1 Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The LORD rescues them when they are in trouble. 2 The LORD protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies. 3 The LORD nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. 4 "O LORD," I prayed, "have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you." 5 But my enemies say nothing but evil about me. "How soon will he die and be forgotten?" they ask. 6 They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere. 7 All who hate me whisper about me, imagining the worst. 8 "He has some fatal disease," they say. "He will never get out of that bed!" 9 Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me. 10 LORD, have mercy on me. Make me well again, so I can pay them back! 11 I know you are pleased with me, for you have not let my enemies triumph over me. 12 You have preserved my life because I am innocent; you have brought me into your presence forever. 13 Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen! For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah.
1 Dignify those who are down on their luck; you'll feel good--that's what GOD does. 2 GOD looks after us all, makes us robust with life--Lucky to be in the land, we're free from enemy worries. 3 Whenever we're sick and in bed, GOD becomes our nurse, nurses us back to health. 4 I said, "GOD, be gracious! Put me together again--my sins have torn me to pieces." 5 My enemies are wishing the worst for me; they make bets on what day I will die. 6 If someone comes to see me, he mouths empty platitudes, All the while gathering gossip about me to entertain the street-corner crowd. 7 These "friends" who hate me whisper slanders all over town. They form committees to plan misery for me. 8 The rumor goes out, "He's got some dirty, deadly disease. The doctors have given up on him." 9 Even my best friend, the one I always told everything -he ate meals at my house all the time!- has bitten my hand. 10 GOD, give grace, get me up on my feet. I'll show them a thing or two. 11 Meanwhile, I'm sure you're on my side--no victory shouts yet from the enemy camp! 12 You know me inside and out, you hold me together, you never fail to stand me tall in your presence so I can look you in the eye. 13 Blessed is GOD, Israel's God, always, always, always. Yes. Yes. Yes. A psalm of the sons of Korah
1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 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. 3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. 4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee. 5 Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name perish? 6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it. 7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt. 8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. 9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. 10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. 11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. 12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever. 13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.
1 Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. 2 The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. 3 The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed. 4 I said, "LORD, be merciful to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You." 5 My enemies speak evil of me: "When will he die, and his name perish?" 6 And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies; His heart gathers iniquity to itself; When he goes out, he tells it. 7 All who hate me whisper together against me; Against me they devise my hurt. 8 "An evil disease," they say, "clings to him. And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more." 9 Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me. 10 But You, O LORD, be merciful to me, and raise me up, That I may repay them. 11 By this I know that You are well pleased with me, Because my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And set me before Your face forever. 13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.
1 How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The LORD will deliver him in a day of trouble. 2 The LORD will protect him and keep him alive, And he shall be called blessed upon the earth; And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies. 3 The LORD will sustain him upon his sickbed; In his illness, You restore him to health. 4 As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You." 5 My enemies speak evil against me, "When will he die, and his name perish?" 6 And when he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood; His heart gathers wickedness to itself; When he goes outside, he tells it. 7 All who hate me whisper together against me; Against me they devise my hurt, saying, 8 "A wicked thing is poured out upon him, That when he lies down, he will not rise up again." 9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me. 10 But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up, That I may repay them. 11 By this I know that You are pleased with me, Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me. 12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And You set me in Your presence forever. 13 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, From everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.
1 BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, to be envied) is he who considers the weak and the poor; the Lord will deliver him in the time of evil and trouble. 2 The Lord will protect him and keep him alive; he shall be called blessed in the land; and You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord will sustain, refresh, and strengthen him on his bed of languishing; all his bed You [O Lord] will turn, change, and transform in his illness. 4 I said, Lord, be merciful and gracious to me; heal my inner self, for I have sinned against You. 5 My enemies speak evil of me, [saying], When will he die and his name perish? 6 And when one comes to see me, he speaks falsehood and empty words, while his heart gathers mischievous gossip [against me]; when he goes away, he tells it abroad. 7 All who hate me whisper together about me; against me do they devise my hurt [imagining the worst for me]. 8 An evil disease, say they, is poured out upon him and cleaves fast to him; and now that he is bedfast, he will not rise up again. 9 Even my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted (relied on and was confident), who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. 10 But You, O Lord, be merciful and gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may requite them. 11 By this I know that You favor and delight in me, because my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 And as for me, You have upheld me in my integrity and set me in Your presence forever. 13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting [from this age to the next, and forever]! Amen and Amen (so be it).
1 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. 2 The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. 3 The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness. 4 I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you." 5 My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?" 6 Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad. 7 All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, 8 "A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies." 9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. 10 But you, O LORD, have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them. 11 I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. 13 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.
1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; 2 the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3 The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health. 4 As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!" 5 My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?" 6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad. 7 All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me. 8 They say, "A deadly thing is poured out on him; he will not rise again from where he lies." 9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. 10 But you, O LORD, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them! 11 By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. 12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. 13 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.