Psalms Chapter 41

                                                For the Choir Director. A Psalm of David

¹ How blessed people are that have regard for the poor;

      the LORD will deliver them when they have need.

² He’ll protect them, keep them alive, and call them blessed;

         ³sustain them when they’re sick and restore them to health.

Ps 41:1-3

⁴ I said, “Be gracious to me, LORD;

      heal my soul because I’ve sinned against you.”

⁵ My enemies say rude things about me:

      “When’s he going to die

            so we can forget about him?”

⁶ When they come to visit me,

            they say things they don’t mean;

      they just come to gather threads

            they can weave into gossip when they leave.

⁷ Everybody that hates me whispers behind my back

      and makes up hurtful things to say about me:

         ⁸“He has some deadly disease;

            he’ll never get out of bed again.”

⁹ Even the close friend that I trusted, that I ate with,

      has turned against me.

Ps 41:4-9

¹⁰ But you, LORD, be gracious and restore me

         so I can pay them back.

¹¹ I know you’re pleased with me;

      you haven’t let my enemies triumph over me.

¹² You’ve upheld me in my integrity

      and brought me into your eternal presence.

¹³ Bless the LORD God of Israel

      from everlasting to everlasting.

                                                Amen and Amen.

Ps 41:10-13