Book 1: Psalm 1-41 God’s presence beside us
Title: To the chief musician, a Psalm of David
I. The LORD blesses a sympathetic or caring person. (1-4)
A. God will deliver them from troubling times. (1)
B. God will guard and prolong their lives. (2a)
C. God will give them victory over any enemy. (2b)
D. God will heal them from times of illness. (3)
E. God forgives our sin and heals the repentant. (4) II. David laments the hostility of his enemies. (5-9)
A. His enemies desire his death. (5)
B. His enemies deceive him to his hurt. (6)
C. His enemies gossip and slander him. (7-8)
D. His enemy is a close friend – the pain of betrayal. (9) III. David prays for God’s mercy and favor. (10-12)
A. David desires to defeat his enemies. (10)
B. David trusts God to grant him the victory. (11)
C. God rewards David’s integrity. (12)IV. A closing doxology for Book I of the Psalms (13)
There are times in life when the godly are tempted to despair and wonder if being godly is worth the frustration of those who oppose us in our walk with God. David certainly expresses this emotion of frustration in Psalm 41. He is certain that in spite of human appearances, it is still always right to do right.
No doubt we will experience those who are hostile toward us. Remember that it is God who sees and knows all. We can rest assured that He will meet our needs and will be righteous in His judgments. Because of His faithfulness, we can sing with David,
“blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.”