the Fourth Week after Easter
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THE MESSAGE
Psalms 41:1
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- DailyParallel Translations
Happy is one who is considerate of the poor;the Lord will save him in a day of adversity.
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Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;For the director of music. A psalm of David.
Happy are those who think about the poor. When trouble comes, the Lord will save them.For the music director; a psalm of David.
How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly! When trouble comes, the Lord delivers him.Blessed [by God's grace and compassion] is he who considers the helpless; The LORD will save him in the day of trouble.
Blessed is one who considers the helpless; The LORD will save him on a day of trouble.
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To him that excelleth. A Psalme of Dauid. Blessed is he that iudgeth wisely of the poore: the Lord shal deliuer him in ye time of trouble.
How blessed is he who considers the poor;Yahweh will provide him escape in a day of calamity.
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he who cares for the poor; the LORD will deliver him in the day of trouble.
(A psalm by David for the music leader.)
You, Lord God, bless everyone who cares for the poor, and you rescue those people in times of trouble.For the leader. A psalm of David:
To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
Blessed is he that understandeth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.To the director: A song of David.
Those who help the poor succeed will get many blessings. When trouble comes, the Lord will save them.BLESSED is he who looks after the poor; the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
Happy are those who are concerned for the poor; the Lord will help them when they are in trouble.
For the music director. A psalm of David.
Blessed is the one who has regard for the poor; in the day of disaster, Yahweh delivers him.To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he who acts wisely toward the poor; Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.
Blessed is he, yt considreth ye poore: ye LORDE shal delyuer him in the tyme of trouble.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
Blessed is he that considereth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.For the Leader. A Psalm of David.
[To the chiefe Musician. A Psalme of Dauid.] Blessed is he that considereth the poore; the Lord will deliuer him in time of trouble.
Blessed is he that considereth ye poore: God wyll delyuer hym in the tyme of trouble.
Blessed is the man who thinks, on the poor and needy: the Lord shall deliver him in an evil day.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in the day of evil.
The title of the fourtithe salm. For victorie, the song of Dauid. Blessid is he that vndurstondith `on a nedi man and pore; the Lord schal delyuere hym in the yuel dai.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that considers the poor: Yahweh will deliver him in the day of evil.
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Blessed [is] he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in the time of trouble.
Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
For the choir director: A psalm of David.
Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.Happy is the man who cares for the poor. The Lord will save him in times of trouble.
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
Happy are those who consider the poor; the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.(40-1) <Unto the end, a psalm for David himself.> (40-2) Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Blessed is he who considers the poor! The LORD delivers him in the day of trouble;
To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. O the happiness of him Who is acting wisely unto the poor, In a day of evil doth Jehovah deliver him.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble.Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
- Title This Psalm is supposed to have been written on the same occasion as the three former; and to relate to David's affliction, and the evil treatment he received from his enemies during its continuance.
Blessed: Psalms 112:9
Cross-References
Abraham traveled from there south to the Negev and settled down between Kadesh and Shur. While he was camping in Gerar, Abraham said of his wife Sarah, "She's my sister." So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her. But God came to Abimelech in a dream that night and told him, "You're as good as dead—that woman you took, she's a married woman."
Laban said, "You're family! My flesh and blood!" When Jacob had been with him for a month, Laban said, "Just because you're my nephew, you shouldn't work for me for nothing. Tell me what you want to be paid. What's a fair wage?"
