Walk Of Life – Day 24, August 2022 – Thoughts From The Book Of Psalms

Psalm 41 – God Is A Healer And A Trustworthy Friend

The central mass of this psalm tells us about David’s suffering from sickness and from the treachery of his friends.

Be gentle to your weak brother

David started with an under privileged job of shepherding the sheep to become the King of Israel. But he did not let his victories, fame and riches to forget his humble beginnings.

• He took every opportunity to give care for the poor and weak. He displayed his generous love and care to Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son by giving him his grandfather’s inheritance and making him sit at the king’s table.
• You too like David should give careful thought to your weak brother or sister’s situation and help him or her to overcome the weakness that they are suffering from. Weakness could be due to lack of resources, needs, self-discipline, hope, love, faith or even knowledge of God. Those who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not pass judgment and in love must build one another. For this is what pleases God.

The threefold blessing according to David for caring for the weak are deliverance in times of trouble, protection of life from evil and sustaining and restoring from any sickness.

Let the Lord deal with your adversaries

David’s suffering went beyond his body when he saw that his friends who ate bread with him and were like family had gone against him. Their visits, enquiry, comforting words during David’s sickness were filled with hypocrisy when they were waiting for him to die. David faced many such situations.

• One such friend was his counselor, Ahithophel who had betrayed and conspired against David by taking side of Absalom his son who too rebelled against his father (1 Samuel 15:12). David submitted the situation to God who punished both by death.
• Another friend was Joab, the army commander and Abiathar, the priest who conspired with Adonijah his son and tried to make him king when King David was sick and advance in age. David again did not judge them but let God bring judgement on them. God punished all three, by death for Joab and Adonijah and removal from priestly duties for Abiathar.
• While David displayed such integrity his greater son, Lord Jesus, the Messiah showed much greater submission to his Father knowing that he would be betrayed by Judas Iscariot, his disciple who broke bread with him. Later, Judas felt sorry for what he did but because of lack of repentance could not receive forgiveness from God and hung himself to death.

When trustworthy friends lift their heal against you, remember that you are called to peace.  ^“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Roman 12:18-20

David ends this psalm saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.” Out of forty-0ne psalms, David wrote thirty- seven psalm and four remaining are unattributed. According to Franz Delitsch, a German Lutheran theologian and Hebraist, the Hebrew word in reference to God by the name Jehovah occurs 272 times and Elohim only 15.  This is the end of the First book of Psalms.