Outline of Chapter 41:

         Introduction         An Introduction to Psalm 41

         Inscription            Psalm 41 Inscription

         vv.     1–3           God Sustains the Helpless

         vv.     4–9           David’s Enemies Hope for His Death

         vv.    10–12         God Gives David Temporal and Ultimate Triumph Over His Enemies

          v.       13           Doxology for First Book of Psalms

         Addendum          Psalm 41 Addendum

Charts, Short Doctrines and Maps:

         Introduction         The Principals of Psalm 41

         Introduction         Why David Does Not Have More Specifics in Psalm 41

         Introduction         The Prequel of Psalm 41

         Introduction         A Synopsis of Psalm 41

         Introduction         Barnes Outlines and Summarizes Psalm 41

         v.       1              A New Interpretation of Psalm 41:1

         v.       3              Clarke Sums up the Benefits of Being a Merciful Man

         v.       4              Links to the 40 Things We Receive at Salvation

         v.       7              Links to Sins of the Tongue

         v.       9              Ahithophel

         v.      10              Do We Pray for Our Enemies or Against Them?

         v.      12              Two Separate Interpretations of Psalm 41:9–12

         v.      13              Endings of the 5 Books of the Psalms

         Addendum          A Complete Translation of Psalm 41

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An Introduction to Psalm 41

I ntroduction: Psalm 41 is written by David and it apparently takes place when David is deathly ill—so much so that some factions of his government seem to be hoping for his demise. Many place this psalm as being written when Absalom rebelled against David; but the details of this psalm probably look back to a few years earlier.

Psalm 41 is very similar in subject matter to Psalm 38, where David is deathly ill. There are no clear indicators whether these two psalms are written about the same incident, or whether David was deathly ill on at least two occasions. On both occasions, there are those who hope for David’s death (see Psalm 38:11–12 41:5–9), but that could also simply be a part of being king in any nation. After all, there are huge numbers of people who would hope for the death of the president of either party in our nation today, if one of them is struck ill. So it should not be impossible to imagine many feeling that way about David, when he is taken ill.

Is this a parallel to both people and angels who, when God does not appear to be closely involved, that they hope for His death or absence? Or should we simply see this as a believer under tremendous pressure of physical illness and appealing to God? At the end of this psalm, David will appeal to God, in part, on His character, and on the doctrine in His soul (God must vindicate His Word, no matter where it is found).

Whatever the case, David appears to be acutely aware of the desire of some for his death.

People in this life do suffer great, debilitating illnesses, and the Bible speaks to them through these psalms.

In both Psalm 38 and 41, there appears to be an element of discipline involved (David speaks of his sin in Psalm 38:1–2 41:4). So, God may have used illness to discipline David; and David’s illness (or, illnesses) is not covered in the narratives of Samuel and Chronicles. Logically, it does make more sense to speak of one’s illness in a psalm as opposed to detailing it in a narrative. There is a lot less interaction and a lot more reflection at such a time.

One verse of this psalm is quoted by our Lord in the night that He was betrayed, and he applies it to Judas’ betrayal.

Interestingly enough, there are at least 3 psalms that deal with David’s illnesses: Psalm 6 38 41; and being healed from disease is mentioned in Psalm 103:3 147:3. I say interesting because we do not find this sort of thing in the narratives about David in Samuel and Chronicles. In any case, sickness is an important aspect of life, as it illustrates the indwelling and control of the sin nature. When a person is sick, they simply do not have the desire to do much of anything except to lay about and be sick. They cannot participate in any other aspect of life. Well, the person controlled by the sin nature cannot participate in any aspect of the spiritual life. Therefore, sickness makes an excellent metaphor, which our Lord made use of again and again.

David would have reasonably written this psalm either during his retreat from Jerusalem or soon thereafter. I would not be surprised if he composed some of those lines when climbing up the Mount of Olives on the other side of the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem (where Jesus quotes v. 9 to the disciples).

David, in many ways, looks back at his illness of perhaps 4 years ago, and recognizes the deceitfulness and plotting of his son Absalom, something he had not allowed himself to see during these past 4 years. He puts all of these things together and understands exactly what has been happening during this time, but not during the time of his illness.

On the other hand, some of these verses appear to be rather immediate, as if spoken during the time of David’s illness. Did he begin to write this psalm then, and complete it on the Mount of Olives, 4 years later? Songwriters often have binders of ideas; they get a thought, and they write it down. They think of a melody, and they jot that down. Perhaps years later, something else will come to this, and they incorporate these things together. This is perhaps what David did in this psalm. However, we will treat this psalm mostly as if it is taking place in real time; that is, we will interpret this psalm as if it is taking place for David right at the moment of studying each verse.

David has many psalms about his enemies, which is clearly a part of being a king (Psalm 28 38 41 55, to name a few). This psalm ought to give you pause before entering into politics. The duplicity in the politics of power has few parallels in life. It is like having a 1000 men on an island with one woman, who desires but one man. Duplicity and ruthlessness among the men would reign to win her hand.

To quote Matthew Henry: David here found them so, upon a sick-bed; he found his enemies very barbarous, but his God very gracious.

Application: A man does not have to be capable of administrating authority in order to desire power. There are probably 100 million idiots in the United States who think that they could be president, but understand that they would never be elected. From 2009 to 2013, we had a president of these United States who did not have a clue as to how to govern, except to push and pass legislation, to give more and more power to the federal government, and to spend more money than any president in human history. However, his arrogance to think that he could run this country was only exceeded by the ignorance of those who voted for a man without any practical experience.

Keil and Delitzsch give this psalm the Title: Complaint of a Sufferer of Being Surrounded by Hostile and Treacherous Persons

On a personal note, there was often times when I do a chapter from a book and walk away thinking, I nailed that chapter; I understood exactly what the author was trying to get across. I did not have that feeling with this chapter. I believe that I have explained this chapter in the psalms reasonably well, but I am not sure if I completely nailed it. Sometimes there is a key to a chapter, that, when that key is understood, it opens up the chapter itself.

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Psalm 41 Inscription

Here is how others have translated this verse:

Ancient texts:                       Note: I compare the Hebrew text to English translations of the Latin, Syriac and Greek texts, using the Douay-Rheims translation ; George Lamsa’s translation, and Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton’s translation as revised and edited by Paul W. Esposito, respectively. I often update these texts with non-substantive changes (e.g., you for thou, etc.). I often use the text of the Complete Apostles’ Bible instead of Brenton’s translation, because it updates the English text.

The Septuagint was the earliest known translation of a book (circa 200 b.c.). Since this translation was made before the textual criticism had been developed into a science and because different books appear to be translated by different men, the Greek translation can sometimes be very uneven.

When there are serious disparities between my translation and Brenton’s (or the text of the Complete Apostles’ Bible), I look at the Greek text of the Septuagint (the LXX) to see if a substantive difference actually exists (and I reflect these changes in the English rendering of the Greek text). I use the Greek LXX with Strong’s numbers and morphology available for e-sword. The only problem with this resource (which is a problem for similar resources) is, there is no way to further explore Greek verbs which are not found in the New Testament. Although I usually quote the Complete Apostles’ Bible here, I have begun to make changes in the translation when their translation conflicts with the Greek and note what those changes are.

The Masoretic text is the Hebrew text with all of the vowels (vowel points) inserted (the original Hebrew text lacked vowels). We take the Masoretic text to be the text closest to the original. However, differences between the Masoretic text and the Greek, Latin and Syriac are worth noting and, once in a great while, represent a more accurate text possessed by those other ancient translators.

In general, the Latin text is an outstanding translation from the Hebrew text into Latin and very trustworthy (I say this as a non-Catholic). Unfortunately, I do not read Latin—apart from some very obvious words—so I am dependent upon the English translation of the Latin (principally, the Douay-Rheims translation).

Underlined words indicate differences in the text.

Bracketed portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls are words, letters and phrases lost in the scroll due to various types of damage. Underlined words or phrases are those in the Dead Sea Scrolls but not in the Masoretic text.

Aramaic text not represented in some way in the Hebrew original is signaled by italics. The absence of italics should not be construed to mean that the targum translates literally. Aramaic verbs are translated literally; that is, perfects are generally translated as past tense, imperfects as future or jussive, participles as general present.

Ancient texts:

Targum (trans. By Cook)        For praise; a psalm of David.

Latin Vulgate                          Unto the end, a psalm for David himself.

Masoretic Text (Hebrew)        To the preeminent one; a psalm to David.

Syriac text                               A Psalm of David, when he appointed overseers to take care of the poor.

Septuagint (Greek)                For the end, A Psalm of David.

