The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing:
thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness.

Psalms 41:3

This Psalm is significant in that it concludes the first of the five books that the Jews divided the Psalter into. Each of these five books concludes with a doxology; a note of intense praise to God.

BOOK ONE

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

Psalms 41:13

BOOK TWO

And blessed be his glorious name for ever:
and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Psalm 72:10-20

BOOK THREE

Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.

Psalms 89:52

BOOK FOUR

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen.
Praise ye the LORD.

Psalms 106:48

BOOK FIVE

Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD.
Praise ye the LORD.

Psalms 150:6

These Psalms are not only songs of praises, they are also the prayers of God’s ancient people. They are prayers that we can recite and bring before the Lord. There is the prayer of the blessed man (Psalm 1), prayers for the morning and the evening (Psalms 3, 4 and 30), a shepherd’s prayer (Psalm 23), prayers for sinners (Psalms 32 and 51) and for the despondent (Psalms 42 and 43). Psalm 41 is a prayer for the suffering, being dominated by this wonderful phrase in verse 3 which describes God making up his bed in his sickness. This is a beautiful and personal word of comfort which reveals God as one with the deepest of sympathy for us in all of our distress.

1: The Confinement

David is confined to his bed on account of his sickness, describing it as a place of languishing. This sickness, however, is one of unusual and severe trial for the Lord’s servant. He feels himself to be under intense mental, physical and spiritual attack.

The illness itself appears to be most acute and probably life threatening. By far, however, the greatest pain was the betrayal he felt by those who gloated over his demise , while pretending to be sympathetic.

Mine enemies speak evil of me,
When shall he die, and his name perish?

Psalms 41:5

All that hate me whisper together against me:
against me do they devise my hurt.
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 41:7-9

2: The Cry

From this sick bed, with many thoughts engulfing his mind and heart David cried unto the Lord.

I said, LORD, be merciful unto me:
heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

Psalms 41:4

But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me,
and raise me up, that I may requite them.

Psalms 41:10

David displayed humility in his suffering, taking ownership over his sins, asking forgiveness. He also sought God that he might be raised up in order that he might see justice meted out upon his enemies. Justice is a recurrent theme in the Psalms, reflecting the nature of God. This justice is never vindictive but is wholly based on a sense of righteousness.

3: The Consolation

The most dominant aspect of the Psalm, however, is David’s knowledge that His God will supply comfort for His time of need.

This comfort was partially based on a sense of justice that as he had remembered the poor and had been kind, God would favour him in his distress; this is the note on which this Psalm begins:

Blessed is he that considereth the poor:
the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

Psalms 41:1

When the Saviour pronounced a blessing upon the merciful who would obtain mercy He was restating the principal articulated in this text. It is worthy to remember this in our public and private dealings kindness and mercy are often blessed by kindness and mercy.

Ultimately, however, David rested upon his bed of suffering knowing that the Lord was there in sympathy, being his physician, his nurse and his carer. In Spurgeon’s Treasury of David the story is recounted from the pen of Paxton Hood who visited his dear friend Benjamin Parsons who was dying:

‘How are you today sir?’…my head is resting very sweetly on three pillows – infinite power, infinite love and infinite wisdom’

Mr Hood proceed to recount the story of a lady who heard him tell of his friend’s dying words. As she was facing surgery she asked if she could keep her pillows but the request was denied. She then said that while these earthly pillows could be removed Benjamin Parsons’ three pillows would never be removed – ‘I can lay my head upon infinite power, infinite love and infinite wisdom’.

This led David into a place of confidence that God would uphold him and establish him in His presence; man cannot thwart the purposes of God.

And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity,
and settest me before thy face for ever.

Psalms 41:12

As with most of David’s Psalms written in days of dark adversity there is a note of triumph at the end. Being the end of this first book the doxology is fulsome. Whatever our experiences we can bless the everlasting God saying “Amen and Amen”.

We are taught, (1.) To give glory to God as the Lord God of Israel, a God in covenant with his people, who has done great and kind things for them and has more and better in reserve. (2.) To give him glory as an eternal God, that has both his being and his blessedness from everlasting and to everlasting. (3.) To do this with great affection and fervour of spirit, intimated in the double seal set to it – Amen, and Amen. Be it so now, be it so to all eternity. We say Amen to it, and let all others say Amen too.

Matthew Henry