< Psalms 41 >
1 Yahweh is pleased with those people who help to provide for the poor; he will rescue those people when they have troubles.
To the Chief Musician. A Melody of David. How happy is he that is attentive to the poor, In the day of calamity, will Yahweh deliver him:
2 Yahweh protects them and allows them to live [for a long time]. He enables them to be happy in the land [of Israel], and rescues them from their enemies.
Yahweh, will preserve him and keep him alive, And he shall be pronounced happy in the land, Do not then give him up at the desire of his enemies!
3 When they are sick, Yahweh strengthens them, and he heals them.
Yahweh, will sustain him upon the bed of sickness, All his couch, hast thou transformed in his disease.
4 [When I was sick], I said, “Yahweh, be merciful to me and heal me; [I know that I am sick because] I have sinned against you.”
I, said—O Yahweh, show me favour, heal thou my soul, for I have sinned against thee:
5 My enemies say cruel things about me; they say, “How soon will he die, and then everyone will forget about him [MTY]? (OR, he will not have [any descendants to continue] his name).”
Mine enemies, speak ill of me, When will he die, and his name perish?
6 When my enemies come to me, they falsely say that they [are concerned about me]. They listen to bad news about (me/my health). Then they go away and tell everywhere what is happening to me.
And, if he have come to see me, Falsehood, doth he speak, His own heart, gathereth iniquity to itself, he goeth forth, abroad he telleth it.
7 All those who hate me whisper to others about me, and they hope/desire that very bad things will happen to me.
Together—against me, do all who hate me whisper among themselves, Against me, devise they hurt for me.
8 They say, “He will soon die because of his being sick; he will never get up from his bed [before he dies].”
An infliction of the Abandoned One hath been fixed upon him, and, now that he hath lien down, he will not again rise.
9 Even my best friend, whom I trusted very much, who [often] ate with me, has (betrayed me/put me into my enemies’ hands) [IDM].
Even the man whom I used to salute, in whom I put confidence, who used to eat my bread, —hath magnified his heel against me!
10 But Yahweh, be merciful to me, and enable me to become healthy [again]. When you do that, I will be able to (pay back my enemies/get revenge on my enemies/cause my enemies to suffer like they caused me to suffer).
But, thou, O Yahweh, show me favour and raise me up, That I may repay them.
11 [If you enable me to] do that, with the result that my enemies do not defeat me, I will know that you are pleased with me.
Hereby, do I know that thou delightest in me, In that mine enemy shall not raise a shout over me.
12 [I will know that] it is because I have done what is right that you have helped me, and [I will know that] you will let me be with you forever.
But, as for me, In my blamelessness, hast thou held me fast, And hast caused me to stand before thee unto times age-abiding.
13 Praise Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship]; Praise him forever! Amen! I desire that it will be so!
Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, From the age that is past, even unto the age yet to come: Amen and Amen!