Significant differences:           The Syriac has only a partial match to the Hebrew. The Targum has praise, and the Greek and Latin have end; neither of which seems to match up with the Hebrew.

Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:

Contemporary English V.       (A psalm by David for the music leader.)

Easy English                          (This is) for the (music) leader.

(It is) a psalm for David.

The Message                         A David psalm.

New Life Bible                        Prayer Of A Sick Man About False Friends Sick, ridiculed, betrayed: such is the one who says this prayer. Perhaps we know him and he is beside us waiting for our support.

Partially literal and partially paraphrased translations:

Christian Community Bible     Prayer of an abandoned sick person.

God’s Word™                         For the choir director; a psalm by David.

NIRV                                      For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):

Ancient Roots Translinear      To the conductor, a psalm from David.

Bible in Basic English             To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.

Ferar-Fenton Bible                 To his bandmaster,

A Psalm by David.

Judaica Press Complete T.    For the conductor, a song of David.

NET Bible®                             For the music director; a psalm of David. When it comes to making an actual material change to the text, the NET Bible® is pretty good about indicating this. Since most of these corrections will be clear in the more literal translations below and within the Hebrew exegesis itself, I will not continue to list every NET Bible® footnote. The psalmist is confident (Psalm 41:11–12) that the Lord has heard his request to be healed (Psalm 41:4–10), and he anticipates the joy he will experience when the Lord intervenes (Psalm 41:1–3). One must assume that the psalmist is responding to a divine oracle of assurance (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1–50 [WBC], 319–20). The final verse (Psalm 41:13) is a fitting conclusion to this psalm, but it is also serves as a fitting conclusion to the first "book" (or major editorial division) of the Psalter. Similar statements appear at or near the end of each of the second, third, and fourth "books" of the Psalter (see Psalm 72:19; Psalm 89:52, and Psalm 106:48 respectively).

NIV – UK                                For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:

Concordant Literal Version    A Davidic Psalm.

Emphasized Bible                  To the Chief Musician. A Melody of David.

English Standard V. – UK       O Lord, Be Gracious to Me

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

exeGeses companion Bible   To His Eminence; A Psalm by David.

LTHB                                     To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

NASB                                     The Psalmist in Sickness Complains of Enemies and False Friends.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

New King James Version       The Blessing and Suffering of the Godly

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

New RSV                               To the leader. A Psalm of David.

Syndein                                  {David's Prayer for Recovery in Time of Conspiracy}

{Title} To the 'chief musician'/'director or music' {natsach} a Psalm {mizmowr} of David.

Young's Literal Translation     To the Overseer. --A Psalm of David.

The gist of this verse:          The inscription gives us the author and to whom this psalm was given.

Translation: To the Preeminent One;... As we have seen with the numerous translations above, no one is clear as to who this person is. This psalm could be dedicated to God, which is essentially how I have translated it; however, it could be designed to be conducted by the chief musician, which is how Rotherham understands it. Most translators assume that this is given over to the choir director or the conductor or the one in charge of those who sang.

We find this word as a Piel infinitive in 1Chron. 15:21 23:4 2Chron. 34:12 Ezra 3:8–9. 1Chron. 23:4 indicates that this does not have to be a supervisory position, as it reads: Of these [38,000 Levites], 24,000 were to oversee the work of the house of Yahweh; and 6000 were officers and judges. Quite obviously, you cannot have 24,000 chiefs and no Indians, these were all of the Levites assigned to work on the Temple (Ezra 3:8–9 finds this word used in this same way). However, the supervisory nature of this word seems to be clear in 1Chron. 15:21 2Chron. 34:12.

Unfortunately, the exact meaning of the lâmed preposition is also hard to determine. We find several psalms which are ascribed to David written to David; but the idea is, the psalm belongs to David. The lâmed preposition is used more often when something is given to someone else or something is for someone else, the chief meanings of the lâmed preposition. Despite the use of the lâmed preposition with David throughout the book of Psalms, I have taken this to me that this psalm is written for whomever this Preeminent person is.

Barnes comments on this portion of the inscription: This phrase in the title, “To the chief Musician,” occurs at the beginning of 53 psalms, and at the close of the hymn in Habak. 3:19. It is uniformly rendered “to the chief Musician,” and means that the psalm was intended for him, or was to be given to him, probably to regulate the manner of performing it. In no one instance does the title imply that he was the author. The word rendered “Chief Musician” is derived from [ a Hebrew word] properly meaning “to shine,” but not used in the Qal. In the Piel form it means to be conspicuous; to be over anything; to be chief; to be superintendent (2Chron. 2:2, 18 34:12) and then it means to lead in music. The meaning of the form used here, and in the other places where it occurs as a title to a psalm, is “Chief Musician,” or precentor; and the idea is, that the psalm is to be performed under his direction; or that the music is to be directed and adapted by him.

Even though we have the same preposition used here as we find used with David, when he is the author, the many times that this phrase is found in combination with the author’s name suggests more that there is a musical organization and that this song was delivered over to the Choirmaster (or conductor) of that organization to be sung and performed at various functions.

The NIV Study Bible has its opinion on this matter: [For the director of music is] probably a liturgical notation, indicating either that the psalm was to be added to he collection of works to be used by the director of music in Israel’s worship services, or that when the psalm was used in the temple worship, it was to be spoke [or, sung?] by the leader of the Levitical choir—or by the choir itself (see 1Chron. 23:4–5, 30 [Of the overseers over the works of the house of the Lord there were twenty-four thousand, and there were six thousand scribes and judges; and four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand to praise the Lord with instruments which he made to praise the Lord...to stand in the morning to praise and give thanks to the Lord, and so in the evening] 25 [assignments are given to the sons of Korah, among others]). In this liturgical activity the Levites functioned as representatives of the worshiping congregation. Following their lead the people probably responded with “Amen” and “Praise the Lord” (Hallelujah); see 1Chron. 16:36 Neh. 5:13; compare 1Cor. 14:16 Rev. 5:14 7:12 19:4.

Translation: ...a psalm of David,... There are three different Hebrew words translated psalm; this is one of them which is found a little less than a third of the time. I’m not yet ready to differentiate between these three words, nor am I confident that there is an important lesson hidden in differentiating them.

What I would have expected to find is, by David, where the bêyth preposition is used. However, this is never the case. It is always the lâmed preposition + David. Perhaps the idea here is, this psalm is both written by David and it is for David, as a gift from God.

One theory is, words by David and music by the choir director.

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God Sustains the Helpless

Here is how others have handled this verse:

Ancient texts:                       Note: I compare the Hebrew text to English translations of the Latin, Syriac and Greek texts, using the Douay-Rheims translation ; George Lamsa’s translation, and Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton’s translation as revised and edited by Paul W. Esposito, respectively. I often update these texts with non-substantive changes (e.g., you for thou, etc.). I often use the text of the Complete Apostles’ Bible instead of Brenton’s translation, because it updates the English text.

The Septuagint was the earliest known translation of a book (circa 200 b.c.). Since this translation was made before the textual criticism had been developed into a science and because different books appear to be translated by different men, the Greek translation can sometimes be very uneven.

When there are serious disparities between my translation and Brenton’s (or the text of the Complete Apostles’ Bible), I look at the Greek text of the Septuagint (the LXX) to see if a substantive difference actually exists (and I reflect these changes in the English rendering of the Greek text). I use the Greek LXX with Strong’s numbers and morphology available for e-sword. The only problem with this resource (which is a problem for similar resources) is, there is no way to further explore Greek verbs which are not found in the New Testament.

The Masoretic text is the Hebrew text with all of the vowels (vowel points) inserted (the original Hebrew text lacked vowels). We take the Masoretic text to be the text closest to the original. However, differences between the Masoretic text and the Greek, Latin and Syriac are worth noting and, once in a great while, represent a more accurate text possessed by those other ancient translators.

In general, the Latin text is an outstanding translation from the Hebrew text into Latin and very trustworthy (I say this as a non-Catholic). Unfortunately, I do not read Latin—apart from some very obvious words—so I am dependent upon the English translation of the Latin (principally, the Douay-Rheims translation).

Underlined words indicate differences in the text.

Bracketed portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls are words, letters and phrases lost in the scroll due to various types of damage. Underlined words or phrases are those in the Dead Sea Scrolls but not in the Masoretic text.

Aramaic text not represented in some way in the Hebrew original is signaled by italics. The absence of italics should not be construed to mean that the targum translates literally. Aramaic verbs are translated literally; that is, perfects are generally translated as past tense, imperfects as future or jussive, participles as general present.

Ancient texts:

Targum (trans. By Cook)        Happy the man who is wise to show mercy to the humble and poor on the day of evil; the Lord will deliver him.

