THERE IS HOPE!

Psalm 41

SIBLING #41

Psalm 41 closes the first book of the psalms and is penned by David.
The theme of psalm 41 is stated as: A prayer for God’s mercy when feeling sick or abandoned. When we’re sick or when everyone deserts us, God remains at our side.

“Blessed is he who has regard for the weak;
The Lord delivers him in times of trouble.”

David expresses the numerous rewards the Lord gives to those who show this concern for the weak. Notice the six acts of God toward those who have regard for the weak: (1) delivered, (2) protected/preserved, (3) blessed, (4) not abandoned, (5) sustained, and (6) restored.

The people of God are not free from poverty, sickness, or outward affliction, but the Lord will consider their case, and send due supplies. From his Lord’s example the believer learns to consider his poor and afflicted brethren. This branch of godliness is usually recompensed with temporal blessings (as stated above). But nothing is so distressed to the contrite (repentant) believer, as a fear or sense of the Divine displeasure, or of sin in his heart. Sin is the sickness of the soul; pardoning mercy heal it, renewing grace heals it, and for this spiritual healing we should be more earnest than for bodily health. (Matthew Henry’s commentary)

WOW! This is the HOPE for the least of these, the orphans and widows.  We can help meet their physical needs, but only God can save the sinner and truly give them healing! We need to continue to bring aid, but more importantly, the WORD of HOPE in Christ alone!

That’s ONLY LOOKING AT Verses 1-4…

The next few verses have been so good for me to spend time with. I just love seeing prophecy fulfilled! This is how we know our God better AND continually renew our trust in who HE IS!!

Psalm 41 had historical, as well as prophetic, meaning. It was David's lament over his own betrayal by his trusted adviser and friend Ahithophel. David had a wayward son named Absalom. Absalom decided to start a rebellion, overthrow his father, and take over the throne. Ahithophel turned against David and joined Absalom's rebellion. The picture of David and Ahithophel in Psalm 41 is fulfilled in a greater sense in Jesus and Judas. (The story of Absalom is in 2 Samuel 15-18.)

In verse 9 the psalmist gives us really what is prophecy of Judas. "Even My close friend in whom I trusted who ate My bread has lifted up his heel against Me." In the ancient Middle East, ancient near-eastern culture, when somebody ate your bread that was a sign of friendship… the intimate affirmation of friendship. And for someone who was your close friend whom you trusted, who ate your bread, sat at the table with you, to lift up his heel against you was the betrayal at its worst.

Then John 13:18 is key. John 13:18 clearly refers back to Psalm 41:9, "I do not speak of all of you, I know the ones I have chosen," Jesus says, I know who I chose, not to be an apostle, but to be saved, this is the choice to salvation, I know whom I have chosen, interesting that concept of election comes back in. "But it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled.” And then He quotes Psalm 41:9, "He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me." Judas did what he did in the way it was designed in the Old Testament so that there would be a fulfillment of prophecy that would show that God knew exactly what was happening, that God was orchestrating everything. (I just love how spending time in one psalm has had me reading throughout the bible and listening/reading from great men of faith!)

Jesus knew every single thing that was going on all the way down the line, He knew Judas, He knew Judas would betray Him, He knew the one who sat at the table and ate with Him that night at the last supper would be the one who would betray Him, and that is exactly the way it happened as God had ordained long before, and indicated in the prophecy of psalm 41.

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.”

As Spurgeon states: “This last verse may serve for the prayer of the universal church in all ages, but none can sing it so sweetly as those who have experienced as David did the faithfulness of God in times of extremity.”