A psalm written by David for the choir director
41
1 Yahweh is pleased with those people who help to provide for the poor;he will rescue those people when they have troubles.
2 Yahweh protects them and allows them to live for a long time.
He enables them to be happy in the land of Israel
and rescues them from their enemies.
3 When they are sick, Yahweh strengthens them,
and he heals them.
4 When I was sick, I said, “Yahweh, act mercifully toward me and heal me;
I know that I am sick because I have sinned against you.”
5 My enemies say cruel things about me;
they say, “How soon will he die, and then everyone will forget about him?”
6 When my enemies come to me, they falsely say that they are concerned about me.
They listen to bad news about me.
Then they go away and tell everywhere what is happening to me.
7 All those who hate me whisper to others about me,
and they hope that very bad things will happen to me.
8 They say, “He will soon die because of his being sick;
he will never get up from his bed before he dies.”
9 Even my best friend, whom I trusted very much,
who often ate with me,
has betrayed me.
10 But Yahweh, act mercifully to me, and enable me to become healthy again.
When you do that, I will be able to get revenge on my enemies and cause my enemies to suffer like they caused me to suffer.
11 If you enable me to do that, with the result that my enemies do not defeat me,
I will know that you are pleased with me.
12 I will know that it is because I have done what is right that you have helped me,
and I will know that you will enable me to be with you forever.
13 Praise Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis worship;
Praise him forever!
Amen! I desire that it will be so!