Latin Vulgate                          Blessed is he that understands concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.

Masoretic Text (Hebrew)        Blessings of attending unto a helpless one;

in a day of evil delivers him Y^ehowah.

Peshitta (Syriac)                    BLESSED is he who looks after the poor; the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

Septuagint (Greek)                Blessed is the man who thinks on the poor and needy; the Lord shall deliver him in an evil day.

Brenton’s Septuagint             Blessed is the man who thinks, on the poor and needy: the Lord shall deliver him in an evil day.

Significant differences:           Although there appear to be differences in the first phrase, they are all legitimate translations from the Hebrew. The targum seems to differ as to where to place the day of evil. However, that phrase does occur in the middle of the other two phrases, so that is a matter of interpretation rather than an actual difference in text.

Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:

Common English Bible           Those who pay close attention to the poor are truly happy!

The Lord rescues them during troubling times.

Contemporary English V.       You, LORD God, bless everyone who cares for the poor, and you rescue those people in times of trouble.

Easy English                          Anyone that is kind to the poor will be very happy.

The LORD will help him when life is difficult.

Easy-to-Read Version            A person who helps poor people succeed

will get many blessings. [Or, "be truly fortunate (happy)."]

When trouble comes,

the Lord will save that person..

Good News Bible (TEV)         Happy are those who are concerned for the poor; the LORD will help them when they are in trouble.

The Message                         Dignify those who are down on their luck; you'll feel good--that's what GOD does.

New Berkeley Version           Blessings are his, who considers the weak;

in the day of misfortune the Lord will deliver him.

New Century Version             Happy are those who think about the poor.

When trouble comes, the Lord will save them.

New Life Bible                        Happy is the man who cares for the poor. The Lord will save him in times of trouble.

New Living Translation           Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!

The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.

Partially literal and partially paraphrased translations:

American English Bible          Blest is he who pays attention, to those who are poor and in need, for in the bad day God will save him.

Beck’s American Translation Happy is he who treats the poor with understanding.

When trouble comes, may the LORD rescue him.

Christian Community Bible     Blessed the one who has regard for the poor;

the Lord delivers him in time of trouble..

God’s Word™                         Blessed is the one who has concern for helpless people. The LORD will rescue him in times of trouble.

New American Bible              Happy those concerned for the lowly and poor;

when misfortune strikes, the Lord delivers them.

New American Bible (R.E.)     Blessed the one concerned for the poor; [cf. Ps 32:1-2; 34:9; 40:5; 65:5. The psalmist's statement about God's love of the poor is based on the experience of being rescued (Ps 41:1-3)]

on a day of misfortune, the LORD delivers him.

NIRV                                      Blessed is the one who cares about weak people.

When he is in trouble, the Lord saves him.

New Jerusalem Bible             Blessed is anyone who cares for the poor and the weak; in time of trouble Yahweh rescues him.

New Simplified Bible              Blessed (happy) is the one who has concern for helpless people. Jehovah will rescue (save) him in times of trouble.

Revised English Bible            Happy is anyone who has a concern for the helpless!

The Lord will save him in a time of trouble.

Today’s NIV                          Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;

the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.

Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):

Ancient Roots Translinear      Happy the comprehender of the poor. Yahweh will escape him in the days of evil.

Bible in Basic English             Happy is the man who gives thought to the poor; the Lord will be his saviour in the time of trouble.

Complete Jewish Bible           How blessed are those who care for the poor! When calamity comes, ADONAI will save them.

Ferar-Fenton Bible                 Bless the man who consoles the depressed!

The Lord will relieve him in grief.

HCSB                                     Happy is one who cares for the poor; the LORD will save him in a day of adversity.

JPS (Tanakh—1985)               Happy is he who is thoughtful of the wretched;

in bad times may the Lord keep him from harm.

Judaica Press Complete T.    Praiseworthy is he who looks after the poor; on a day of calamity the Lord will rescue him.

New Advent Bible                  Blessed is he that understands concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.

NET Bible®                             How blessed [The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God–given security and prosperity produce (see Psalm 1:1; Psalm 1:3; Psalm 2:12; Psalm 34:9; Psalm 65:4; Psalm 84:12; Psalm 89:15; Psalm 106:3; Psalm 112:1; Psalm 127:5; Psalm 128:1; Psalm 144:15)] is the one who treats the poor properly [The psalmist is characterizing himself as such an individual and supplying a reason why God has responded favorably to his prayer. The Lord's attitude toward the merciful mirrors their treatment of the poor]!

When trouble comes ["in the day of trouble" (see Psalm 27:5)], the LORD delivers him [That is, the one who has been kind to the poor. The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive of prayer ("may the LORD deliver," see Psalm 41:2), but the preceding parallel line is a declaration of fact, not a prayer per se. The imperfect can be taken here as future ("will deliver," cf. NEB, NASB) or as generalizing ("delivers," cf. NIV, NRSV). The parallel line, which has a generalizing tone, favors the latter. At the same time, though the psalmist uses a generalizing style here, he clearly has himself primarily in view]. When it comes to making an actual material change to the text, the NET Bible® is pretty good about indicating this. Since most of these corrections will be clear in the more literal translations below and within the Hebrew exegesis itself, I will not continue to list every NET Bible® footnote.

NIV, ©2011                             Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;

the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.

Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:

The Amplified Bible                Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is he who considers the weak and the poor; the Lord will deliver him in the time of evil and trouble.

Barnes                                   Oh the blessings of him that considers [this means properly to look at, to behold; then, to be prudent or circumspect; then, to attend to; and then in general to act prudently, wisely, intelligently, in any case. Here it means to attend to; to show an interest in; to care for. The idea is that of not neglecting; not passing by; not being indifferent to; not being hard-hearted and uncharitable toward.] the poor [or, the weak, the sick]. The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble [Margin, as in Hebrew: “in the day of evil.”].

Concordant Literal Version    Happy is he who is acting intelligently toward the poor and needy; In a day of peril, Yahweh shall provide his escape.

A Conservative Version         Blessed is he who considers a poor man. LORD will deliver him in the day of evil.

Darby Updated Translation    Blessed is he that understands the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.

Emphasized Bible                  How happy is he that is attentive to the poor, In the day of calamity, will Yahweh deliver him.

English Standard Version      Blessed is the one who considers the poor [or, weak]! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;...

exeGeses companion Bible   Blithe - he who comprehends the poor:

Yah Veh rescues him in the day of evil;.

The Geneva Bible                  Blessed [is] he that a considers the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. Not condemning him as accused whom God visits, knowing that there are various reasons why God lays his hand on us, yea and afterwards he restores us.

LTHB                                     Blessed is he who acts wisely toward the poor; Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.

Modern KJV                           Blessed is he who acts wisely toward the poor; Jehovah will deliver him in time of trouble.

NASB                                     How blessed is he who considers the helpless [Or poor];

The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble [Or evil].

New RSV                               Happy are those who consider the poor [or, weak];

the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.

Syndein                                  Blessed is he who has regarded the helpless. Jehovah/God delivers him in the day of disaster. {Note: RBT says that psalms 39,41 and 55 are conspiracy psalms written by David approximately at the time of 2Samuel 15:12 - the Absalom revolution. This verse gives us David's mental attitude when he discovered the Absalom revolution. He is the helpless one - in a state of humility.} .

A Voice in the Wilderness      Blessed is he who gives attention to the poor; Jehovah will deliver him in the time of evil.

World English Bible                Blessed is he who considers the poor: Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil.

Young's Updated LT              O the happiness of him Who is acting wisely unto the poor, In a day of evil Jehovah delivers him.

The gist of this verse:          God promises to deliver in a disaster those who look out for the deficient.

Translation: Blessings [or, happinesses] [to the one] attending to [or, instructing] the poor [I.e., the one who is deficient or lacking; the one who is grace oriented];... The poor is the person who is deficient in some way. They lack health, financial resources, food, or doctrine. Many times, the word poor can refer to a person who is grace oriented.

Regarding the verb, Barnes writes: Here it means to attend to; to show an interest in; to care for. The idea is that of not neglecting; not passing by; not being indifferent to; not being hard-hearted and uncharitable toward....The word used in the Hebrew - דַל dal - means properly something hanging or swinging, as of pendulous boughs or branches; and then, that which is weak, feeble, powerless. Thus it comes to denote those who are feeble and helpless either by poverty or by disease, and is used with a general reference to those who are in slow or humble condition, and who need the aid of others. The statement here is of a general nature - that he is blessed who shows proper sympathy for all of that class: for those who need the sympathy of others from any cause - poverty, sickness, a low condition, or trouble. The particular thing here referred to was a case of sickness; where one was borne down by disease, perhaps brought on by mental sorrow, and when he particularly needed the sympathy of his friends.

