The Righteous One unpitied in His time of need

The doxology at the end of the psalm marks the division of the first part from the remaining four parts of the Psalter. The psalm contains a clear reference to our Lord’s experience of Judas’ betrayal as a friend. Much of the experience recorded is David’s, and yet the hatred and malice against Christ is evidently spoken of. The psalm ends confidently and assuredly that God would deliver and uphold His servant, and concludes by the utterance of this glorious doxology. 

The double ‘Amen’ affirms and emphasises the praise, thankfulness and assurance of the psalmist. It is said that the word ‘everlasting’ means literally ‘the vanishing point.’ So praise has been, is, and will be given, even to the vanishing point. That point, none can see nor will see. 

Psalm 41

   1  Blessed is he that wisely doth
         the poor man's case consider;
      For when the time of trouble is,
         the Lord will him deliver.

   2  God will him keep, yea, save alive;
         on earth he blessed shall live;
      And to his enemies' desire
         thou wilt him not up give.

   3  God will give strength when he on bed
         of languishing doth mourn;
      And in his sickness sore, O Lord,
         thou all his bed wilt turn.

   4  I said, O Lord, do thou extend
         thy mercy unto me;
      O do thou heal my soul; for why?
         I have offended thee.

   5  Those that to me are enemies,
         of me do evil say,
      When shall he die, that so his name
         may perish quite away?

   6  To see me if he comes, he speaks
         vain words: but then his heart
      Heaps mischief to it, which he tells,
         when forth he doth depart.

   7  My haters jointly whispering,
         'gainst me my hurt devise.
   8  Mischief, say they, cleaves fast to him;
         he li'th, and shall not rise.

   9  Yea, ev'n mine own familiar friend,
         on whom I did rely,
      Who ate my bread, ev'n he his heel
         against me lifted high.

  10  But, Lord, be merciful to me,
         and up again me raise,
      That I may justly them requite
         according to their ways.

  11  By this I know that certainly
         I favored am by thee;
      Because my hateful enemy
         triumphs not over me.

  12  But as for me, thou me uphold'st
         in mine integrity;
      And me before thy countenance
         thou sett'st continually.

  13  The Lord, the God of Israel,
         be blessed for ever then,
      From age to age eternally.
         Amen, yea, and amen.


Recommended Tunes

St Bernard

Google Gadget - "Embed gadget"