Psalm 41

¹Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! *the Lord will deliver them in the time of trouble.

²The Lord preserves them and keeps them alive, so that they may be happy in the land; *he does not hand them over to the will of their enemies.

³The Lord sustains them on their sickbed *and ministers to them in their illness.

⁴I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; *heal me, for I have sinned against you.”

⁵My enemies are saying wicked things about me: *“When will he die, and his name perish?”

⁶Even if they come to see me, they speak empty words; *their heart collects false rumors; they go outside and spread them.

⁷All my enemies whisper together about me *and devise evil against me.

⁸“A deadly thing,” they say, “has fastened on him; *he has taken to his bed and will never get up again.”

⁹Even my best friend, whom I trusted, who broke bread with me, *has lifted up his heel and turned against me.

¹⁰But you, O Lord, be merciful to me and raise me up, *and I shall repay them.

¹¹By this I know you are pleased with me, *that my enemy does not triumph over me.

¹²In my integrity you hold me fast, *and shall set me before your face for ever.

¹³Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, *from age to age. Amen. Amen.