When it comes to interpreting this short phrase, we should bear in mind that David is applying this to himself. He is the one who attends to the poor; he is the one who is blessed. It is because of this, God blesses David and protects him throughout this chapter.

How does David attend to the poor? David was king, therefore, he wielded great power in making laws, in overseeing the enforcement of laws, and in the courtroom. We know that he did not play favorites; he did not take bribes or decide in favor of the rich over the poor (although David was weak when it came to his own sons). All that a poor person in court should expect is just a fair trial.

There are also portions of the Mosaic Law which favored the poor. For instance, the corners of a field were not to be harvested, but left for the poor to come in and harvest themselves (Lev. 19:9 23:22 Deut. 24:19). Also, every third year, a tithe was taken up for the poor, widows, orphans and immigrants (Deuteronomy 14:28 -29). Although we do not have any specific instances of this recorded during the reign of David, based upon this psalm, we may assume that law was enforced during David’s reign.

What is done for that poor person (again, there are many types of poverty in view here) is, someone attends to him, or is mindful of him, or one who instructs or teaches him. The poor person is the person with some kind of deficiency—often monetary, but this is not the only form of poverty—and the person here being blessed or receiving blessings is the person who attends to that deficiency.

In many ways, this is the picture of the pastor-teacher today, who speaks to a congregation that is deficient in doctrine, and he fills up that deficiency.

However, in many places, there are those who are really poor and really lack even the assurance of a meal tomorrow. James writes: If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and if one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them those things which are needful to the body, what good is it? (James 2:15–16). A person must be mindful of the type of poverty suffered by another. Many missions provided food and shelter for the down and out; and they would also hear the gospel proclaimed to them. Here, it is a reference to a fellow believer, and the idea is, you have the ability to provide for them where they are deficient; and therefore, you ought to do that.

Application: There are times when the most you can do for someone is to pray for them; and this is a lot. However, there are times when you will be placed face to face with someone who actually needs some specific help, and you have the ability to do that. Therefore, you give them that help. In the United States, we do not have as much of a need to provide food, shelter and clothing, as many are on the government dole; but in other nations, these basic necessities are necessary to their well-being. Part of what we need to be is mindful of those around us, to consider their deficiencies and to attend to those deficiencies when necessary.

Application: There are many people who do not meet the government’s criteria, for whatever reason, and you need to be mindful of them. I knew a person who owned a rental and he could not deal with the tenant in there, who was in desperate need (she had cancer and four kids and her husband had left her). I do not know the owner’s situation and what he was able to do or not. However, I do know that the woman outlived this landlord, who was unable or unwilling to help her (seems like they were both in their late 30's, if memory serves).

So far, our verse reads: Blessings [or, happinesses] [to the one] attending to [or, instructing] the poor [I.e., the one who is deficient or lacking; the one who is grace oriented];... In being willing to help others out, when it is needed, God the Holy Spirit is telling us that we will be blessed; that we will be happy. It is quite simple: when you fulfill the plan of God for your life, you will be happy.

Application: Although it is reasonable for us to be circumspect, we need to recognize that, when giving charity, of whatever sort, we may be taken advantage of. That is not so much for us to worry about; at this point, we allow God to work these things out. If someone whom we have helped out takes advantage of us, or uses that as an excuse not to be responsible themselves, this is not something that we need to concern ourselves with. God’s justice is perfect.

Application: Being attentive to or providing for others is something which you will find necessary to do from time to time; and this will be more pronounced in Charley Brown’s life than in Lucy Van Pelt’s life. We all have different spiritual gifts, and we do best when functioning in the realm of these gifts. This does not mean that a pastor-teacher will never be called upon to perform an act of charity; nor does it mean that you, if providing a bit of food or clothing to one who is in need, cannot share with them the gospel. After all, our lives are much more than food and clothing (Luke 12:22–25). After all, what good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose his own soul (Mark 8:36)? Therefore, throughout the bulk of our life, we may be functioning in the realm of our spiritual gift (or gifts), we still need to be attuned to whatever God puts in our path.

Application: Obviously, we do not look harshly upon those who have fallen into hard times, nor make the assumption that God blesses those whom He loves and impoverishes those who are out of line. God uses personal difficulties for a number of reasons—to test, to accelerate spiritual growth, to discipline—and it is not up to us to pass judgment over such people. Quite obviously, with Job, he was not being disciplined; he had not done anything wrong to displease God. Yet, this is the assumption that all three of his friends had made.

Application: There will be times that you will placed in a position to help out others. However, this is not simply a blank check for anyone in need. There are situations where some family members have fallen into drugs and they do nothing essentially except use others in order to procure their drugs. There are times when tough love is applied, and they are cast out, so that they can reach a low point in their lives. Some people with addictions require this.

A believer with common sense and doctrine can often evaluate a situation reasonably, an then do that which is right.

Application: All of this being said, there is a place for a client nation to do somewhat for the poor. Ideally, a client nation will tax its citizens 13⅓%; 10% to run the government and 3⅓% for the poor (and the Mosaic Law had a work for welfare program in place as well, which was dependent upon the private sector. Although the Israelites paid two tithes (20% total) each year, 10% of that went to the Levites, because Israel, as a priest nation, supported the spiritual duties of the Levites. We do not typically support a government-sponsored, central religious institution in the Church Age.

The giving by believers in Jesus Christ is to be without an expectation of repayment in this life from those whom are given to. However, what is of great importance is, that, when we give, it ought to include the gospel as well. Luke 14:12–15 Jesus said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" Those people are those who have been saved. See also Matt. 10:8 1Tim. 6:17–19.

Translation: ...Yehowah will deliver him in the day of evil. God does look out for believers who are fulfilling God’s plan for their lives. In the first half of this verse, the believer has provided for the deficiency of another, whether it is food for the hungry, clothing for the naked, or doctrine for the deficient soul.

Here, God will deliver us in a day of evil (or a day of disaster or misery). Lot, who is not much of a believer, still when two angels came to his city of Sodom, sought to protect them by bringing them into his house. What did God do for Lot? God gave him and his family deliverance in a day of disaster (Gen. 19:1–29).

The entire verse reads: Blessings [or, happinesses] [to the one] attending to [or, instructing] the poor [I.e., the one who is deficient or lacking; the one who is grace oriented]; Yehowah will deliver him in the day of evil. This is a general statement of principle that the Lord will deal with us as we do with others. This same general principle is found in Psalm 18:24–26 (ESV) So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; with the purified you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

Application: One has to be very careful about applying this to governments. Although we do have a corporate relationship to God (as a part of a neighborhood, city, state, nation; church; business, school; regiment; etc.) this does not mean that we simply vote for government to take increasingly higher taxes as a part of our Christian walk. What those on the left have done is, (1) place our personal responsibility into the hands of government; and (2) treat government as if it is a god. A society made up of growing believers is not going to simply allow people to, as it is over-hyped in many elections, die in the streets. When there is a need, both believers and unbeliever will step up and provide for that need. As a result, there are all kinds of organizations which can be found in most cities to help those who have fallen between the cracks, so to speak; or find themselves in desperate straights.

Application: In a representative democracy like the United States, certain groups of politicians will call for more taxes, often so that they can use a portion of these taxes either to enrich themselves or to pay off groups who have supported them. This is how people with absolutely no business or practical sense, but can says things that sound good, can be elected, and they can get their hands on huge amounts of money. If memory serves, our government is presently spending about $3.7 trillion/year, which is an amount that is unheard of and hard to fathom. To provide perspective, a profitable year for GM or McDonald’s might be a thousandth of that. So, although certain politicians tug on your heartstrings so that you will vote for others to pay more in taxes, that certainly does not translate into the government providing a clear safety net. In my life, no matter how much is taxed, I have always known people who cannot make it in our society. However, if the economy was stronger, many of these people would be able to find jobs and take care of themselves.

Application: My point in all of this is, you voting for someone else to pay higher taxes is in no way related to charity or doing the right thing. That is essentially legally stealing from Paul to subsidize Peter.

At this point, you may find it very instructive to study God and the Poor; Is God Really a Liberal? (HTML) (PDF) (WPD).

This first verse reads: Blessings [or, happinesses] [to the one] attending to [or, instructing] the poor [I.e., the one who is deficient or lacking; the one who is grace oriented]; Yehowah will deliver him in the day of evil. Many think that David wrote this psalm when on the run from Absalom; and that David is looking for God to deliver him in this day of disaster.

