A Study by Scott Sperling Psalm 41 For the director of music. A psalm of David.   1 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. 2 The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. 3 The LORD will sustain him on his sick-bed and restore him from his bed of illness. 4 I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you."   5 My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?" 6 Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad. 7 All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, 8 "A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies." 9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.   10 But You, O LORD, have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them. 11 I know that You are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever.   13 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.   Amen and Amen.     This psalm speaks of the mercy that God shows for His suffering children, as compared to the treatment those of the world show for those who are suffering. David first speaks of the special mercy shown by God to those who themselves help those who are weak and troubled (vss. 1-3); then David recounts his prayer to God for His mercy (vs. 4); next David tells of the treatment he received from those around him during his time of trouble (vss. 5-9); David ends the psalm with a response to the mercy God has shown him (vss. 10-12). The final verse included as part of this psalm (verse 13) is not really part of the psalm itself. Rather, it is a benediction for the entire "first book of Psalms", which include psalms 1 through 41. The book of Psalms, as we have it in our Bibles, was originally compiled into five books, with the following division: 1-41; 42-72; 73- 89; 90-106; 107-150. At the end of each of these divisions, you will find a benediction that closes each "book" of psalms (see Ps. 72:18-19; Ps. 89:52; Ps. 106:48; and all of Ps. 150). Since we have come to the end of the first book of Psalm, I have decided to take a break from our study in the book of Psalms. Beginning with the next issue, we will start a study in the book of Ecclesiastes. After that study is completed, we will (God willing) continue our study in the book of Psalms.   Psalm 41:1-4 Mercy on Those Who Show Mercy   1 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. 2 The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. 3 The LORD will sustain him on his sick-bed and restore him from his bed of illness.   4 I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you."   David begins by speaking of the special blessings God has in store for those who help others: "Blessed is he who has regard for the weak" (vs. 1). Caring for others is not only a commendable thing to do, it is also a wise thing to do, for it leads to special blessings by God. In the same way, selfishness, meanness, vindictiveness, etc., are not only sinful, but foolish, for why would God bless such actions? David enumerates specifically the blessings God shows to those who help others: deliverance from trouble ("the LORD delivers him in times of trouble"); protection ("the LORD will protect him and preserve his life"); prosperity when under attack ("He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes"); and sustenance through, as well as restoration from sickness ("the LORD will sustain him on his sick-bed and restore him from his bed of illness"). Note that each of these blessings that God gives to those who help others are given in a situation when the helper himself needs help. Those who help others, will themselves be helped when they need help. Those who show mercy to others will themselves be shown mercy when they need it. Those who care for the sick will themselves be cradled in the Lord's arms when they are sick. All this conforms to one of God's most solid laws of nature: "A man reaps what he sows" (Gal. 6:7-8). "Liberality to the poor is the surest and safest way of thriving; [those who] practice it may be sure of seasonable and effectual relief from God."[4] David must have been confident in his own treatment of those who are in need, for he uses the first three verses as the basis for his prayer: "I said, `O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against You'" (vs. 4). David here finds himself in need. However, the root cause of David's trouble was not some enemy of his, nor did some chance misfortune befall him, nor was he downed by a wayward virus, rather, the cause of David's affliction was his sin against God. Notice that, although David used his own mercy as the basis for this prayer, the affliction caused by David's sin did not really fit into any of the categories of affliction (as enumerated by David in verses 1 through 3) which are alleviated by the blessing of God in return for helping those in trouble. The afflictions enumerated in verses 1 through 3 were life's "times of