READ: Ps. 41:1–13: … Blessed is he who considers the poor … the LORD will preserve him … be merciful to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You … all who hate me whisper together against me … But You, O LORD, be merciful to me … You uphold me … Blessed be the LORD … Amen
This Psalm is also a prayer of David. First he points out that the LORD regards those who care for the afflicted: the poor, the needy, those who suffer physically or spiritually or are oppressed. They are God’s creatures, created to His honor, who have difficulty on earth and therefore need help and support. Those who care for them show the wisdom of God’s Word and do what God wills to do for these people (cf. Ps. 27:21; 112:9; Ps. 146:7–9).
The Lord Jesus says in Matt. 5:7: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Jesus also highlights this blessing as an element of the final judgement (Matt. 25:34–36).
God’s mercy on earth toward the benefactor is described in verses 2–4. But from verse 5 David speaks of the fact that he himself, as a sick man, experience a very different response from those around him. Not mercy, but hateful and hostile treatment. He undergoes an illness as a consequence of sin he committed.
But he describes the people he meets on his sickbed as enemies (v.6) who hate him (v.8). Even an intimate friend belongs to those who turn against him (v.10). That last is for David the most shocking. Jesus cites this verse when Judas is about to betray Him (John 13:18).
All these people have shown David no mercy; on the contrary, they have made his suffering very heavy. They speak evil of him, even wish him dead. In this, David acts as a type of Christ. In his distress David then prays to God to grant him grace and to heal him (vv.5,11ff.).
He also prays to receive the blessing of the LORD and asks for just punishment over his enemies. Then the Psalm ends in a thankful call to God’s people to praise the LORD forever. Amen, yes, Amen.
Do we devote ourselves sufficiently to mercy?
Singing: Ps. 41:1,4