Psalm 41:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;

NIV: For the director of music. A psalm of David. Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.

NASB: Blessed is one who considers the helpless; The Lord will save him on a day of trouble.

CSB: For the choir director. A psalm of David. Happy is one who is considerate of the poor; the Lord will save him in a day of adversity.

NLT: Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.

KJV: To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.

NKJV: {To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.} Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.

The Hebrew term dāl refers to weakness, poverty, shortcoming, or helplessness. David is not merely speaking of those who are financially "poor," but also of those disadvantaged or made weak. God honors those charitable and generous to people in need (Proverbs 14:21). Part of that honor is protection and good health, or so David says here (Psalm 41:2).

Of course, David and other biblical writers saw instances where godly, generous people experienced intense troubles (Psalm 73:2–3; Habakkuk 1:2–4). David is not saying that those who help the poor are immune to disease or persecution. Rather, he notes that those who honor God with their lives invite far fewer risks than those who are evil. The person with a righteous, caring reputation is much more likely to be helped by others when he is in trouble. As is noted often in the book of Proverbs, adhering to God's goodness gives a person a much greater chance of success, though not an ironclad guarantee (Proverbs 8:32–36; 12:28).

Perhaps David was reflecting on the teaching in Deuteronomy 26:12–13 about giving to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. He had shown kindness to Mephibosheth, who was Saul's grandson and Jonathan's son. He asked his servant Ziba if there were any of King Saul's descendant left. He explained that he wanted to show kindness to whoever remained of Saul's family (2 Samuel 9:3). Ziba named Mephibosheth, who was lame and living in a desert place. David fetched Mephibosheth and treated him royally, even allowing him to eat at David's table (2 Samuel 9:5–13).

Later in this psalm, David seems to connect these comments on care for the disadvantaged with his survival of Absalom's attempted coup (Psalm 41:12).

Psalm 41:1–4 extols the virtue of those diligent to care for the disadvantaged. In this case, David suggests that God provides such persons with special protection from trouble and hardship. This includes their reputation. This is not a blanket promise, but rather one of the lessons David took from his experiences. The following verses speak about betrayal and plotting; likely this was the rebellion of Absalom and Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15—18). That David endured that situation, brought about by his own sin, reflected on his overall obedience to God's will.

David observes that blessing comes to the person who shows kindness to the poor. As someone who did just that, David perceives that God is working to protect him from the schemes of his enemies. He admits he has sinned and declares that his enemies want to see him die. These hypocrites scheme and plot while telling lies. Even a close friend has turned into an enemy. David is certain the Lord will vindicate him and not allow his enemy to be victorious over him. He believes the Lord has upheld him and given him assurance of everlasting life in His presence. He concludes Psalm 41 by ascribing praise to the Lord, Israel's God, who is eternal.

This is the last entry in what is often considered the first "book," or major division, of the Psalms. Echoing themes of Psalms 38 and 39, David cries out to the Lord about sin and sickness. This passage refers specifically to betrayal and pressure from enemies. That makes the likely historical context the rebellion led by David's son, Absalom. During that series of events, David's close counselor, Ahithophel, betrayed him (2 Samuel 15—18).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.