What is clearly in the substance of this psalm is, David is very ill, and those who are his enemies desire his death by the disease that he is suffering. God clearly delivers David in this day of trouble. Along these same lines, David himself, in his illness, becomes the poor (weak, frail) man; and those who attend to him will be blessed. In fact, in the previous Psalm, he calls himself poor and needy (Psalm 40:17—the last verse of that psalm). If this is the case, then David is suffering an illness here, possibly before Absalom began his plot to revolt against David; and that Absalom logically determined that it was time to overthrow his father, while David is ill. See 2Samuel 15 (HTML) (PDF) (WPD).

Along these lines, let me suggest that you examine the Dual Authorship of Scripture (HTML) (PDF) (WPD). This doctrine helps to explain why Jesus can grab this Psalm 41:9, which no one realized was Messianic, and applied it to Himself, speaking of this Scripture being fulfilled. This does not mean that every verse has a dual meaning, nor does it mean that writers of the Old Testament did not realize that they were, at times, speaking of the Messiah to come. It simply means that this occurs now and again; probably far more times than you would realize.

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Here is how others have translated this verse:

Ancient texts:

Targum (trans. By Cook)        The Lord will keep him and preserve him and do well to him in the land; and he will not hand him over to the will of his enemies.

Latin Vulgate                          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.

Masoretic Text (Hebrew)        Y^ehowah guards him and makes him alive;

he is made blessed [happy] in the land;

and you will not give him into a soul of his enemies.

Peshitta (Syriac)                    The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shall bless him upon the earth; he will not deliver him into the hands of his enemies.

Septuagint (Greek)                May the Lord preserve him and keep him alive, and bless him on the earth, and not deliver him into the hands of his enemy.

Significant differences:           As is often the case, the targum strays more from the Hebrew text than the others, but is still quite close. Both the Syriac and the Greek have hands of his enemy rather than soul or will.

Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:

Common English Bible           The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;

they are widely regarded throughout the land as happy people.

You won't [LXX, Syr; Vulg God won't] hand them over to the will of their enemies.

Contemporary English V.       You protect them and keep them alive. You make them happy here in this land, and you don't hand them over to their enemies.

Easy English                          The LORD will make him safe and keep him alive.

He will be happy where he lives.

(The LORD) will not give him to his enemies (for them)

to do what they want to do (with him).

Easy-to-Read Version            The Lord will protect that person

and save his life.

That person will be blessed on earth.

God will not let that person’s enemies destroy him.

Good News Bible (TEV)         The LORD will protect them and preserve their lives; he will make them happy in the land; he will not abandon them to the power of their enemies.

The Message                         GOD looks after us all, makes us robust with life-- Lucky to be in the land, we're free from enemy worries.

New Berkeley Version           The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive;

he shall be counted blessed in the land;

Thou shalt not hand him over to the desires of his enemies.

New Century Version             The Lord will protect them and spare their life

and will bless them in the land.

He will not let their enemies take them.

New Living Translation           The Lord protects them

and keeps them alive.

He gives them prosperity in the land

and rescues them from their enemies.

Partially literal and partially paraphrased translations:

American English Bible          May Jehovah bless him and guard him, and keep him alive in the land, and not put him into his enemy's hands.

Beck’s American Translation May the LORD protect him and keep him alive.

May he enjoy happiness in the land,

and not be surrendered to the greed of his enemies.

Christian Community Bible     The Lord protects him, preserves his life,

and gives him happiness in the land;

he yields him not to the will of his foes..

God’s Word™                         The LORD will protect him and keep him alive. He will be blessed in the land. Do not place him at the mercy of his enemies.

New American Bible (R.E.)    The LORD keeps and preserves him,

makes him blessed in the land,

and does not betray him to his enemies.

New Jerusalem Bible             Yahweh protects him, gives him life and happiness on earth. Do not abandon him to his enemies' pleasure!

New Simplified Bible              Jehovah will guard him and keep him alive. He will be blessed in the land. Do not place him at the mercy of his enemies.

Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):

Ancient Roots Translinear      Yahweh keeps him and he will live congratulated in the land. You never give his soul to his enemies.

Bible in Basic English             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.

Complete Jewish Bible           ADONAI will preserve them, keep them alive, and make them happy in the land. You will not hand them over to the whims of their enemies.

Ferar-Fenton Bible                 The Lord will relieve him in grief.

Lord! Keep his life happy on earth,

And give not to the wish of his foes.

Judaica Press Complete T.    The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be praised in the land, and You will not deliver him into the desire of his enemies.

NET Bible®                             May the LORD protect him and save his life [The prefixed verbal forms are taken as jussives in the translation because the jussive is clearly used in the final line of the verse, suggesting that this is a prayer. The psalmist stops to pronounce a prayer of blessing on the godly individual envisioned in Psalm 41:1. Of course, he actually has himself primarily in view. He mixes confidence (Psalm 41:1; Psalm 41:3) with petition (Psalm 41:2) because he stands in the interval between the word of assurance and the actual intervention by God.]!

May he be blessed [The translation follows the consonantal Hebrew text (Kethib), which has a Pual (passive) prefixed form, regarded here as a jussive. The Pual of the verb אָשַר ('ashar) also appears in Prov. 3:18. The marginal reading (Qere) assumes a vav (ו) consecutive and Pual perfect. Some, with the support of the Septuagint (LXX), change the verb to a Piel (active) form with an objective pronominal suffix, "and may he bless him," or "and he will bless him" (cf. NIV).] in the land!

Do not turn him over [The negative particle אַל ('al) before the prefixed verbal form indicates the verb is a jussive and the statement a prayer. Those who want to take Psalm 41:2 as a statement of confidence suggest emending the negative particle to לֹא (lo'), which is used with the imperfect. See the earlier note on the verbal forms in line one of this verse. According to GKC 322 §109.e, this is a case where the jussive is used rhetorically to "express that something cannot or should not happen." In this case one might translate, "you will not turn him over to his enemies," and take the preceding verbal forms as indicative in mood.] to his enemies [Heb "do not give him over to the desire of his enemies" (see Psalm 27:12).]!

New Heart English Bible        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.

NIV, ©2011                             The Lord protects and preserves them-

they are counted among the blessed in the land-

he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.

NIV – UK                                The Lord protects and preserves them -

they are counted among the blessed in the land -

he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.

Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:

Concordant Literal Version    Yahweh, He shall guard him and preserve his life; He shall make him happy in the land, And He shall certainly not give him over to the soul's desires of his enemies.

Context Group Version          YHWH will preserve him, and keep him alive, And he shall be called esteemed on the land { or earth }; And you will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.

Emphasized Bible                  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!

exeGeses companion Bible   Yah Veh guards him and enlivens him;

- blithesome on the earth;

gives him not to the soul of his enemies.

Green’s Literal Translation    Jehovah will watch over him and keep him alive; he shall be blessed on the earth, and You will not deliver him to the soul of his enemies.

LTHB                                     Jehovah will watch over him and keep him alive; he shall be blessed on the earth, and You will not deliver him to the soul of his enemies.

Modern KJV                           Jehovah will watch over him and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed on the earth; and You will not deliver him to the soul of his enemies.

New RSV                               The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;

they are called happy in the land.

You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.

World English Bible                Yahweh will preserve him, and keep him alive, He shall be blessed on the earth, And he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies.

Young’s Updated LT             Jehovah preserves him and revives him, He is happy in the land, And You give him not into the will of his enemies.

The gist of this verse:          God preserves the one who looks out for the poor and cause him to enjoy his life in the Land of Promise. Furthermore, God keeps him from being given over to his enemies.

Translation: Y^ehowah guards him and preserves his life;... We are speaking of the man from v. 1; not the person who is poor or deficient, but the one who provides for the man who is poor or deficient in some way. God guards over this man and God preserves his life.

The more that you get into the plan of God, the greater target that is drawn on your back. God therefore will guard this person. This idea is, you become interested in knowing God; you become interested in doing His will; but, as you find out about the Angelic Conflict, you become more and more concerned about how you fit into the whole scheme of things and what can be done to you. In this psalm, David is assuring us, by means of God the Holy Spirit, that God will look out for us. He both guards us and keeps us alive.

That God guards and sustains us is known as Logistical Grace (HTML) (PDF). Jesus gives the principle of logistical grace in Matt. 6:25-33 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." This same concept is taught here and elsewhere in the Old Testament as well. The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread (Prov. 37:23–25). See also Psalm 91:3–7.

Translation: ...he is made happy [and blessed] in the land;... There is more than simply being kept alive. God also blessed that person in the land; God makes that person happy in the land.