trouble", protection from one's enemies, and comfort during ordinary sickness. David's affliction was different. It was caused by his own sin. Healing from sin is in a different category. Healing from sin cannot be "paid for" by mercy for the weak. Our good works (commendable though they may be in the eyes of God) cannot take away our sin in the eyes of God. As the writer of Hebrews taught us: "[W]ithout the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22). David was well on his way to receiving forgiveness for his sin, in that he acknowledged his sin before God, saying: "I have sinned against You." Yet, it was necessary for David to go further and offer the sacrifices prescribed by God in His law. These sacrifices were a shadow of the true sacrifice that was to come, the sacrifice that would be sufficient to atone for all of our sins. As John taught: "[Jesus Christ] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins" (I John 2:2). David, to receive atonement for his sins, was required to offer sacrifices in the temple. We are blessed in that the fulfillment of all blood sacrifices was made by Jesus Christ. We need only to acknowledge our sins before God, then accept this great gift of God, through belief that Christ's sacrifice was sufficient to atone for our sins.   Psalm 41:5-12 Reaction to David's Affliction 5 My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?" 6 Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad. 7 All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, 8 "A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies." 9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.   10 But You, O LORD, have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them. 11 I know that You are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever.   In the previous verse, David prayed: "[H]eal me, for I have sinned against you" (vs. 4). From that verse alone, we cannot tell whether David's was a spiritual affliction alone (due to his sin), or whether there was also a physical aspect to it. In these verses, we find that, clearly, yes, David was physically afflicted. And so we learn here that sin can directly lead to physical sickness. There are primarily three ways this may happen: one's sin, because of the nature of the sin, can directly cause a sickness (such as sexual sin leading to sexually transmitted disease); one's guilt over sin can weaken the body, lowering its defenses against sickness; one's sin can be punished by God in the form of sickness. It is not clear which of these occurred in David's situation. Whatever the case, David's sickness did turn David to plea to God for healing from both his physical affliction and his sin. When the king is sick, the whispering starts: "My enemies say of me in malice, `When will he die and his name perish?'... All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, `A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies'" (vs. 5,7). One test of true friendship is the reaction of your "friends" when you are afflicted. Likewise, a true sign of an enemy, and of hatred, is when one takes delight in the sickness of others. It seems that David could not find any true friends in his time of sickness. Even those who visited him, under the guise of comforting him, dealt maliciously with him: "Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad... Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (vs. 6,9). We are taught that the believer can expect such behavior from those of the world. Jesus, who was tested in all manner of testings that we are, experienced the betrayal of his friends. In fact, He cited verse 9 of this psalm when referring to Judas: "But this is to fulfill the scripture: `He who shares my bread has lifted his heel against me'" (John 13:18). And as this verse was fulfilled in David's life, and in the life of Jesus, so it has been fulfilled in the lives of countless saints throughout the ages. As John told us: "Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you" (I John 3:13). We should not be surprised by the world's hatred, for the world does not know how to love; the world does not have the love of God. The love of the world is tenuous: it snaps at the first test. The love of the world is self-centered: it seeks reward. The love of the world is long on lip-service, but short on action. Our love should be different. We are to "love one another deeply, from the heart" (I Pet. 1:22). John further exhorts: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth" (I John 3:18). And there is no better way to show love than to comfort the afflicted. David sought such comfort, but he did not find it from anyone in the world. Yet he did find comfort from God: "But You, O LORD, have mercy on me" (vs. 10). Praise the Lord for His mercy and faithfulness! He comforted David in his sickness, and also communicated to David that He had forgiven him by soothing his conscience, for David says: "I know that You are pleased with me" (vs. 11). David also said: "[R]aise me up, that I may repay them" (vs. 10). This may sound vengeful to some, but we must remember that David was the king of the land. As the king, it was David's God-given duty to "punish those who do wrong and commend those who do right" (I Pet. 2:14).    