THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

XLI. A Lesson In Handling Malicious Opposition From A Past Close Associate

(Psalm 41:1-13)

I. Introduction

A. It is humanly very difficult and painful to face and effectively handle malicious opposition from one who has been a former close associate, what David faced in Psalm 41:1-13.

B. We thus view this psalm for insight and application in our own lives as believers today (as follows):

II. A Lesson In Handling Malicious Opposition From A Past Close Associate, Psalm 41:1-13.

A. The introductory remarks in the English Bible comprise verse one of the Hebrew text, (Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 1010), but we stay with the numbering system of the English Bible for clarification with this lesson.

B. We thus translate Psalm 41:1-13 as follows:

1. "Blessed is he who gives attention to, considers (sakal, B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 968) those who lack material possessions and/or are socially non-influential (dal, Ibid., Kittel; H. A. W., Theol. Wrkbk. O. T., 1980, v. I, p. 190); in the day of calamity Jahweh will deliver (malat, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., H. A. W., p. 507) him," Psalm 41:1.

2. "Jahweh will preserve him and make his physical life blessed in the land and not give him to the desire of his foes," Psalm 41:2.

3. "Jahweh will sustain (sa'ad, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 703) him upon his bed of sickness; You will overturn [fully restore] (hphak, Ibid., p. 245-246) him from his bed of illness," Psalm 41:3.

4. "I myself (emph. pron.) said, 'O Jahweh, have mercy on me; heal my life principle because I have sinned against You!" (Psalm 41:4)

5. "My enemies say against me with malice, 'When will he die and his name perish?" (Psalm 41:5)

6. "And if one come to see me, he speaks falsely while his heart gathers slander; then he goes outside to speak (it in the streets publicly)," Psalm 41:6.

7. "All of those who hate me whisper against me; they imagine evil for me," Psalm 41:7.

8. "Saying, 'A vile disease has beset him; he will not get up from the place where he lies!'" (Psalm 41:8)

9. "Even a man of my peace [my close friend], whom I trusted, who ate my food, has lifted up his heel against me," Psalm 41:9.

10. "But You (emph. pron.), O Jahweh, have mercy upon me; raise me up that I may repay them," Psa. 41:10.

11. "In this I know that You delight in me, because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me," Psa. 41:11.

12. "And I myself (emph. pron.), in my integrity, You grasp, support (tamak, Ibid., p. 1069) me, and You station (nasab, Ibid., p. 662; Hiphil = causative) me before Your face forever [in security]," Psalm 41:12.

13. "Blessed be Jahweh, the Elohim of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen," Psalm 41:13.

C. We note significant applications of this psalm toward edifying believers in need (as follows):

1. If a believer has treated well others who are materially impoverished and/or less socially acceptable than he is, God will not abandon him when he is unjustly mistreated, Psalm 41:1, 5-9.

2. If a believer survives attacks from a foe so that the foe can never quite gain a final triumph over him, he can conclude that the Lord is sustaining him in blessing, Psalm 41:5-9, 11.

3. If a believer observes that his foe is never fully victorious over him because of the believer's integrity before the Lord, he can be sure that God will supportively continue to grasp him to enable him to withstand his enemies and their activities in the futue, Psalm 41:5-9, 11-12.

4. If a believer observes that all of these assurances are in place in his experience, God has incorporated his welfare into the Lord's eternal plan that therefore makes room for the believer to serve Him, Psalm 41:13.

5. If a believer fails to gain in his walk God's assurances stated above, the mistreatment he faces comes in divine permissive discipline, so the believer needs to examine his heart and repent as needed for blessing!

Lesson: David handled malicious opposition from a past close associate by righteously giving attention to the poor and socially non-influential around him so that God helped and supported him when he himself was mistreated.

Application: (1) May we give attention to and consider the needs of those who materially lack and/or who are socially non-influential if we would expect God to support us when others mistreat us. (2) May we praise God for His supportiveness when we are oppressed (3) or repent if He lets our foes triumph over us in divine discipline!