Day 95: No Blessing Goes Uncontested (Psalm 41:1–6, Luke 9:57–10:24, Deuteronomy 1:1–2:23)

Day 95: No Blessing Goes Uncontested (Psalm 41:1–6, Luke 9:57–10:24, Deuteronomy 1:1–2:23

Psalm 41:1–6

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
   the LORD delivers them in times of trouble.
2 The LORD protects and preserves them—
   they are counted among the blessed in the land—
   he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.
3 The LORD sustains them on their sickbed
   and restores them from their bed of illness.

4 I said, “Have mercy on me, LORD;
   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 When one of them comes to see me,
   he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;
   then he goes out and spreads it around.

Commentary

Blessings contested by trouble, sickness and slander

1. Blessings on those who care for the poor

Blessings follow those ‘who have regard for the weak’ (v.1) – those who care, for example, about the poor, the hungry, the sick, the addicts and those in prison. This should be a characteristic of those who follow the Lord. If you care for the poor, God promises to deliver you in times of trouble, to protect you, to preserve your life and to bless you (v.2). He promises to sustain you and to heal you (v.3). But these blessings from God do not go uncontested.

2. Contested by trouble, sickness and slander

There may be ‘times of trouble’ (v.1b). There may be ‘foes’ (v.2b). There may be periods of ‘illness’ (v.3). There may be enemies: ‘they speak falsely, while their hearts gather slander; then they go out and spread it abroad’ (v.6).

Being aware that there are enemies around should put you on guard. There are some, for example, who come to ‘gather slander’. They are on a fishing expedition to find gossip against you so that they can go out and ‘spread it abroad’. But God promises his blessing and that he will ‘not surrender’ you (v.2b).

One of the encouraging things about the psalm is that this blessing of protection does not seem to be dependent on you always getting it right. David is very aware of his own sin, crying out to God for mercy and healing where he has fallen short (v.4).

Prayer

Lord, thank you for all the blessings you have poured out on me. Thank you for your promise to deliver me in times of trouble, sickness and slander.