1Blessed are those who care about weak people. When they are in trouble, the LORD saves them.2The LORD guards them and keeps them alive. They are counted among those who are blessed in the land. The LORD won’t hand them over to the wishes of their enemies.3The LORD will take care of them when they are lying ill in bed. He will make them well again.4I said, ‘LORD, have mercy on me. Heal me, because I have sinned against you.’5My enemies are saying bad things about me. They say, ‘When will he die and his name be forgotten?’6When one of them comes to see me, he says things that aren’t true. At the same time, he thinks up lies to tell against me. Then he goes out and spreads those lies around.7All my enemies whisper to each other about me. They want something terrible to happen to me.8They say, ‘He is ill and will die very soon. He will never get up from his bed again.’9Even my close friend, someone I trusted, has failed me. I even shared my bread with him.10But LORD, may you have mercy on me. Make me well, so I can pay them back.11Then I will know that you are pleased with me, because my enemies haven’t won the battle over me.12You will take good care of me because I’ve been honest. You will let me be with you for ever.13Give praise to the LORD, the God of Israel, for ever and ever. Amen and Amen.
1To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Blessed is the one who considers the poor![1] In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; (Ps 37:19; Pr 14:21)2the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. (Ps 27:12)3The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.[2]4As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me,[3] for I have sinned against you!” (2Ch 30:20; Ps 4:1; Ps 6:2; Ps 147:3)5My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die, and his name perish?”6And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad. (Ps 12:2; Ps 144:8)7All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me.[4]8They say, “A deadly thing is poured out[5] on him; he will not rise again from where he lies.”9Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. (2Sa 15:12; Job 19:13; Job 19:19; Ps 55:12; Ps 55:20; Jer 9:4; Jer 20:10; Mic 7:5; Joh 13:18)10But you, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them!11By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. (2Sa 15:25)12But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. (Job 36:7; Ps 23:6; Ps 26:1; Ps 63:8)13Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen. (Ps 72:18; Ps 89:52; Ps 106:48; Ps 150:6; Lu 1:68)