May 10, 2017 (Wednesday)
Psalm 41 is the final “book” in the first “Book” of Psalms. The Book of Psalms is divided into five sections, each closing with a doxology (i.e., a benediction) – these divisions were probably introduced by the final editors to imitate the five-fold division of the Torah:
Book 1 (Psalms 1-41) – 41 Psalms (27.3%)
Book 2 (Psalms 42-72) – 31 Psalms (20.7%)
Book 3 (Psalms 73-89) – 17 Psalms (11.3%)
Book 4 (Psalms 90-106) – 17 Psalms (11.3%)
Book 5 (Psalms 107-150 – 44 Psalms (29.3%).
In Psalm 41, David is experiencing sickness, and people are turning against him. He feels the pain of those who have been friends, but now have become enemies. This could have been composed when Absalom was rebelling against him, and Ahithophel could be the person that David has in mind as the trusted friend who now hates him.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Psalmist in Sickness Complains of Enemies and False Friends.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
I. BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL (1-3)
1 How blessed is he who considers the helpless;
The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble.
2 The Lord will protect him and keep him alive,
And he shall be called blessed upon the earth;
And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.
3 The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed;
In his illness, You restore him to health.
II. EVIL IS SPOKEN AGAINST ME (4-9)
4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me;
Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
5 My enemies speak evil against me,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And when he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood;
His heart gathers wickedness to itself;
When he goes outside, he tells it.
7 All who hate me whisper together against me;
Against me they devise my hurt, saying,
8 “A wicked thing is poured out upon him,
That when he lies down, he will not rise up again.”
9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread,
Has lifted up his heel against me.
III. YOU UPHOLD ME IN MY INTEGRITY (10-12)
10 But You, O Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up,
That I may repay them.
11 By this I know that You are pleased with me,
Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me.
12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,
And You set me in Your presence forever.
IV. BLESSED BE THE LORD (13)
13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
From everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.