In the era in which this was written, this was a reference to Israel, the Land of Promise; the land which God had promised Abraham, and the land which David defended against all enemies. David knows that not only does God keep him alive, but God provides David great blessing and happiness.

Translation: ...and you will not place him into the desire of his enemies. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you will have many enemies; and these enemies will lie in wait for you. Your enemies have a plan for you, and it is not in your best interests. God also has a plan for you. He deals with your enemies and runs interference for you, and keeps them out of your way.

David also wrote: Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence (Psalm 27:11–12; ESV). God is a very personal God, who helps us in our difficulties and, as we will see, in our infirmities as well. For the believer, it is not always survival of the fittest, as God’s grace overrides those who are fitter than you.

Application: I have personally experienced this; and had 3 members of my department where I worked who all disliked me; God ran interference for me. And there did come a time for me to leave; and when that time came, God used one of these person to remove me; but it was God’s timing, it was perfect timing, and a transitional period in my life.

Recall that David is thinking this possibly when he is on the Mount of Olives, where his son, Absalom, is marching into the city of Jerusalem, to take his place as king. David does not know what Absalom is going to do about him, but he knows about God and how God will not place him into the hand of his enemies (which, at this time, would be many; including Absalom).

Together, these two verses read: Blessings [or, happinesses] [to the one] attending to [or, instructing] the poor [I.e., the one who is deficient or lacking; the one who is grace oriented]; Yehowah will deliver him in the day of evil. Y^ehowah guards him and preserves his life; he is made happy [and blessed] in the land; and you will not place him into the desire of his enemies. Therefore, God will make happy and protect those who see to the poor. Doing so is an application of the knowledge of doctrine, and God must vindicate His Word. For the person who looks out for the poor and helpless, God promises three things: logistical grace, happiness and not to be put into the hands of your enemies.

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Here is how others have translated this verse:

Ancient texts:

Targum (trans. By Cook)        The word of the Lord will aid him in his life, and be revealed to him on the bed of his sickness to preserve him; you have reversed wholly his bed in the time of his sickness and rebuke [Rebuke: uncertain]. My guess is, the translator took all of the stuff that was in the targum that was not in the Hebrew and italicized it. That is only a theory.

Latin Vulgate                          The Lord help him on his bed of sorrow: you have turned all his couch in his sickness.

Masoretic Text (Hebrew)        Y^ehowah will sustain him upon a bed of illness;

all his bed He has overturned in his sickness.

Peshitta (Syriac)                    The LORD will strengthen him upon his sick bed; he will wholly recover from his illness.

Septuagint (Greek)                May the Lord help him upon the bed of his pain; You have made all his bed in his sickness.

Significant differences:           Obviously, the targum has a lot of extra stuff in it, as shown by the italics. The kind of bed appears to vary slightly, but these are not unreasonable translations from the Hebrew.

However, the final verbs in the English translation of the Syriac and Greek are very different from the final verb in the Hebrew. However, the actual Greek verb is a match for the Hebrew.

Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:

Common English Bible           The Lord will strengthen them when they are lying in bed, sick.

You will completely transform the place where they lie ill.

Contemporary English V.       You always heal them and restore their strength when they are sick.

Easy English                          The LORD will be like a nurse to him when he is ill in bed.

Every time that he is ill you will make him well again.

Easy-to-Read Version            When that person is sick and in bed,

the Lord will give him strength.

That person may be sick in bed,

but the Lord will make him well!.

Good News Bible (TEV)         The LORD will help them when they are sick and will restore them to health.

The Message                         Whenever we're sick and in bed, GOD becomes our nurse, nurses us back to health.

New Berkeley Version           The Lord will uphold him on his bed of sickness;

to all his illness on his bed Thou wilt bring a change [Imparting a sense of His presence; infusing physical health.].

New Life Bible                        The Lord will give him strength on his bed of sickness. When he is sick, You will make him well again.

New Living Translation           The Lord nurses them when they are sick

and restores them to health.

Partially literal and partially paraphrased translations:

American English Bible          May God give him aid in his bed of grief, and turn his bed when he's ill.

Christian Community Bible     The Lord helps him when he gets sick,

and heals him of all his ailments..

God’s Word™                         The LORD will support him on his sickbed. You will restore this person to health when he is ill.

New American Bible              The Lord sustains them on their sickbed,

allays the malady when they are ill.

New American Bible (R.E.)    The LORD sustains him on his sickbed,

you turn down his bedding whenever he is ill [the Hebrew is obscure. It suggests ongoing attentive care of the one who is sick.].

NIRV                                      The Lord will take care of him when he is lying sick in bed.

He will make him well again.

New Jerusalem Bible             Yahweh sustains him on his bed of sickness; you transform altogether the bed where he lies sick.

Revised English Bible            On his sick-bed he nurses him,

transforming his every illness to health.

Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):

Ancient Roots Translinear      Yahweh aids him over the bed of bleeding. You transform all of his pallet in his sickness.

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

Complete Jewish Bible           ADONAI sustains them on their sickbed; when they lie ill, you make them recover.

Ferar-Fenton Bible                 Lord! Support him when sick on his bed;

And in illness make pleasant his couch.

JPS (Tanakh—1985)               The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed;

You shall wholly transform his bed of suffering [Meaning of Hebrew uncertain].

Judaica Press Complete T.    The Lord will support him on his sickbed; when You have transformed his entire restfulness in his illness.

NET Bible®                             The LORD supports [The prefixed verbal form could be taken as jussive, continuing the prayer of Psalm 41:2, but the parallel line in Psalm 41:3 (i.e., Psalms 41:3b) employs the perfect, suggesting that the psalmist is again speaking in the indicative mood (see Psalm 41:1 (i.e., Psalms 41:1b)). The imperfect can be understood as future or as generalizing (see Psalm 41:1).] him on his sickbed;

you completely heal him from his illness [Heb "all his bed you turn in his illness." The perfect is used here in a generalizing sense (see Psalm 41:1) or in a rhetorical manner to emphasize that the healing is as good as done].

Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:

American KJV                        The LORD will strengthen him on the bed of languishing: you will make all his bed in his sickness.

The Amplified Bible                The Lord will sustain, refresh, and strengthen him on his bed of languishing; all his bed You [O Lord] will turn, change, and transform in his illness.

Concordant Literal Version    Yahweh, He shall brace him on the cot of sickness. You turn all his bedding in his illness.

A Conservative Version         LORD will support him upon the bed of languishing. Thou will make all his bed in his sickness.

English Standard Version      The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

English Standard V. – UK       The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;

in his illness you restore him to full health [Hebrew you turn all his bed].

exeGeses companion Bible   Yah Veh supports him on a bedstead of bleeding;

and in his sickness, turns his bed.

The Geneva Bible                  The LORD will strengthen him upon the b bed [When for sorrow and grief of mind he calls himself on his bed.] of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed [You have restored him in his sick bed and sent him comfort. ] in his sickness.

LTHB                                     Jehovah will uphold him on the couch of sickness; You change all his bed in his sickness.

NASB                                     The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed;

In his illness, You restore him to health [Lit turn all his bed].

New King James Version       The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness;

You will sustain him on his sickbed.

New RSV                               The Lord sustains them on their sickbed;

in their illness you heal all their infirmities [Heb you change all his bed].

A Voice in the Wilderness      Jehovah will sustain him on the bed of illness; You will change his bed of sickness.

World English Bible                Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed, And restore him from his bed of illness.

Young’s Updated LT             Jehovah supports on a couch of sickness, All his bed You have turned in his weakness.

The gist of this verse:          God will sustain such a person in sickness; in fact, God will turn it around for such a one.

Translation: Y^ehowah sustains him on a sickbed;... Now, if this describes David during his run from Absalom, then this is an odd section. It suggests that David is somewhat ill during his strategic retreat out of Jerusalem, whereas, there is nothing in the text of 2Sam. 15–18 to suggest this. Therefore, this is given either as an hypothetical or an indication that David wrote this at a different time about a different betrayal. What is probably the case, as has already been described, is, David was on a sickbed maybe 4 years ago, and now he is putting together all the Absalom has done since that time, including his phony sympathy when it appeared that David might die.

In any case, the principle is true: even when the believer so described in the previous two verses is taken down by illness—a perfect time for his enemies to strike him—God still sustains him while he is ill.

Recall that the person in this psalm is someone who has given appropriate thought to the poor; so that, while he is himself helpless, God makes certain that he is sustained.

Gill writes: When on a sick bed, or a death bed, where he lies languishing, and ready to expire; when his natural strength, spirits, and heart fail him, then the Lord strengthens him with strength in his soul; and is the strength of his heart, and his portion for ever. In our most helpless state, God sustains the believer.