As time went on, it happened that the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt crossed their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the head cupbearer and the head baker, and put them in custody under the captain of the guard; it was the same jail where Joseph was held. The captain of the guard assigned Joseph to see to their needs. After they had been in custody for a while, the king's cupbearer and baker, while being held in the jail, both had a dream on the same night, each dream having its own meaning. When Joseph arrived in the morning, he noticed that they were feeling low. So he asked them, the two officials of Pharaoh who had been thrown into jail with him, "What's wrong? Why the long faces?" They said, "We dreamed dreams and there's no one to interpret them." Joseph said, "Don't interpretations come from God? Tell me the dreams." First the head cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: "In my dream there was a vine in front of me with three branches on it: It budded, blossomed, and the clusters ripened into grapes. I was holding Pharaoh's cup; I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup, and gave the cup to Pharaoh." Joseph said, "Here's the meaning. The three branches are three days. Within three days, Pharaoh will get you out of here and put you back to your old work—you'll be giving Pharaoh his cup just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. Only remember me when things are going well with you again—tell Pharaoh about me and get me out of this place. I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews. And since I've been here, I've done nothing to deserve being put in this hole." When the head baker saw how well Joseph's interpretation turned out, he spoke up: "My dream went like this: I saw three wicker baskets on my head; the top basket had assorted pastries from the bakery and birds were picking at them from the basket on my head." Joseph said, "This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days; within three days Pharaoh will take off your head, impale you on a post, and the birds will pick your bones clean." And sure enough, on the third day it was Pharaoh's birthday and he threw a feast for all his servants. He set the head cupbearer and the head baker in places of honor in the presence of all the guests. Then he restored the head cupbearer to his cupbearing post; he handed Pharaoh his cup just as before. And then he impaled the head baker on a post, following Joseph's interpretations exactly. But the head cupbearer never gave Joseph another thought; he forgot all about him.
Two years passed and Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile River. Seven cows came up out of the Nile, all shimmering with health, and grazed on the marsh grass. Then seven other cows, all skin and bones, came up out of the river after them and stood by them on the bank of the Nile. The skinny cows ate the seven healthy cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
He went back to sleep and dreamed a second time: Seven ears of grain, full-bodied and lush, grew out of a single stalk. Then seven more ears grew up, but these were thin and dried out by the east wind. The thin ears swallowed up the full, healthy ears. Then Pharaoh woke up—another dream.
When morning came, he was upset. He sent for all the magicians and sages of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but they couldn't interpret them to him.
Pharaoh at once sent for Joseph. They brought him on the run from the jail cell. He cut his hair, put on clean clothes, and came to Pharaoh.
"I dreamed a dream," Pharaoh told Joseph. "Nobody can interpret it. But I've heard that just by hearing a dream you can interpret it."
Joseph answered, "Not I, but God. God will set Pharaoh's mind at ease."
So Pharaoh issued a general order to all his people: "Every boy that is born, drown him in the Nile. But let the girls live."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Blessed [is] he that considereth the poor,.... Not the poor of the world in common, nor poor saints in particular, but some single poor man; for the word is in the singular number, and designs our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in Psalms 40:17, is said to be "poor and needy": and so read the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions here; who became poor for our sakes, that we might be enriched by his poverty; being born of poor parents, educated in a mean manner, and in public life was ministered to by others: the word q here used signifies one that is attenuated, weak, and exhausted either of his substance or strength, or both; as Christ was in his state of humiliation, when he was emptied of his riches, and, though Lord of all, had not where to lay his head; and whose strength was dried up like a potsherd, when he suffered on the cross; and indeed at best he was encompassed with weaknesses and infirmities: and in this his low estate he is to be wisely considered, or attended to with wisdom and understanding; and he may be said wisely to consider him, who considers how great a person he is, that came into such a low estate for us; not a mere man, but above angels and men, that has all the perfections of deity in him, is the eternal Son of God, truly and properly God, and the Creator of all things, and Governor of the universe; which consideration will engage to and encourage faith and hope in him, lead to adore his wonderful grace, and to admire his condescension and humility in becoming poor and weak; as also who considers that the poverty of Christ was for our sakes, and that we might be made rich with the riches of grace and glory; and considers it so as not to be offended with it; see
Matthew 11:6; and which may serve to support us under all meanness and infirmity, and in whatsoever estate saints may come into; and likewise who considers him in his offices which he exercised in that his estate as the apostle and high priest of our profession; and him in his exalted state in heaven; see Hebrews 12:3; in a word, he wisely considers him, who believes in him as his Saviour, prizes him as the pearl of great price, cleaves close unto him, and follows him wherever he goes; who desires to know more of him, is concerned for his honour, interest, kingdom and glory, and pities his poor members, and freely and bountifully communicates to them; and so the Targum,
"blessed is the man that wisely considers the afflictions of the poor, that he may have mercy on him;''
and such an one is an happy man, and the following things said of him prove him to be so;
the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble: or "in the evil day" r; out of all his trouble, temporal and spiritual, of body and soul; in every time of affliction, private and personal; or in a time of public calamity; perhaps reference may be had to the time of Jerusalem's destruction, which was a time of great tribulation, Matthew 24:21; when those who did not consider Christ in his poor and low estate, but despised and rejected him, were destroyed; and such as did were saved from that calamity: and it may also include the day of judgment, which is the evil day, unto which the wicked are reserved, and when they will be punished with everlasting destruction; but then those that consider Christ, and believe in him, will be saved from wrath. Some s take these words, with what follows in the two next verses, as a prayer, and as delivered by him that visits the sick, for his comfort; and so Joseph Kimchi interprets it of an honourable man visiting a sick man, and instructing and comforting him with such words as these, that "the Lord will deliver him", c.
