Psalm 41 closes Book 1 of the Psalter with David praying through illness and betrayal - arriving at the assurance that God’s delight in him is proven by the fact that his enemies have not triumphed.

Full sung version coming soon.

Lyrics

How blest is one who cares for those in need // rephrased: ‘Blessed is he who considers the poor’ The LORD will shield him in his darkest day // rephrased: ‘deliver him in the day of evil’

The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive He shall be blessed on the earth And he will not surrender him to the will of his enemies The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed And restore him from his bed of illness

I said, LORD, have mercy on me Heal me, for I have sinned against you My enemies speak evil against me When will he die, and his name perish

If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood His heart gathers iniquity to itself When he goes abroad, he tells it All who hate me whisper together against me

But you, LORD, have mercy on me And raise me up, that I may repay them By this I know that you delight in me Because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me

As for me, you uphold me in my integrity And set me in your presence forever Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted Who ate bread with me, has lifted up his heel against me

All who hate me whisper together against me They imagine the worst for me An evil disease, they say, has afflicted him Now that he lies he shall rise up no more

But you, LORD, have mercy on me And raise me up, that I may repay them By this I know that you delight in me Because my enemy doesn’t triumph over me

Praised be the LORD, the God of Israel // rephrased: ‘Blessed be the LORD’ From age to age, through all eternity // rephrased: ‘from everlasting and to everlasting’ So be it, so be it // rephrased: ‘Amen and amen’

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Psalms 41 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.

Published 2026-05-22 · Last updated 2026-06-06
Written by Reid Wender, Editorial Director at Psalmody Press