41:1 God blesses those who are kind to the poor. He helps them out of their troubles.
41:2 He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies.
41:3 He nurses them when they are sick and soothes their pains and worries.
41:4 “O Lord,” I prayed, “be kind and heal me, for I have confessed my sins.”
41:5 But my enemies say, “May he soon die and be forgotten!”
41:6 They act so friendly when they come to visit me while I am sick; but all the time they hate me and are glad that I am lying there upon my bed of pain. And when they leave, they laugh and mock.
41:7 They whisper together about what they will do when I am dead.
41:8 “It’s fatal, whatever it is,” they say. “He’ll never get out of that bed!”
41:9 Even my best friend has turned against me—a man I completely trusted; how often we ate together.
41:10 Lord, don’t you desert me! Be gracious, Lord, and make me well again so I can pay them back!
41:11 I know you are pleased with me because you haven’t let my enemies triumph over me.
41:12 You have preserved me because I was honest; you have admitted me forever to your presence.
41:13 Bless the Lord, the God of Israel, who exists from everlasting ages past—and on into everlasting eternity ahead. Amen and amen!
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