q דל "tenuem", Montanus, Cocceius "attenuatum", Junius Tremellius, Piscator "the poor weakling", Ainsworth. r ביום רעה "in die mala", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus. s Vid. R. David Kimchium in loc.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Blessed is he - See the notes at Psalms 1:1. Literally, “Oh the blessings of him that considers the poor.” The object is to describe the advantages of doing what is here said; or the excellence of the spirit which would be manifested in such a case, and the effect which this would have on his own happiness. These happy effects are described in the remainder of this verse, and in the two following verses.
That considereth - The word used here - from שׂכל śâkal - means properly to look at, to behold; then, to be prudent or circumspect; then, to attend to; and then in general to act prudently, wisely, intelligently, in any case. Here it means to attend to; to show an interest in; to care for. The idea is that of not neglecting; not passing by; not being indifferent to; not being hard-hearted and uncharitable toward.
The poor - Margin, “the weak,” or “the sick.” The word used in the Hebrew - דל dal - means properly something hanging or swinging, as of pendulous boughs or branches; and then, that which is weak, feeble, powerless. Thus it comes to denote those who are feeble and helpless either by poverty or by disease, and is used with a general reference to those who are in slow or humble condition, and who need the aid of others. The statement here is of a general nature - that he is blessed who shows proper sympathy for all of that class: for those who need the sympathy of others from any cause - poverty, sickness, a low condition, or trouble. The particular thing here referred to was a case of sickness; where one was borne down by disease, perhaps brought on by mental sorrow, and when he particularly needed the sympathy of his friends. See Psalms 41:5-8.
The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble - Margin, as in Hebrew: “in the day of evil.” This is the first happy effect or result of showing proper sympathy with others in their troubles. It is a statement of the general principle that the Lord will deal with us as we do with others. See this principle stated and illustrated in Psalms 18:24-26.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
PSALM XLI
The blessedness of the man who is merciful to the poor, 1-3.
The psalmist complains of his enemies, and prays for support,
4-10;
and blesses God for having heard his prayer, and preserved him
from his adversaries, 11, 12.
A fine doxology closes the Psalm, 13.
NOTES ON PSALM XLI
The title as before. The Syriac says it was "A Psalm of David, when he appointed overseers to take care of the poor." The Arabic says, "It is a prophecy concerning the incarnation; and also of the salutation of Judas." It appears to me to have been written on the same occasion as the three former, and to relate to David's malady and cure, and the evil treatment he had from his enemies during his affliction. Our Lord, by accommodation, applies the ninth verse to the treachery of Judas, John 13:18; but as to any other direct reference to Christ, or his history, I believe the Psalm has none.
Verse Psalms 41:1. Blessed is he that considereth — God is merciful; he will have man to resemble him: as far as he is merciful, feels a compassionate heart, and uses a benevolent hand, he resembles his Maker; and the mercy he shows to others God will show to him. But it is not a sudden impression at the sight of a person in distress, which obliges a man to give something for the relief of the sufferer, that constitutes the merciful character. It is he who considers the poor; who endeavours to find them out; who looks into their circumstances; who is in the habit of doing so; and actually, according to his power and means, goes about to do good; that is the merciful man, of whom God speaks with such high approbation, and to whom he promises a rich reward.