Translation: ...He has overturned every bed in his sickness. Although there seems to be a lot of struggling with determining just what this phrase means, it suggests that God overturns his illness, just as one might overturn any bed upon which he lies in illness. This implication seems to be that God overturns the bed, indicating that he does not need this bed to lie upon, which, therefore, suggests that he has recovered from his illness.

God gave such a delivery from sickness to David (as this psalm will suggest), as well as to Hezekiah (2Kings 20:5–6); and to Epaphroditus in the New Testament (Philip. 2:25–27).

The other interpretation, which is very much like it, is that the bed of sickness is turned into a bed of recovery.

So that there is no confusion here, God is not promising that every believer will be delivered from sickness. There were conditions laid out; but, logically, we know that we will all die. Some of us will die from illness. That does not mean that the person dying from an illness is a lousy person. That is just God’s chosen way to take him out of this life. As, as 2Cor. 4:16–18 tell us, every day, our bodies are wearing out. Therefore, it is necessary for us to build up the soul. For this cause we do not faint; but though our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For the lightness of our present affliction works out for us a far more excellent eternal weight of glory, we not considering the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are not lasting, but the things which are not seen are everlasting.

Now, if it is time for God to remove a believer by means of sickness, then there will be no recovery. Clarke writes: ...he shall not die as other men; he shall have peculiar consolations, refreshment, and support, while passing through the valley of the shadow of death.

For such a one, we have this promise of God: My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart, and my part forever (Psalm 73:26).

——————————

David's Enemies Hope for His Death

Here is how others have translated this verse:

Ancient texts:

Targum (trans. By Cook)        I said: O Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned in Your presence.

Latin Vulgate                          I said: O Lord, be merciful to me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

Masoretic Text (Hebrew)        I [even] I have said, “Y^ehowah, show me grace, heal my soul;

for I have sinned to You.”

Peshitta (Syriac)                    I have said, You are my LORD, be merciful unto me and heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.

Septuagint (Greek)                I said, O Lord, have mercy upon me; heal my soul; for I have sinned against You.

Significant differences:           None (apart from the addition in the targum, of course).

Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:

Common English Bible           But me? I said, "Lord, have mercy on me!

Heal me because I have sinned against you."

Contemporary English V.       I prayed, "Have pity, LORD! Heal me, though I have sinned against you."

Easy English                          I said, "LORD, have mercy on me.

Heal me, even though I have broken your rules"

Easy-to-Read Version            I said, “Lord, be kind to me.

I sinned against you,

but forgive me and make me well.”

Good News Bible (TEV)         I said, "I have sinned against you, LORD; be merciful to me and heal me."

The Message                         I said, "GOD, be gracious! Put me together again-- my sins have torn me to pieces."

New Berkeley Version           As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;

heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee.”

Partially literal and partially paraphrased translations:

Beck’s American Translation I say, “O LORD, be kind to me.

Heal me—I have sinned against you.”

Christian Community Bible     I have pleaded, “O Lord, have mercy on me;

heal me, in spite of all my iniquity.”

God’s Word™                         I said, "O LORD, have pity on me! Heal my soul because I have sinned against you."

New American Bible (R.E.)    Even I have said, "LORD, take note of me;

heal me, although I have sinned against you.

NIRV                                      I said, "Lord, show me your favor.

Heal me. I have sinned against you."

New Jerusalem Bible             For my part I said, 'Yahweh, take pity on me! Cure me for I have sinned against you.'

Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):

Ancient Roots Translinear      I say, "Yahweh, grace me! Heal my soul, for I sinned to you."

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

Ferar-Fenton Bible                 I entreat, Lord, have pity on me;

Heal my soul, though I sinned against You.

NET Bible®                             As for me, I said:

"O LORD, have mercy on me!

Heal me, for I have sinned against you! In vv. 4-10 the psalmist recites the prayer of petition and lament he offered to the Lord.

The Scriptures 1998              As for me, I said, “O יהוה, show me favour; Heal me, for I have sinned against You.”

Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:

Concordant Literal Version    As for me, I said, O Yahweh, be gracious to me; Do heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.

Context Group Version          I said, O YHWH, be generous to me: Heal my life { soul }; for I have disgraced you.

exeGeses companion Bible   I - I say, O Yah Veh, grant me charism;

heal my soul; for I sinned against you.

LTHB                                     I said, O Jehovah be gracious to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.

Syndein                                  I {David} have prayed {Psalm 39 - more of it to follow}, "Jehovah/God, have mercy on me. Heal my soul . . . for I have sinned against You. {Note: Pointing out that David rebounded and recovered from the interlocking systems of arrogance.}.

World English Bible                I said, "Yahweh, have mercy on me! Heal me, for I have sinned against you."

Young's Literal Translation     I said, Jehovah, be merciful to me; heal my soul; for I have sinned against You.

The gist of this verse:          David prays for grace from God to be healed, because he has sinned against Him.

Translation: I [even] I have [already] said, “Y^ehowah, show grace to me... The perfect tense of ʾâmar indicates that David has petitioned God, in the past, to show grace to him. He has already asked for God grace and mercy, which would be Psalm 51:1–3 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving-kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me completely from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I confess my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me. David is fully aware of his sin from the past, and he is saying that he had already asked God’s forgiveness.

Here, David says that he has already asked God to show him grace and to be merciful towards him. However, David is quite sick at this time, and he has mentioned enemies, which suggests that he is aware that he has enemies out there (who will become more apparent in the next verse).

Translation:...[and] heal my soul,... David asks for his soul to be healed; and this is because he is in interlocking systems of arrogance. His soul has been a mess over the past 20+ years, which began with marrying all of these different women, which progressed to skirt chasing, which precluded him properly raising his sons. So David, in many ways has been a great individual; but, as a father and a husband, he has been a failure. When he sinned with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed, he has already confessed this to God; and, therefore, has already asked for God to give him grace (which is not what he deserves; that is why it is called grace).

This is a fascinating study, because David, apart from this gross immorality, seems to have been a great man and the greatest king of Israel. He seems to have progressed to the point where his sexual immorality had become more and more of a problem; and the results of his past were now a part of his pressures.

Here, David recognizes that his physical sickness is analogous to his soul sickness. He understands that the key to his recovery is the reparation of his soul.

Translation: ...for I have sinned regarding You.” David again admits that he sinned regarding God. Now, in Psalm 51:4, he confessed: Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done evil in Your sight; that You might be justified when You speak, and be clear when You judge. Psalm 32:5 I named my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, I will named my transgression to Jehovah; and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. This was the past; both the sin and his confession, as well as the forgiveness. He is reminding God that he has confessed this sin; he has already asked for God’s grace to heal him. But there is more to the sins that David has confessed than forgiveness.

Our verse reads: I confessed my sin in the past, saying, “Jehovah, show grace to me and restore my soul to Your favor, for I have sinned (in the past) with regards to You.” David recognizes that he has already asked grace from God for the sins of the past, but that is soul-damage that needs to be attended to.

There are a variety of sins, and some you commit, confess them, and they are gone. However, there are some groups of sins—particularly those which stimulate the soul and body (addictive sins)—which actually do damage to the soul. Such a recovery process is not simply a naming of one’s sins, but there is the repair of the soul, which is not instantaneous. Therefore, David calls to God to restore his soul to God’s grace.

Psalm 38 (HTML) (PDF) (WPD) appears to cover a similar incident, but it is not the same one: There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger; nor rest in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have passed through to my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds have putrefied and rotted, because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a burning; and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and painfully broken; I have roared because of the groanings of my heart (Psalm 38:3–8; mostly MKJV). However, there are so many similarities that David may have been seriously ill twice during this 4-year period of time, the 4 years that Absalom prepares for a revolution against David. However, again, David ties his physical illness to his sin.

The cure is much more than a simple confession of sin. David has already done that. God applies pressure to David through his illness; but much of David’s life is now filled with the consequences of this area of sin in his life. His greatest problems have involved Absalom and Amnon, two of this children, children that he did not properly raise as a father. This is discussed in great detail in the introduction to 2Samuel 13 (HTML) (PDF). Essentially, David’s children were born to single mothers on the dole of the state—David’s interaction with them was minimal and indulgent, so that his first batch of kids (apart from Tamar) were awful people who undercut his authority.

With an addictive sin like sex, David had cut these patterns into his brain—he has made actual physical changes to his brain—which do not just disappear when one is in fellowship. The desire to commit these same sins again is much stronger now (and this is no different than a drug addict searching for his next fix or a homosexual searching for his next hookup). The process of repair takes much longer, as such sins tend to be addictive and take over a person’s life in many ways. David is praying to God for that process to begin.

