure in me, because my hater does not overcome me.

12 In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever.

And as for me, you are my support in my righteousness, giving me a place before your face for ever.

13 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.

May the Lord God of Israel be praised, through eternal days and for ever. So be it. So be it.