SIN, MERCY, AND BLESSING

Psalm 41—In the era of Absalom and Ahitophel


I. God Blesses the Merciful

A. God delivers those who deliver the helpless [weakened in body or spirit]; there is an inherent connection. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.” (PSALM 41:1)

B. The Bible explains poverty management. “If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.” (DEUTERONOMY 15:7-11)

C. The helpless may have powerful resources they do not perceive and which no Christian would want to antagonize. “The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.” (PSALM 41:2)

D. Even the ultimate poverty of illness and death loses its power when God presides over life. “The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.” (PSALM 41:3) “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 CORINTHIANS 15:55)

E. A believer understands the need for mercy from personal experience with sin. “I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.” (PSALM 41:4) “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.” (PSALM 32:5)


II. The World Is Not Merciful

A. Far from helping in difficult times, enemies will want to destroy the righteous. “Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish?” (PSALM 41:5)

B. Even occasions for words of comfort and consolation lose meaning. “And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.” (PSALM 41:6)

C. The wicked look for times when people are down so they can kick them more effectively. “All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.” (PSALM 41:7)

D. For the evil heart, sorrow brings opportunity. “An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” (PSALM 41:8-9)

E. Jesus treated David’s testimony against Ahitophel as prophetic of His experience with Judas. “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.” (JOHN 13:18) “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” (JOHN 17:12)


III. Reflection Brings the Heart Back to God’s Mercy

A. God will do what is best. “But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.” (PSALM 41:10)

B. A believer knows that, as long as the struggle continues, God is on the believer’s side. “By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.” (PSALM 41:11)

C. God’s mercy and His hidden objectives explain the survival of the righteous. “And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.” (PSALM 41:12)

D. The First Book of Psalms ends with the testimony that, at every turn of Providence, a believer encounters the message of God’s overcoming blessing. “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.” (PSALM 41:13)