Psalm 41:1

Psalm 41:1

A prayer for mercy 

Psalms 38 to 41 form a quadruple set of songs by David that have a common theme. He is a sick man, and his sickness is caused by his sin. We have noted that there has been a gradual improvement although David is not out of the woods yet. As ever, his enemies are gathered like wolves around a dying animal, they await his demise and gleefully lick their evil lips as they plot and scheme their route to the throne. But David is not finished, he trusts in One who is greater than them all and He anticipates that God will deliver him and save him from death and disaster. Thank the Lord that His ways have not changed and, however dark the situation may be, we can trust in Him for our safety and deliverance. 

 

V1        I think that David is talking about himself here! There’s still some self-pity to be expressed and a battle-scarred personality that needs to be encouraged and comforted. Maybe these words were spoken out to his friends publicly or maybe they were intended to be sung or spoken amongst a company of worshippers. Either way we all need to be reminded to care for the vulnerable and that the Lord delivers those who are willing to deliver others. It is the duty of rulers, in whatever role they play, to look after the weak and the vulnerable. Be it a king or queen, a president or prime minister, a government or a board of directors, a body of school governors or a synod or group of elders, whatever the role, the responsibility does not diminish – the weak should be protected. Sadly, many leaders do not take this responsibility seriously, too many organisations are driven by money and power and the weak are forgotten or over-looked. Well, if we want the Lord to look after us in times of trouble, we’d better make sure our priorities are right and see that we look after those in our own care who have troubles.

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