Psalms 41

1 Unto the end, a psalm for David himself. Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.

For the music director. A psalm of David. How happy are those who take care of the poor! When they are in trouble the Lord will save them.

2 The Lord preserve him and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth: and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. They will live happily in the land, and they will not be handed over to their enemies.

3 The Lord help him on his bed of sorrow: thou hast turned all his couch in his sickness.

The Lord looks after them when they're sick; he makes them well from their illness.

4 I said: O Lord, be thou merciful to me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

“Lord, please be gracious to me,” I asked. “Please heal me, for I have sinned against you.”

5 My enemies have spoken evils against me: when shall he die and his name perish?

Those who hate me only say evil things about me. “When is he going to die, and people forget all about him?” they ask.

6 And if he came in to see me, he spoke vain things: his heart gathered together iniquity to itself. He went out and spoke to the same purpose.

They come to visit me, but their sympathy is not sincere. They're only interested in the bad news, which they spread around as soon as they leave.

7 All my enemies whispered together against me: they devised evils to me.

All who hate me talk in whispers about my condition, hoping for the worst.

8 They determined against me an unjust word: shall he that sleepeth rise again no more?

“He's been cursed with some terrible disease,” they say. “Now he's bed-ridden he'll never recover!”

9 For even the man of peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, hath greatly supplanted me.

Even my best friend, the one I trusted, who shared meals with me—even he has turned against me.

10 But thou, O Lord, have mercy on me, and raise me up again: and I will requite them.

But you Lord, please be gracious to me, make me well so I can repay them!

11 By this I know, that thou hast had a good will for me: because my enemy shall not rejoice over me.

I know you are pleased with me because you have not let my enemies win and shout in triumph over me.

12 But thou hast upheld me by reason of my innocence: and hast established me in thy sight for ever.

You have supported me because of my integrity, you have brought me into your presence forever.

13 Blessed by the Lord the God of Israel from eternity to eternity. So be it. So be it.

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, from eternity to eternity! Amen and amen!