Psalm 41:13 In Conclusion: Praise Be to the Lord 13 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.   Amen and Amen.   As mentioned above, this verse is a benediction to the entire first book of psalms, which consists of psalm 1 through 41. In these psalms, we have traveled with David from the depths of the grave to the heights of heaven. David experienced a wide range of situations and emotions, and these are documented well in these psalms. Because of David's wide range of experience, we are taught, edified, blessed, uplifted, and comforted by the psalms that he wrote in response to his experiences. I'm sure that David did not necessarily enjoy his wide range of experience, as he endured his difficult times. He would much rather have had a nice, quiet, peaceful kingship. But God had other plans. He sent affliction to David, and we are the better for it. In the end, despite all his troubles, David could exclaim: "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen." ----------- Bibliography and Suggested Reading Alexander, Joseph Addison. The Psalms Translated and Explained.  Edinburgh: Andrew Elliot, 1864.  Anonymous.  A Plain Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Philadelphia:  Henry Hooker and Co., 1857. Barnes, Albert.  Notes on the Book of Psalms.  New York:  Harper & Brothers Publishing, 1871. Bonar, Andrew. Christ and His Church in the Book of Psalms.  New York:  Robert Carter & Brothers, 1860. Calvin, John.  A Commentary on the Book of Psalms.  3 Vols.  Oxford: D. A. Talboys, 1840. (Originally published in Latin in 1557).  Clarke, Adam. The Holy Bible with a Commentary and Critical Notes.  Vol. III.  London:  William Tegg & Co., 1854.  (Originally published in 1831).  Cowles, Henry.  The Psalms with Notes, Critical, Explanatory and Practical.  New York:  D. Appleton & Co., 1872. Darby, John Nelson.  Practical Reflections on the Psalms.  London:  Robert L. Allan, 1870. Delitzsch, Franz.  Biblical Commentary on the Psalms. Edinburgh:  T & T Clark, 1892. (Originally published in 1860). Dickson, David. An Explication of the Other Fifty Psalms, from Ps. 50 to Ps. 100. Cornhill, U.K.:  Ralph Smith, 1653.  Exell, Joseph S. and Henry Donald Spence-Jones, eds. The Pulpit Commentary. Vols. 17, 18, & 19. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1884.  Hengstenberg, F. W.  Commentary on the Psalms.  Edinburgh:  T & T Clark, 1864. Henry, Matthew.  An Exposition of All the Books of the Old and New Testament.  Vol. II.  London: W. Baynes, 1806. (Originally published in 1710). Horne, George. A Commentary on the Book of Psalms.  New York:  Robert Carter & Brothers, 1854. Jamieson, Robert; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David.  A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old and New Testaments.  Glasgow:  William Collins, Queen’s Printer, 1863. Kidner, Derek. Psalms (in 2 Vols.). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008 (first published in 1975). Kirkpatrick, A. F. The Book of Psalms with Introduction and Notes – Books II and III (from The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges). Cambridge, UK: University Press, 1895. Lange, John Peter, ed. and Philip Schaff, trans.  A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical.  New York:  Charles Scribner & Co., 1865.  Maclaren, Alexander. The Psalms (in 3 Vols., from The Expositor’s Bible, ed. by W. R. Nicoll). New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1901. Perowne, J. J. Stewart.  The Book of Psalms:  A New Translation with Explanatory Notes.  London:  George Bell & Sons, 1880. Plumer, William S.  Studies in the Book of Psalms.  Philadelphia:  J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1872. Scott, Thomas. Commentary on the Holy Bible, Vol. III. London: James Nisbet, 1866. Spurgeon, Charles.  The Treasury of David.  6 Vols.  London: Marshall Brothers, Ltd., 1885. Tholuck, Augustus.  A Translation and Commentary of the Book of Psalms.  Philadelphia:  Martien, 1858. Trapp, John.  A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments. Vol. II (Ezra to Psalms).  Edmonton, Canada: Still Waters Revival Books (www.PuritanDownloads.com). (Originally published c. 1660). VanGemeren, Willem A., (Gaebelein, Frank E., ed).  Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 5 – Psalms to Song of Songs.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan, 1991. -------- Many of these books (those in public domain) can be downloaded free of charge from:  http://www.ClassicChristianLibrary.com