Psalm 41:3 - Blessed is He who Cares for the Poor

Audio Bible

Context

Blessed is He who Cares for the Poor
…2The LORD will protect and preserve him; He will bless him in the land and refuse to surrender him to the will of his foes. 3The LORD will sustain him on his bed of illness and restore him from his bed of sickness. 4I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against You.”…

Cross References

James 5:15
And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.Matthew 9:12
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.Isaiah 38:16
O Lord, by such things men live, and in all of them my spirit finds life. You have restored me to health and have let me live.2 Kings 20:5
“Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I will surely heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the house of the LORD.Jeremiah 30:17
But I will restore your health and heal your wounds, declares the LORD, because they call you an outcast, Zion, for whom no one cares.”Exodus 15:26
saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”3 John 1:2
Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers.Matthew 8:17
This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.”Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. / But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”Deuteronomy 7:15
And the LORD will remove from you all sickness. He will not lay upon you any of the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but He will inflict them on all who hate you.Proverbs 3:7-8
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. / This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.Job 5:18
For He wounds, but He also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal.Hosea 6:1
Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds.Psalm 103:3
He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases,

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

2 Kings 1:6,16
And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die…

2 Kings 20:5,6
Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD…

make [heb.

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Psalm 41

The LORD will sustain him on his bed of illness
This phrase emphasizes God's active role in providing support and strength during times of physical weakness. In biblical context, the "bed of illness" symbolizes a period of vulnerability and helplessness. The assurance of divine sustenance reflects God's compassion and faithfulness, as seen in other scriptures like Isaiah 41:10, where God promises to uphold His people. The imagery of a "bed" suggests a personal and intimate care, akin to a shepherd tending to his sheep, a recurring theme in the Psalms. This phrase also foreshadows the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, who often healed the sick, demonstrating God's power to sustain and restore.

and restore him from his bed of sickness
Restoration is a key theme in the Bible, often associated with God's redemptive work. The promise of restoration from sickness not only implies physical healing but also spiritual renewal. This reflects the holistic nature of God's salvation, as seen in passages like Psalm 103:3, which speaks of God forgiving sins and healing diseases. The concept of restoration is deeply rooted in the covenant relationship between God and His people, where God promises to restore what has been lost or broken. This phrase can also be seen as a type of Christ, who through His death and resurrection, provides ultimate restoration and healing for humanity.

Persons / Places / Events

1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 41, David is expressing his trust in God's care and healing during times of illness.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and personal relationship with His people.

3. Bed of Illness
A metaphorical place representing a time of physical weakness and vulnerability.

4. Restoration
The act of God bringing healing and renewal, both physically and spiritually.

Teaching Points

God's Sustaining Power
Trust in God's ability to sustain us during times of physical and spiritual weakness.

Recognize that God's presence is a source of comfort and strength in our most vulnerable moments.

Divine Healing and Restoration
Believe in God's power to heal and restore, whether through miraculous means or through the natural processes He has ordained.

Understand that restoration can be both physical and spiritual, leading to a deeper relationship with God.

Faith in Times of Illness
Encourage a posture of faith and prayer when facing illness, relying on God's promises and His character.

Use times of sickness as opportunities to draw closer to God and experience His sustaining grace.

(3) Will strengthen.--Literally, will prop him up, support him.

Wilt make.--Literally, hast turned. Some think with literal allusion to the fact that the Oriental bed was merely a mat, which could be turned while the sick man was propped up. But such literalness is not necessary. To turn here is to change, as in Psalm 66:6; Psalm 105:29, and what the poet says is that, as in past times, Divine help has come to change his sickness into health, so he confidently expects it will be now, "in his sickness" being equivalent to "in the time of his sickness."

Verse 3. - The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing. If he falls into a sickness, God will support him through it. Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness; literally, thou wilt turn all his bed; i.e. rearrange it, turn its cushions, make it such that he can comfortably lie on it (see Kay, who quotes Bellarmine). Others understand, "Thou wilt change his couch from one of sickness to one of convalescence." Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

The LORD
יְֽהוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

will sustain
יִ֭סְעָדֶנּוּ (yis·‘ā·ḏen·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5582: To support, sustain, stay

him on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

his bed
עֶ֣רֶשׂ (‘e·reś)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6210: A couch, divan

of illness
דְּוָ֑י (də·wāy)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1741: Sickness, loathing

and restore him
הָפַ֥כְתָּ (hā·p̄aḵ·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2015: To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, pervert

from his bed
מִ֝שְׁכָּב֗וֹ (miš·kā·ḇōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4904: Place of lying, a couch, act of lying

of sickness.
בְחָלְיֽוֹ׃ (ḇə·ḥā·lə·yōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2483: Malady, anxiety, calamity

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Psalm 41:3 Catholic BibleOT Poetry: Psalm 41:3 Yahweh will sustain him on his sickbed (Psalm Ps Psa.)