My understanding that, on the road to recovery for an addict, the first step is recognizing that you have a problem and taking this to God. That is what David is doing here.

Application: As an aside, something ought to be said about new believers who were formerly addicted. My memory of my salvation and previous addiction is that, although there was a definite temptation to return to that addiction, quitting was not that big of a deal. The desire to do it was still there, but the quitting occurred nearly overnight. Something which I have not studied in great detail is related to the 40 things which we receive at salvation, one of which is the removal of scar tissue (Isa. 43:22, 25). It is this scar tissue which is closely involved in our desire to continue committing addictive sins.

Jesus spoke of the prayer that God answers: But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, “God be propitious [or, merciful] toward me, the sinner!” (Luke 18:13).

However, David became a believer in Y^ehowah Elohim a very long time ago; and his degenerative strains have built up over a period of time as a believer. In fact, in the previous psalm, David said: For troubles without number have surrounded me; my sins have overtaken me; I am unable to see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my courage leaves me (Psalm 40:12). David recognizes that he has made a mess of things, and all of it came from one particular sin—a strong sexual desire for women, which lust David gave into again and again.

William S. Plainer wrote : Saul and Judas each said, “I have sinned;” but David says, “I have sinned against You.”

——————————

Here is how others have translated this verse:

Ancient texts:

Targum (trans. By Cook)        My enemies will speak evil about me: "When will he die and his name perish?"

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

Masoretic Text (Hebrew)        My enemies say evil to me:

“When will he die and has perished his name?”

Peshitta (Syriac)                    My enemies speak evil of me: When shall he die, and his name perish?

Septuagint (Greek)                My enemies have spoken evil against me, saying, When shall he die, and his name perish?

Significant differences:           Although the Greek has the preposition against in the first phrase, that word does not actually occur in the Greek (I am not sure about the Latin). It is a simple dative case, which matches the Hebrew preposition.

Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:

Common English Bible           My enemies speak maliciously about me:

"When will he die and his name disappear?"

Contemporary English V.       My vicious enemies ask me, "When will you die and be forgotten?"

Easy English                          My enemies say bad things about me.

(They say) "When will he die?

When will people forget his name?"

Easy-to-Read Version            My enemies say bad things about me.

They are saying,

“When will he die and be forgotten?”

Good News Bible (TEV)         My enemies say cruel things about me. They want me to die and be forgotten.

The Message                         My enemies are wishing the worst for me; they make bets on what day I will die.

New Berkeley Version           My enemies speak evil of me: “When will he die and his name vanish?”

New Life Bible                        Those who hate me speak bad words against me, saying, "When will he die, and his name be forgotten?"

New Living Translation           But my enemies say nothing but evil about me.

"How soon will he die and be forgotten?" they ask.

Partially literal and partially paraphrased translations:

American English Bible          Yet, my enemies said bad things about me, asking: 'When will he be dead and gone?'

God’s Word™                         My enemies say terrible things about me: "When will he die, and when will his family name disappear?"

NIRV                                      My enemies are saying bad things about me.

They say, "When will he die and be forgotten?"

New Jerusalem Bible             My enemies speak to me only of disaster, 'When will he die and his name disappear?'

New Simplified Bible              My enemies say evil things about me: »When will he die, and when will his family name disappear?«

Revised English Bible            ‘His case is desperate,’ my enemies say;

‘when will he die and his name perish?’

Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):

Ancient Roots Translinear      My enemies say evil of me, "How-long until he dies, and his name vanishes?"

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

Complete Jewish Bible           My enemies say the worst about me: "When will he die and his name disappear?"

Ferar-Fenton Bible                 My foe says, — “It goes hard with him

He will die and his memory fade.”

HCSB                                     My enemies speak maliciously about me: "When will he die and be forgotten?"

JPS (Tanakh—1917)               Mine enemies speak evil of me: 'When shall he die, and his name perish?'

Judaica Press Complete T.    My enemies speak evil of me; "When will he die and his name be lost?"

NET Bible®                             My enemies ask this cruel question about me [Heb "my enemies speak evil concerning me."],

'When will he finally die and be forgotten [Heb "and his name perish."]?'

Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:

Concordant Literal Version    My enemies, they speak evil of me, saying, When shall he die and his name perish?

A Conservative Version         My enemies speak evil against me, [saying], When will he die, and his name perish?

Emphasized Bible                  Mine enemies, speak ill of me, When will he die, and his name perish?

exeGeses companion Bible   My enemies say evil of me,

When he dies, his name destructs:...

The Geneva Bible                  Mine enemies speak evil of me [That is, curse me and cannot have their cruel hate quenched but with my shameful death.], When shall he die, and his name perish?

New RSV                               My enemies wonder in malice

when I will die, and my name perish.

Syndein                                  My enemies malign/'speak evil of' me. {this refers to the conspiracy preceding the Absalom revolution}

When will he die, and his name perish? {this refers to Ahithophel (Bathsheba's grandfather) and true brains in the revolution}.

World English Bible                My enemies speak evil against me: "When will he die, and his name perish?"

Young’s Updated LT             My enemies say evil of me: When he dies—his name has perished!

The gist of this verse:          David’s enemies are speaking evil about him, asking when will he die and his name and reputation disappear from history.

Translation: My enemies speak evil concerning me, [saying],... David, as a man in power, and a man who had to make difficult decisions, always faced those who were hostile toward him. In this particular election year (I write this in 2012), there is the president, Barack Obama, and the challenger, Mitt Romney. Both men have their detractors. There are people who actually hate one or both of these candidates. No matter which person wins, there will be a large number of people who do not like the outcome (even if our economic recovery is substantial after the election) and some people will work toward the defeat of either person beginning before he even takes the oath of office (does a reelected president take the oath of office again? I don’t recall).

So, even though David is one of the greatest rulers of all time, he had his detractors; he had people who disliked him personally, and they even spoke evil of him. We find this theme occasionally in the Bible: My enemies curse me all the day; and they who are mad against me are sworn against me (Psalm 102:8; MKJV).

So, in v. 3 we introduced the fact of illness in the life of David; and here we have enemies who are around him. It will appear that his enemies have access to him; so these would be political enemies. His enemies do not have to be Moabites or Philistines; in fact, when we return to the narrative of 2Samuel, it will be clear that these enemies are other Jews who simply want to see someone else in power. So, they aren’t going to be standing over David’s sick body with swords in their hands ready to cut him up. They have prayers in their heart, rather, hoping for David’s destruction.

Translation:...“When will he die and his name [and memory] perish?” This is the content of what some people said. Some asked about when David would die. They also wanted his name to perish. Now, this could come from two separate camps: (1) those outside the Judahite line who believed that another family ought to reign; and (2) those who supported Absalom, who simply wanted David to die and for his personal reputation to fade away. In Prov. 10:7, Solomon recorded what his father David taught him: The memory of the just man is blessed; but the name of the evil man shall be forgotten. However, so that there is no confusion, this is written about what such men have done; the just man performs divine good, so that this will be retained through eternity; and what the evil man does will be burned and forgotten. There are at least 3 statements elsewhere in the Bible like this: “His memory shall perish from the earth, and there is no name to him on the face of the street.” (Job 18:17; MKJV). “He shall perish forever like his dung; they who see him shall say, Where is he? He flies away like a dream, and shall not be found, and shall be chased away like a vision of the night. An eye glimpsed him, but will not again; yea, his place shall not see him again.” (Job 20:7–9; MKJV). However, the divine perspective of this is: The memory of the just is blessed; but the name of the wicked shall rot (Prov. 10:7).

David’s enemies can be very self-righteous about all of this. David has sinned and he sinned greatly. They may even pray opening that the stain of Bathsheba and Uriah be removed from the palace. Furthermore, just as was true with Job’s friends, when David had a debilitating illness, his detractors would believe that this is God disciplining David and removing him from this life.

Clarke writes: It is often a good man’s lot to be evil spoken of; to have his motives, and even his most benevolent acts, misconstrued. We see this again and again in our own political world and the demonization of either side, even if the person has done a decent job in office.

Application: There is nothing that Democrats would like more than for Ronald Reagan’s presidency to fade from memory; and there are likely many Republicans who would love to see Clinton’s name fade into obscurity. Both men had popular and reasonably successful presidencies.

David faced these issues constantly. It appears, given the context, that there was a time that he took ill, and that people prayed this as their prayer; or they said this to their friends and family. And, no matter who is president, if that president catches a cold or a more prolonged illness, there will be those—no matter who the president is and no matter how successful he has been—who will pray for his early demise.