Psalm Forty-One: Vindication

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Psalm 41

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
    the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.
 
The Lord protects and preserves them—
    they are counted among the blessed in the land—
    he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.
 
The Lord sustains them on their sickbed
    and restores them from their bed of illness.

I said, “Have mercy on me, Lord;
    heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
 
My enemies say of me in malice,
    “When will he die and his name perish?”
 
When one of them comes to see me,
    he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;
    then he goes out and spreads it around.

All my enemies whisper together against me;
    they imagine the worst for me, saying,
 
“A vile disease has afflicted him;
    he will never get up from the place where he lies.”
 
Even my close friend,
    someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
    has turned against me.

But may you have mercy on me, Lord;
    raise me up, that I may repay them.
 
I know that you are pleased with me,
    for my enemy does not triumph over me.
 
Because of my integrity you uphold me
    and set me in your presence forever.

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.
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Have you ever been mistreated by others? David knew what it was like to not be treated well. He actually had people out attempting to take his life. He had to live in caves and constantly be on the run. However, David never compromised his integrity. David knew that the Lord was on his side and so he didn't need to push back. He didn't need to return harsh words with harsh words. He didn't need to plan his revenge. He admitted that he was hurt, but he trusted that God was going to vindicate him. Today, if someone has hurt you, I am so sorry. But can we take a page from David's book? Can we try to turn our gaze to the Lord, forgive that person even if they don't 'deserve' it, and allow God to mend our hurt heart? 

What stood out to you in this Psalm?
Have you ever lashed back at someone who has hurt you? How did that make you feel? 

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