Psalm 41

Good News Translation

A Prayer in Sickness^[a]

41 Happy are those who are concerned for the poor;
    the Lord will help them when they are in trouble.
²The Lord will protect them and preserve their lives;
    he will make them happy in the land;
    he will not abandon them to the power of their enemies.
³The Lord will help them when they are sick
    and will restore them to health.

⁴I said, “I have sinned against you, Lord;
    be merciful to me and heal me.”
⁵My enemies say cruel things about me.
    They want me to die and be forgotten.
⁶Those who come to see me are not sincere;
    they gather bad news about me
    and then go out and tell it everywhere.
⁷All who hate me whisper to each other about me,
    they imagine the worst about^[b] me.
⁸They say, “He is fatally ill;
    he will never leave his bed again.”
⁹^(A)Even my best friend, the one I trusted most,
    the one who shared my food,
    has turned against me.

¹⁰Be merciful to me, Lord, and restore my health,
    and I will pay my enemies back.
¹¹They will not triumph over me,
    and I will know that you are pleased with me.
¹²You will help me, because I do what is right;
    you will keep me in your presence forever.